Getting away with murder...78 per cent of killings this year unresolved

The hoodlums responsible for the 145 killings recorded so far this year across communities that fall within the St Andrew South Police Division are seemingly getting away with murder.

According to the latest police statistics, only 19 of those killings, or 13 per cent, have been cleared-up.

A case is considered cleared-up when a suspect is arrested and charged.

It was not much better in St James or Clarendon where a total of 226 persons have been killed since the start of the year.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) data shows that in St James only 18 of the 119 murders have been cleared-up while in Clarendon, 21 of the 107 killings have been given the same designation.

The statistics are contained in the JCF’s Periodic Crime Review for January 1 to the week ending October 31.

Since the start of the year, Jamaica has recorded 1,071 murders, one less than the figure recorded for the corresponding period last year.

However, according to the JCF data, only 239 or 22 per cent are considered cleared-up.

Police investigators in Portland have charged a suspect in seven of the nine murders recorded in the parish this year for a 78 per cent clear-up rate, the highest of the 19 police divisions islandwide.

The Kingston Central Police was next, filing charges against a suspect in 12 of the 26 murders recorded across the division this year for a 46 per cent clear-up rate.

The Westmoreland, Trelawny and St Elizabeth police divisions, which recorded 67, 25 and 22 murders in their respective parishes since January 1, each had a 36 per cent clear-up rate.

 

Police Division                   Murders        Cleared-up   Clear-up rate

Kingston Central                 26                   12                   46%

Kingston Eastern                 61                   12                   20%

Kingston Western               50                   10                    20%

St Andrew Central              81                   16                   20%

St Andrew South                145                 19                   13%

St Andrew North                51                   14                   27%

St Catherine North             75                   19                   25%

St Catherine South             104                 23                   22%

St Thomas                           20                  5                     25%

St James                              119               18                   15%

Trelawny                              25                  9                      36%

Westmoreland                      67                   24                   36%

Hanover                                26                   3                     12%

St Mary                                 15                   4                      27%

St Ann                                   37                  7                      19%

Portland                                9                     7                      78%

Manchester                          31                    8                      26%

Clarendon                            107                 21                   20%

St Elizabeth                          22                   8                      36

*Source JCF Periodic Serious and Violent Crime Review

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