Murders on the rise in Jamaica

Data from the latest available crime statistics from the Jamaica Constabulary Force show that murders in Jamaica have seen a four percent increase year on year.

St James, St Catherine North and Westmoreland are the top three murderous police divisions since the start of the year with 132, 94 and 89 murders, respectively. 

The current murder tally is 18 shy of the total number of homicides recorded in Jamaica in 2003 - the last year in the past two decades when murders were below 1,000. 

Portland has recorded the fewest murders, 8, followed by Trelawny, Hanover and St Elizabeth, all of which have recorded 26 murders, each. 

Shootings have declined by 4.9 percent. The St Andrew South division had the highest number, 89, followed by Westmoreland with 84. 

There were 58 less rapes for the period compared with the 2021.  

Of the 256 rapes, most were recorded in St Andrew North (32) and the least in St. Mary and Kingston Central, three each. 

Robberies across the island have increased by 13 percent, with 582 reported.  

Robberies declined in seven of the 19 police divisions, while Manchester recorded 75 robberies, which is the highest among all divisions for the period. 

Break-ins have increased by 5.2 percent, as 625 incidents were reported when compared to 594 last year. 

As with robberies, Manchester had the highest number of break-ins (114) - two more than it recorded over a similar period in 2021.  

The police divisions in Kingston reported the least number of break-ins. 

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