Crime in Jamaica

Police vehicle in the streets of Jamaica

Some areas of Jamaica, particularly population centers such as Kingston, Montego Bay and Spanish Town, experience high levels of crime and violence.[1] Jamaica has had one of the highest intentional homicide rates in the world for many years, according to United Nations estimates.[2] Former Prime Minister P. J. Patterson described the situation as "a national challenge of unprecedented proportions".[3]

## Murder

[edit]

Though having recently having decreased rates of murder, with one of the lowest murder rates in the country within the 21st century,[4] Jamaica still maintains one of the worst murder rates in the world. There have also been criticisms of the lack of police transparency in Jamaican policing, with calls for police body cameras as the number of police killings have increased significantly during the efforts to curb gang violence.[5] On 22 July, Jamaican police announced they had killed 5 men in St. Andrew parish, Kingstown after having allegedly been under fire.[6] InSight Crime has cited greater policing authority and investigatory abilities as the primary source of Jamaica's murder rate declining.[7]

Much of the firearms with Jamaica are illegally trafficked from the United States, which are often brought into Jamaica by gang members or other unaffiliated criminals.[8][9]

When Jamaica gained independence in 1962, the murder rate was 3.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, one of the lowest in the world.[10] In 2022, Jamaica had 1,508 murders, for a murder rate of 53.34 per 100,000 people,[11] the highest murder rate in the world.[2][12]

Jamaica recorded 1,680 murders in 2009.[13] In 2010, there were 1,428, in 2011, 1,125. 2012 saw 1,097, 2013, 1,200. 2014 totaled 1,192, 2015, 1,450, 2016, 1,350, 2017, 1,616 and 2018, 1,287.[14][15] 1,508 murders were reported in 2022.[16]

Year | Total rate per 100,000 people[17] | Total intentional homicides[18]

|
|

2009 | 61.82 | 1,683
2010 | 52.93 | 1,447
2011 | 41.26 | 1,133
2012 | 39.93 | 1,102
2013 | 43.34 | 1,202
2014 | 36.09 | 1,005
2015 | 43.26 | 1,209
2016 | 48.31 | 1,354
2017 | 58.65 | 1,647
2018 | 45.84 | 1,289
2019 | 47.62 | 1,340
2020 | 47.26 | 1,333
2021 | 52.13 | 1,474
2022 | 53.34 | 1,508
2023 | 49.05 | 1,393
2024 | 40.18 | 1,141

## Drugs

[edit]

In March 2025, Jamaican authorities seized 1,183 pounds (538.8 kg) of cocaine disguised as Cuban honey at the Kingston seaport. The drug, valued at USD 3.1 billion, was found in a shipping container during a joint operation by the Jamaica Customs Agency and the Firearms and Narcotics Investigation Division (FNID). Senior Superintendent Samuel Blake highlighted the seizure as part of ongoing efforts to curb drug trafficking. The bust coincided with a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who discussed narcotics-related corruption with Jamaican officials.[19]

## Emergencies

[edit]

On November 15, 2022, the Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared a state of emergency for certain regions of Jamaica because of rising crime rates.[20] Some areas affected by the measures include the capital Kingston, and the popular tourist destination of Montego Bay.[21][22] This followed a travel warning from the U.S. State Department suggesting travelers to not travel to certain areas of the country due to crime rates.[23]

## See also

[edit]

* Jamaica portal

* Jamaican posse
* The Harder They Come
* Yardies

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "North and Central America and Caribbean Jamaica". Travel advice by country. United Kingdom, Foreign & Commonwealth Office. 20 March 2009. Archived from the original on 21 March 2009. Retrieved 20 March 2009.
2. ^ a b "Crime > Murders > Per capita: Countries Compared". Nationmaster. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
3. ^ "Washington Post Foreign Service". Nisat.org. Archived from the original on 15 May 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2009.
4. ^ Abdur-Rahman, Nahlah (5 March 2025). "Jamaica Celebrates Lowest Monthly Murder Toll In 25 Years". Black Enterprise. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
5. ^ Duncan, Natricia; Lugg, Anthony (12 May 2025). "Murders in Jamaica drop but activists alarmed at rise in fatal police shootings". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
6. ^ Press, Associated. "Jamaican police kill 5 men as department criticized for surge in fatal shootings". ABC News. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
7. ^ Newton, Marina Cavalari, Juliana Manjarrés, Christopher (26 February 2025). "InSight Crime's 2024 Homicide Round-Up". InSight Crime. Retrieved 3 August 2025.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
8. ^ Office, U. S. Government Accountability. "High Murder Rates in the Caribbean Linked to Guns Trafficked from the United States | U.S. GAO". www.gao.gov. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
9. ^ "Spike in Caribbean killings fueled by guns smuggled from US". Newsweek. 13 November 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2025.
10. ^ "Crime and crisis in Jamaica". www.focal.ca. Archived from the original on 30 July 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
11. ^ "Intentional homicide". dataUNODC. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
12. ^ "Intentional homicide". dataUNODC. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
13. ^ Wilkinson, Bert. "MURDERS OFF THE CHARTS". Caribbean Life. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
14. ^ "Jamaica Observer Limited". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
15. ^ diGJamaica (24 January 2019). "Murder in Jamaica 2018 —". diG Jamaica. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
16. ^ [1]
17. ^ [2]
18. ^ [3]
19. ^ "USD 3.1 billion in cocaine seized at Kingston seaport police". www.surinametimes.com. Retrieved 31 March 2025.
20. ^ Chappell, Kate; Ellsworth, Brian (16 November 2022). "Jamaica declares regional states of emergency due to gang violence". Reuters. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
21. ^ Miller, Andrew (16 November 2022). "Jamaica issues state of emergency in response to surging crime that includes tourist haven Montego Bay". Fox News. Reuters. Retrieved 3 December 2022 – via Fox News.
22. ^ Miller, Andrew Mark (16 November 2022). "Jamaica declares state of emergency over surging crime, including tourist hot spot Montego Bay". Fox News. Retrieved 3 December 2022 – via NY Post.
23. ^ "Jamaica Travel Advisory". travel.state.gov. Retrieved 3 December 2022.

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