Jamaica recorded 333 murders between Jan. 1 and Aug. 8, an 19.8% decline from the 415 killings recorded during the corresponding period in 2025, according to the latest crime statistics from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
The latest figures show that 82 fewer people were killed during the period compared with the same period last year.
St. James recorded the highest number of murders, with 41 killings reported through Aug. 8, up seven, or 20.6%, from the 34 recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
St. Andrew South recorded the second-highest number of murders, with 27, although that represented a 46% decline from the 50 killings recorded during the same period last year.
St. Catherine South also recorded 21 murders, down 40% from 35 in 2025, while Clarendon recorded 25, up 13.6% from 22.
Sharp increase in St. Elizabeth
St. Elizabeth recorded the largest percentage increase in murders during the period.
The division recorded 21 killings, compared with eight during the corresponding period last year — an increase of 13 murders, or 162.5%.
Manchester also recorded an increase, with 23 murders compared with 16 last year, a 43.8% rise.
Kingston Eastern recorded 21 murders, up 40% from 15, while St. Andrew Central recorded 27, an increase of 28.6%.
Several divisions recorded substantial declines.
St. Mary recorded a 63.2% decline, from 19 murders last year to seven this year. St. Andrew North recorded eight murders, down 63.6% from 22.
Portland recorded three murders, down 62.5% from eight, while Kingston Central recorded five, a 58.3% decline from 12.
St. Andrew South recorded the largest numerical reduction, with 23 fewer murders than during the same period last year.
Shootings also decline
The JCF recorded 320 shooting incidents between Jan. 1 and Aug. 8, down 101, or 24%, from the 421 reported during the corresponding period in 2025.
St. Andrew North recorded the largest percentage decline in shootings, with seven incidents compared with 30 last year, a 76.7% reduction.
Hanover also recorded a 76.5% decline, from 17 shootings last year to four this year.
St. Andrew South recorded 25 shootings, down 56.1% from 57, while St. Ann recorded 11, a 54.2% decline from 24.
However, shootings increased in several divisions, including Manchester, where they rose 50% from 16 to 24, and Trelawny, where they increased 40% from five to seven.
Major crimes continue to trend downward
The latest figures show declines across the other major crime categories tracked by the JCF.
Rape declined 11%, from 246 cases during the first seven months of 2025 to 219 this year.
Robberies fell 22.5%, from 440 to 341, while break-ins declined 9.8%, from 685 to 618.
Overall, the JCF recorded 1,831 incidents across the major crime categories tracked in its report, compared with 2,207 during the corresponding period last year — a decline of 376 incidents, or 17%.
Despite the overall decline in serious crimes, several divisions recorded increases in specific categories, including St. James, where break-ins more than doubled from 23 to 49.
St. Mary also recorded an 89.5% increase in break-ins, from 19 to 36, while Portland recorded a 27.3% increase, from 33 to 42.
The figures cover the period from Jan. 1 through Aug. 8, 2026, and are based on the JCF’s latest Serious Crimes Report.
caribbeannationalweekly.com
