Durrant Pate/Contributor

Jamaica continues to record a significant fall-off in homicides with the latest count of 333 murders between January 1, 2026 and last Saturday, August 8.

This represents a decline of 19.8% from the 415 killings recorded during the same period last year, according to the latest crime statistics from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

The latest figures show that 82 fewer people were killed during the period compared with the same period last year. St. James recorded the highest number of murders with 41 killings, up seven, or 20.6% from the 34 recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.

Divisional homicide tally

The tough St. Andrew South Police Division recorded the second-highest number of murders, with 27, which interestingly is  46% decline from the 50 killings recorded during the same time in 2025. St. Catherine South, which comprises most of Portmore and some parts of Spanish Town, recorded 21 murders, down 40% from 35 in 2025.

Clarendon division recorded 25, up 13.6% from 22, while St. Elizabeth recorded the largest percentage increase in murders during the period. The division recorded 21 killings, compared with eight in the corresponding period last year, an increase of 13 murders, or 162.5%.

Manchester also recorded an increase, with 23 murders compared with 16 last year, a 43.8% rise, while Kingston Eastern recorded 21 murders, up 40% from 15, and St. Andrew Central recorded 27, an increase of 28.6%.

Several police divisions recorded substantial declines, such as St. Mary, which recorded a 63.2% downward trajectory from 19 murders last year to seven this year. St. Andrew North recorded eight murders, down 63.6% from 22, and Portland recorded three murders, down 62.5% from eight.

Other crimes also trending down

Kingston Central recorded five, a 58.3% decline from 12, St. Andrew South recorded the largest numerical reduction with 23 fewer murders than during the same period last year. At the same time, the JCF recorded 320 shooting incidents between January 1, 2026 and August 8, 2026, down 101, or 24%, from the 421 reported during the corresponding period in 2025.

St. Andrew North recorded the largest percentage decline in shootings, with seven incidents compared with 30 last year, a 76.7% reduction. Hanover also recorded a 76.5% decline, from 17 shootings last year to four this year.

St. Andrew South recorded 25 shootings, down 56.1% from 57, while St. Ann recorded 11, a 54.2% decline from 24. However, shootings increased in several divisions, such as Manchester, which rose 50% from 16 to 24 and Trelawny, increasing by 40% from five to seven.

Rape declined 11%, from 246 cases during the first seven months of 2025 to 219 this year. Robberies fell 22.5%, from 440 to 341, while break-ins declined 9.8%, from 685 to 618. 

Overall, the JCF recorded 1,831 incidents across the major crime categories tracked in its report, compared with 2,207 during the corresponding period last year, a decline of 376 incidents, or 17%.