353 major crimes committed against children since January

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is reporting that a total of 353 major crimes have been committed against children across Jamaica since the start of 2018.

The JCF says this is a reduction of 128 or 27% in major crimes committed against children over the corresponding period in 2017 when 481 major crimes were committed against children.

“ Year-to-date murders figure for children is 38, which is comprised of 24 males and 14 females. When compared with the corresponding period in 2017, there were 48 murders (30 males and 18 females). This represents a decrease of 10 murders or 21%,” the JCF said in a statement this afternoon.

Continuing, “It should be noted also that no child was murdered in three of the 19 geographic Police Divisions since the start of the year. These Divisions are St Catherine South, Trelawny and Kingston Eastern. Additionally, there were four fewer females killed in 2018 when compared to the same period in 2017.”

Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson, in the statement, assured that the safety and security of children remain a primary focus of the police force.

This comes against the recent incidents of violence against children, several of which emanated from domestic conflicts.

“The JCF continues to place high priority on the safety and well-being of our children. All reported incidents of violence or abuse are taken seriously and treated with urgency,” Major Anderson said.

Head of the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA), Superintendent Charmine Shand, asserted that “active investigations are being done into all reported incidents against children, and detectives from CISOCA, with the assistance of other units of the JCF, have arrested several perpetrators or suspects in these cases.”

Shand stated that detectives continue to pursue coordinated investigations across several police divisions into incidents of child abuse and sexual assaults and pointed out that 20 of the 38 murders have been cleared up since the start of 2018.

She said that this represents a 53% clear up rate.

“We will further our work with our partners in Government and NGOs. Our vigilance is not thwarted as we are determined to identify, arrest and bring to justice every person involved in these crimes. We also urge all persons to play an active role in safeguarding and report breaches committed against our children to the police,” said Shand. 

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