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JAM | Jul 10, 2023

Jamaica records 45 murders for first eight days of July

Vanassa McKenzie

Vanassa McKenzie / Our Today

Reading Time: 2 minutes
Jamaica Constabulary personnel beginning a criminal investigation at a crime scene in the Corporate Area. (Photo: jcf.gov.jm)

Jamaica recorded a total of 45 murders between Friday (June 30) and Saturday (July 08), according to Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) data.

This is compared with 38 for the same period in 2022.

A breakdown of the figures show that up to June 30, some 655 murders were recorded across the island. This increased to 700 by July 8, as confirmed by the most recent crime statistics from the JCF.

The western parishes of St James and Westmoreland continue to be the areas with the highest number of murders so far for the year, at 105 and 65, respectively.

The parish of Westmoreland was followed closely by the St Andrew South Police Division with 64 murders, Clarendon with 59, St Catherine South with 52, and St Catherine North with 51.

Despite the still high number of murders being committed, JCF data show that murders have been trending down with an 11.1 per cent decline compared to the previous year.

There was also a notable decline in shootings, robberies, rape and break-ins.

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Jamaica Jamaica Constabulary Force JCF crime statistics murder murders trending down

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