SSP Diaries | Unite now to defeat crime

THE POLICE are increasingly doing their part in the fight against crime. The trend in serious and major crimes over the past three or so years has been one of reductions and the rekindling of hope for a better future, a better Jamaica. Perusal of the recent JCF Serious Crimes Report allows one to understand and appreciate what the primary law-enforcement agency has been achieving, especially in the past year.

In the report covering the period January 1, 2024 to March 8, 2025, there are achievements worthy of note. There were 196 homicides in 2024 and for the same period in 2025, 145 were recorded. This reflects a reduction of 51 homicides or a 26-per-cent decrease. This is significant for a country of our size, our proximity to areas of influence and involvement in activities that nurture and express themselves through extreme violence.

Although the main weapon in homicide cases remains the illegal gun, in the 2025 period reported there were 147 shootings compared to 188 in the previous year, a reduction of 41 or 21.8 per cent. There are those of us who will say that if the criminals could shoot better, it would be worse. Reality, however, is what one is judged by, and this is a positive achievement for policing, especially when injuries because of this activity saw a massive reduction by some 60.34 per cent.

EXPENSIVE BUSINESS

This means that our health services are faring better for not having to treat as many gunshot wounds as they have had to do in the past. The treatment of such wounds is a very expensive business, consuming a sizeable portion of the health budget. Perhaps the Ministry of Health and Wellness could apprise the public of the facts here.

Crimes against females have also recorded reductions. In 2024 there were 89 recorded cases of rape and in 2025, 31 over the same period, a reduction of 58 or 65.2 per cent. While one understands the silence that often accompanies these offences, it is important to note that there is a level of confidence being displayed in the policing mechanisms that bring such perpetrators to justice stemming from greater cooperation between law enforcement and the public.

Robbery continues to be a sore point with 139 cases reported in 2024 and 115 in the comparative period this year. This is a mere 24 (17.3 per cent) fewer than that recorded in 2025. There is obviously a lot more work to be done in this area for the year ahead, but at the very least things are also trending in the right direction. There is even more work to be done on the part of the JCF in the matter of break-ins.

In 2024 there were 164 incidents, the comparative period for 2025 has seen an increase of 26 incidents for a total of 190 or 15.9 per cent more. This is a crime that is likely to reduce public confidence in the police, especially as it applies to residences and business places. It automatically generates concerns with consequences for increased societal panic, and or, private security costs.

POLICE RESPONSIBILITY

Generally speaking, the nation has not seen these types of trends for decades and the significance of the efforts of the police seems to be lost upon us. We have been socialised to believe that the fight against crime is one which is solely a police responsibility and not one that involves every single law-abiding citizen, and the criminally minded themselves who continually fail to heed good advice. Sadly, we have been accustomed to a crime trend going in the opposite direction that even when it trends positively, the significance is lost upon us.

Let us pause for a moment and realise where we are at. The country is gearing itself up for another general election. Past trends in electioneering have tended to lay the blame for our crime rates on the police force. The lack of adequate social intervention mechanisms that engage the atrisk youth in our society and those with the responsibility for putting them in place almost never come into question. These are the responsibilities of our political leaders, the very people on the campaign trail seeking to gain office. There can be no lasting reduction in the cycle of crime without adequately addressing the mindsets of those criminally minded and the victims of such incidents, especially those bent on revenge. Our politicians must stop fuelling a cycle of passing the blame and the public must cease to accept it. Even with the positive performances of the JCF, crime can only reach acceptable levels on a temporary basis, it will not be a lasting achievement without the input, maintenance and sustenance of meaningful social interventions.

URGENT CALL

There is an urgent call for political parties, the public and private sectors to come together and formulate a national strategy for the eradication of crime in our society. Such a strategy must be able to have continuity across political administrations, an agreed 30-year plan, for example. The trends highlighted suggest the opportune time is now. Politicians need to put aside their differences and, on this problem, work for the good of the nation. This is the gap that needs to be plugged. The police will reach a point where they can go no further.

Jamaica does not want to see a repeat of what if has been experiencing since Independence, and that is, our leaders reverting to blame the JCF for high crime rates. There has been too much scapegoating in our history and the electorate has accepted too much of this as being credible, we must now call a spade a spade, and lay the blame exactly where it belongs.

The JCF is doing a good job and we should continue to encourage them. Going forward, supporting the police with solid social intervention plans managed at the national level and void of political insularities should bring crime to acceptable levels within the next 20 to 30 years, or, hopefully before!

Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com