Christopher Burgess | Reducing homicides with housing: the case for regularisation

Regularisation is more than housing; it can reduce crime and boost property values in informal and formal areas. But we have dropped the ball in the last decade.

Every night more than 190,000 families or over 20 per cent of Jamaica’s population, who live in informal communities, go to bed in fear. They live with homicide levels that are five times higher than formal communities, mirroring trends in South Africa and Brazil and account for up to half of all homicide. Informal areas concentrate victims and offenders, trapped with little police oversight. Yet, we have stopped addressing the root causes.

Yet, Jamaica remains reactive to crime, having responded to four major spikes. Political violence in the 1970s, saw 889 homicides in 1980, was addressed through disarmament and the Gun Court. Peaks, of over 1600 homicides, in 2005 and 2009 were tackled with international support and community policing. Recent reductions since 2024 reflect stronger anti-gang laws and intelligence-led operations. Time and time again, we meet every crime wave with press conferences rather than prevention. The relief doesn’t last.

Regularisation can transform informal settlements into structured communities, with healthy norms, and social bonds. By improving visibility, infrastructure, tenure, and public services, we can reduce the drivers for crime and improve the value of housing. Just look at St. Paul’s Lane in the prime minister’s constituency, and Barrett Town and Mandela Mews for examples of what is possible.

FROM TENSION TO TRANSFORMATION

Jamaica has over 324 informal settlements, with many near affluent communities like Arcadia, Hope Pastures, and Ironshore, sometimes fuelling tensions over disparities in services, and perceived security risks.

Regularisation offers opportunities to improve security and living conditions for low-income residents and property values by over 15 per cent. For example, look at Barbican Road that has rising land values, as informal settlements are regularised and upgraded, attracting commercial developers to its prime location. Are we ignoring a smart investment?

The IMF, World Bank, and IDB agree land tenure regularisation boosts property values, tax revenue, and economic stability. Panama and Rwanda saw gains through legal land rights and digitised titles. Yet, Jamaica allocates less than $3 billion annually to HAJ and NLA, a fraction of the $133 billion spent annually on policing. What type of country spends six times more to chase crime, rather than preventing it?

FROM OPERATION PRIDE TO POLICY PAUSE

Unfortunately, since 2013, fewer than 7,000 lots have been regularised, with just 208 lots planned for 2025 (HAJ). This is in comparison to 58,000 titles and letters of possessions in seven years of Operation PRIDE, launched in 1994, to upgrade squatter settlements by providing secure land tenure and transforming them into organised communities through infrastructure improvements. Regularisation has slipped from the housing agenda, despite its proven value.

FIGHTING CRIME THROUGH ORGANISED COMMUNITIES

Crime thrives in disorganised communities and visibility matter in community safety. I once questioned a friend, who launched a zinc fence removal programme. But upon visiting his constituency, I saw the impact of replacing towering, rusty zinc sheets. Low permanent concrete walls improved visibility and encouraged interactions and gave residents a renewed sense of pride.

Poor street-lighting and erratic electricity supply are common in informal areas and create vulnerabilities. Without a reliable supply, economic activities can suffer. In Bryce Hill, an ice cream retailer lost all her stock during a two-day blackout, despite paying her pre-paid JPS bill. In regularised areas, service response is far quicker.

Regularisation must go together with public services. Police posts, schools, clinics, and small commercial zones provide outlets and increase daily foot traffic. Grants Pen: once renown for violence, was transformed in 2001 through better policing, community infrastructure, and support from USAID helped reduce crime and improve daily life.

When social and physical improvements are made, community “labels” shift. Property values in and around regularised areas often increase. People start seeing themselves as stakeholders in a safer society.

Regularisation also builds legal pathways and reinforces social controls. Security of tenure allows for home-based businesses that opens opportunities. Mixed-used areas, like shops, food outlets, salons bring home-based services closer, pulling people away from crime, making peace more important.

If we want to sustainably manage crime, we must build order. Regularised communities are safer and offer pathways to prosperity. Just look at Bridgeport and Edgewater, in comparison to Rat Town and Newland in Portmore.

COST OF REGULARISATION VERSUS “CRIME-FIGHTING”

Regularisation involves titling, and upgrading basic services, at an estimated cost of $1.5 million per lot. A comprehensive approach, involving social features and mixed-use, is required to break the links to crime. Addressing the needs of 12,000 families each year would require an investment of $18 billion. This strategy would improve living conditions and integrate communities into the economy.

This is far less than the $78 to $133 billion spent each year on crime-fighting in 2019 to 2024, with temporary results. Jamaica spends over three times more on crime management (4.0 per cent of GDP) than our Caribbean peers. A balance is needed that delivers more and promotes a peaceful and wealthier society.

INVEST IN PEACE

We can’t police our way out of crisis again and again. Fix the communities, and we fix crime.

Instead of pouring hundreds of billions into reactive crime-fighting, Jamaica must tackle the root causes by fixing informal communities. For a fraction of the security budget, we could cut annual homicides from 1,400 to under 300, boost property values, and unlock economic growth. It’s time to start preventing crime, by transforming where people live.

Christopher Burgess, PhD is a registered civil engineer, land developer and the managing director of CEAC Solutions Company Limited. He is currently a Jamaica Institution of Engineers council member. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com