CONCERNING

Report: U.S. Homicide Rates on the Rise

At least 35 cities reporting an increase this year.

Murder rates across the country are climbing after experiencing a decline in recent years, The New York Times reported Monday. At least 35 U.S. cities have reported a spike in murders, violent crimes, or both. In cities like New Orleans, 120 homicides were reported as of late August, compared with 98 during the same period last year. The number of people killed in Baltimore increased to 215 from 138 during the same period a year ago, while St. Louis saw a 60 percent increase to 136 murders from 85 homicides during the same point in 2014. The Justice Department is expected to launch an initiative to deal with the increased murder rates at a conference this month.