For years, Portland has been among the island's most peaceful parishes. The trend is continuing this year with the parish reporting five murders up to April 21, to be second to Manchester (four) as the parishes with the fewest murders.

But five murders in Portland in just under four months could be considered a crisis as the parish had only one murder for the corresponding period last year.

This week, The Gleaner probes Portland in a special focus on crime, to see what is being done right, what is being done wrong, what needs improvement, and what can be copied in parishes like Westmoreland where 47 murders have been recorded so far this year.

See the stories online and in print starting Wednesday.