‘Young men endangered species’

With 41 per 100,000 of the homicides committed in Jamaica being men, Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson says that young males have become endangered species in the country.

Addressing a meeting of the Kiwanis Club of St Andrew at the Christar Villas Hotel on Hope Road in Kingston Monday evening, the top cop revealed that Jamaica’s homicide rate was seven to eight times the global average.

He said that the homicide rate for children in Jamaica was one per 100,000, while the rate for women was four per 100,000.

“Female homicides, compared to male homicides, are half of the global average, so now we know that our young men are endangered species,” the commissioner said.

This year, to date, Jamaica has recorded a little more than 1,400 murders, a 10 per cent increase over the previous year, according to Anderson.

Children charged for serious crimes

The police struggled this year to cramp outbreaks of violence in Westmoreland. The commissioner disclosed that to date, 26 children between 14 and 17 years old have been charged in the western parish for serious crimes.

Giving a breakdown, Anderson said that six young men were charged for murder, five charged for shooting with intent, four for illegal possession of firearm, as well as armed robberies.

Anderson also shared that the partnership between the police and the education sector has helped law enforcers to forge closer ties with residents and children in inner-city communities.

He explained that police personnel who respond to shootings in St James were the same ones who carried homework to 250 students across the parish and return them to their respective schools.

“It was important that a generation of children see our guys who actually do carry guns and body armour and they have that as people who actually bring homework to them.”

He said that the police developed a special attachment to the troubled community of Salt Spring, St James.

“What has been the result? They have recovered twice the number of guns as the next highest division. A lot of that comes from the people,” he added.

Meanwhile, the commissioner said that a record 1,200 new recruits have joined the force this year.

He said that many young people have expressed an interest in becoming members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force and plans are in place going forward to recruit in the region of 1,000 annually.