Murders surpass 300, 44% drop in homicides

Jamaica’s murder toll surpassed 300 homicides on the weekend, according to the latest serious crime statistics published by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

As of June 14, the murder count stood at 303.

This means that 14 people were murdered over the last week, between June 7-14, as the murder count for the week before was 289.

This also signifies that year-on-year, there has been a 44 per cent decline in murders.

At this point last year, some 243 more persons were murdered.

The St Andrew South Police Division leads all 19 policing jurisdictions with 42 murders.

It is followed by St Catherine South 28, St Catherine North 24, St James 23, and Westmoreland, St Ann, and Kingston Western with 21 each.

Overall, 17 of the 19 police divisions have recorded a decline in murders year on year.

Portland and St Thomas are the only two divisions with increases in murders.

Meanwhile, shootings, injured persons and rape have declined.

Robbery and break-ins, however, have recorded increases of three per cent and 21 per cent, respectively.

Meanwhile, the National Security Ministry projects that if current trends continue, the country will end the year with fewer than 800 murders, an achievement not seen in decades.

- Andre Williams

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