23 Jamaicans, 11 over 2 days, were killed last week, murders down 42 per cent

Jamaica last week recorded 23 murders, representing a spike when compared to recent weeks of single-digit homicides.

The 23 murders that were recorded over the period August 23 to 30 bring Jamaica back to the 2024 average weekly murder count.

The figure is contained in the police's latest serious crime statistics.

It shows that Jamaica's murder toll, as at August 30, is 459 and represents a 42 per cent decline year-on-year.

A week prior, 14 murders were recorded between August 16 and 22.

A week before that, August 9-16, Jamaica recorded seven murders.

The spike in murders last week was seemingly impacted by 11 homicides over two days, between Tuesday and Thursday morning.

The St Andrew South Police Division leads all 19 divisions with 55 homicides.

This is followed by St James and St Ann with 41 murders each and St Catherine South with 40.

Sixteen of the 19 police divisions have recorded reductions in murders when compared to last year.

Shootings, injured persons, and rape have declined while robberies and break-ins have increased by 11 and 29 per cent, respectively.

Overall, crime is down 16 per cent.

The decline in murders has been a major talking point during the political campaigns leading up to the general election on Wednesday.

- Andre Williams

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