Increase in Crime Stop calls yields fewer results - Quality of tips declining
Published:Monday | July 2, 2018 | 12:00 AMCorey Robinson/Staff Reporter
There was an increase in the number of calls to Crime Stop last year, but the latest Economic and Social Survey suggests that the quality of those calls is slipping in comparison to the previous year.
According to the survey, which was released by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) last month, while there was a 74 per cent increase in the number of calls last year over 2016, fewer calls proved helpful to the investigation.
This, while members of the public were paid $2.4 million for information that was shared with the cops.
"Calls received included 209 for illegal firearm and ammunition; 142 for gunmen, 112 for illegal gambling; 56 drug related, 51 for murders; and 41 for wanted persons. The ratio of success to calls investigated was 1:8 compared with 1:6 in the previous year," read the PIOJ's report.
"Of the 61 arrests made, 33 were for illegal gambling, nine each for illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, and illegal possession of drugs; and three for murder. As a result of information received, the following were seized or recovered: 24 illegal firearms and 315 rounds of ammunition; 616.2 kilograms of cured marijuana; 36 kilograms of marijuana seeds; 51 marijuana sticks and J$914,654."
Ganja cultivation
The report also revealed that 2.3 hectares of marijuana cultivation was seized through calls to Crime Stop, and that the overall value of the narcotics seized was $17.9 million. Property recovered amounted to some $3.8 million.
Since 1989 when it was started, Crime Stop has received a total of 26,585 calls, of which 20,502 were investigated. This has resulted in the arrests of 2,459 persons, 320 of whom were for murder. Narcotics valued at $739.2 million and property worth $231 million were also seized over the period. Overall, approximately $27.1 million has been paid out in rewards.