Murders increase by 20 per cent, rural parishes overtake metropolitan areas

The police have released new statistics indicating a 20 percent increase in murders for the first eight months of the year compared with the similar period last year. 

In particular, the data is showing that rural parishes have overtaken Kingston, St Andrew and St Catherine in terms of the number of murders recorded.

According to the police 826 murders were recorded over the period January 1 to September 5.

That is 140 more homicides than the 686 recorded for the similar period last year. 

The 826 killings so far this year is the highest in five years. 

The police data shows that from January 1 to September 5 last year, there were 326 murders in rural parishes but that figure is up this year to 470.

In the metropolitan area, which comprises Kingston, St Andrew and St Catherine murders have dropped from 360 to 356.

Meanwhile, St James, Clarendon, Kingston, St Andrew, St Catherine continue to be murder hot spot.

Those parishes altogether account for 654 or 79 percent of the murders committed so far this year.

Meanwhile, the police statistics indicate that except for murders, all other serious and violent crimes are still trending down. 

Those crimes include shooting, rape and aggravated assault. 

Rape recorded the biggest drop, moving from 512 last year to 390 so far this year.

MURDERS BY POLICE DIVISIONS: (January 1 - September 5)

Kingston Central 2015 - 31; 2014 - 35

Kingston Eastern 2015 - 18; 2014 - 29

Kingston Western 2015 - 39; 2014 - 50

St Andrew Central 2015 - 36; 2014 - 26

St Andrew North 2015 - 32; 2014 - 20

St Andrew South 2015 - 56; 2014 - 51

St Catherine North 2015 - 86; 2014 - 89

St Catherine South 2015 - 58; 2014 - 60

St James 2015 - 144; 2014 - 94

Trelawny 2015 - 17; 2014 - 15

Westmoreland 2015 - 68; 2014 - 33

Hanover 2015 - 35; 2014 - 24

St Mary 2015 - 20; 2014 - 20

St Ann 2015 - 28; 2014 - 26

Portland 2015 - 8; 2014 - 6

Manchester 2015 - 34; 2014 - 24

Clarendon 2015 - 86; 2014 - 59

St Elizabeth 2015 - 13; 2014 - 16

St Thomas 2015 - 17; 2014 - 9