More murders than shootings in Jamaica for the first time in five years

Police statistics released today are showing that for the first time in five years, more murders have been recorded in Jamaica than shootings.

This means that while the gun is most prevalent in committing murders, offenders are using other means to kill people.

However, the police statistics do not indicate how the 1,192 people killed up to December 26 this year were slain.

This means the police’s ‘Get the Guns’ campaign may require a corresponding strategy to target the perpetrators of murders which do not involve a gun.

The murder tally so far this year represents a 20 per cent hike or 195 cases over the 997 people killed during the similar period last year.

At the same time, the Jamaica Constabulary Force data is showing that the police continue to struggle to solve homicides.

So far this year of the 1,192 people killed, the police have only been able "clear up" 616 cases.

The term "clear up" means the suspect has been arrested or killed.

Murder by the year
2011 – 1,117
2012 – 1,085
2013 – 1,190
2014 – 997
*2015 – 1,192

Shooting by the year
2011 – 1,339
2012 – 1,229
2013 – 1,235
2014 – 1,089
*2015 – 1,055

The latest police data also confirm the trend that more people are being killed in rural police divisions than in the metropolitan with St James, St Catherine North and Clarendon recording the worst figures.

MURDERS BY POLICE DIVISIONS: (January 1 – December 26)
Kingston Central 2015 - 49; 2014 - 38
Kingston Eastern 2015 - 34; 2014 - 49
Kingston Western 2015 - 49; 2014 - 62
St Andrew Central 2015 - 43; 2014 - 39
St Andrew North 2015 - 35; 2014 - 35
St Andrew South 2015 - 75; 2014 - 63
St Catherine North 2015 - 121; 2014 - 119
St Catherine South 2015 - 86; 2014 - 85
St James 2015 - 211; 2014 - 157
Trelawny 2015 - 24; 2014 - 21
Westmoreland 2015 - 106; 2014 - 51
Hanover 2015 - 59; 2014 - 39
St Mary 2015 - 29; 2014 - 25
St Ann 2015 - 41; 2014 - 37
Portland 2015 - 9; 2014 - 7
Manchester 2015 - 53; 2014 - 41
Clarendon 2015 - 121; 2014 - 96
St Elizabeth 2015 - 24; 2014 - 21
St Thomas 2015 - 23; 2014 - 12    

In the meantime, other major crimes: robbery, rape, break-in, aggravated assault and larceny have recorded declines ranging from 16 per cent to 24 per cent.