Murders dip in 2023 but nation still awaits consensus on tackling crime
Published:Tuesday | January 2, 2024 | 1:16 AMAndre Williams/Staff Reporter -
While arrangements governing the Crime Monitoring Oversight Committee (CMOC) are still being reviewed and a new agreement not yet reached, Jamaicans at the start of 2024 have been left to absorb murder statistics of 1,393 people killed last year.
While still significantly high in comparison to other countries in the region, the figures published Monday by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) represent a 7.8 per cent decline year on year.
The other serious crimes captured by the police, including shootings, injury, robbery, rape and break-ins, are also down.
The CMOC, which was established in 2020, is an independent body comprising nonpartisan stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, academia, and the political directorate, with a mandate to set goals aimed at mitigating crime and report to the public.
During a November sitting of the Senate, Dr Dana Morris Dixon, minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with direct oversight for skills and digital transformation, provided an update to the nation.
“The Administration remains committed to a consensus on crime. This fight is not a task for one group or one institution; it is a task for all of us, for every citizen, every community, and every sector of society. Let us answer this call for unity, for together we are unstoppable and together I know we will conquer crime,” she said then.
Morris Dixon had noted that crime is a shadow that looms over the society, threatening livelihoods, and called for unity.
“We must decide whether to stand in support of law and order, peace and justice or to stand complicit to terror, devastation and lawlessness. I stand to issue a call to action that transcends political boundaries, philosophical differences and personal interest – a call for unity, a partnership,” she told the Senate.
With the dawn of a new year upon the nation, Jamaicans are still waiting to hear consensus on the CMOC.
The latest crime statistics show that 118 fewer homicides were committed than the corresponding period in 2022.
Also noteworthy is the now revised 1,511 people the police say were murdered at the end of 2022.
Initially, the JCF had reported that 1,498 homicides were committed that year.
Notably, death cases are at times upgraded to murder after relevant investigations are carried out.
In 2023, for the second year running, the St James Police division recorded the most murders.
With 187 murders at the end of the year, the division was top among six with 100 murders or more.
Westmoreland 117, St Andrew South 123, St Catherine North 120, Clarendon 104 and St Catherine South 103 round out the other five.
Four of the 19 police divisions, including Kingston Western, Hanover, St Ann and Clarendon, had percentage increases in murders year on year.
St Andrew North and Portland held firm year on year with 59 and 14 murders, respectively.
CMOC Chairman Lloyd Distant said in May last year that, initially, the consensus focused on medium- to long-term initiatives.
In November, Distant said a consensus was lacking on several issues, including legislation and accountability, which may be hindering any significant reduction in lawlessness in Jamaica.
Distant’s comment came amid calls from the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) for the Government to re-engage with the CMOC, alongside the Opposition, private sector, and civil society, to finalise the revised memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the National Consensus on Crime.
Yesterday, Dr Horace Chang, minister of national security and Senator Peter Bunting, opposition spokesman on national security, could not be reached for a comment as efforts by The Gleaner to contact the lawmakers were unsuccessful.
A look at murders over the past 10 years
2023 - 1,393 murders
2022 - 1,511 murders
2021 - 1,474 murders
2020 - 1,323 murders
2019 - 1,339 murders
2018 - 1,287 murders
2017 - 1,647 murders
2016 - 1,354 murders
2015 - 1,208 murders
2014 - 1,005 murders
2013 - 1,202 murders