Murders climb 10% as clear-up rate plunges
Published:Thursday | September 2, 2021 | 12:13 AMAndre Williams/Staff Reporter
Jamaica’s homicide figures have increased by 9.7 per cent year on year, while the clear-up rate for 2021 is at a five-year low, 34.65 per cent.
As of Saturday, August 28, Jamaica’s murder tally for 2021 had risen to 935, up from 852 for the corresponding period in 2020.
However, only 324 of the murders were considered cleared according to data from the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
For the corresponding period in 2020, some 44.7 per cent of the murders were cleared.
The data reveal that in 2019, 2018, and 2017, the clear-up rate was 35.8, 36.29, and 38.86 per cent, respectively.
Males remain the chief murder victims, with 855 cases up to last Saturday, compared to 80 females.
Also of note was that 200 adults over 45 years old have been murdered and another 134 shot and injured since January.
There were 18 children among those killed for the period.
There has been a drop in arrests for murders in 2021, with 402 people being placed before the courts – 58 or 13 per cent fewer when compared to 460 in 2020.
According to the data, illegal guns featured in 796 murders, up from 702 last year.
There were also 72 fatal police shootings, a 70 per cent increase over last year’s figure.
Trelawny has overtaken Portland as the least murderous police division.
Trelawny has recorded nine murders so far, down from 14, whereas Portland recorded 12 homicides, up from eight.
St Andrew South continues to lead in murders, with 116 cases; followed by St James with 106; and Kingston Western with 84.
Meanwhile, declines have been recorded in cases of rapes, aggravated assaults, robberies, and break-ins.
Some 278 rapes have been recorded up to August 28 this year, down from the 396 seen in the corresponding period last year.
Aggravated assaults are down to 225 from 275; five hundred and twelve robberies have been recorded compared with 720; and break-ins are at 593, down from 711.