As murder rates decline in big American cities, Houston’s remains one of the highest in the nation

After nearly 20 years of steady decline, murders across the country are on the rise.

And according to a new report, Houston may be largely to blame.

RELATED: Houston moms are scariest in the country, and these murderous matriarchs prove it

Brennan Center data studied from 2014-2016 shows Chicago, followed by Baltimore and Houston rounding out the third spot, accounted for around half of the nation’s increased murders last year.

Additionally, violent crime numbers in Houston are stable compared to the decreasing trends in other cities, like LA and Boston.

The Houston Police Department reported 302 murders around town in 2016, one less than 2015, but the force is optimistic their increased presence thanks to efforts citywide to fund hiring nearly 200 new officers will turn things around.

RELATED: Two Houstonians recently tried to kill their exes, but they should have read up on the city’s history of failure with hit men

Until then, here’s an interactive map of all the murders in Houston last year:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1mu9dcwc1i4J_Z5D4fHqGGUb2ZPs&ll=29.740718888472706%2C-95.41503131308593&z=11

Stay safe out there, y’all.