Jamaica named 2nd most murderous nation in Caribbean for 5th year in a row

The high level of crime in Jamaica is once again being highlighted as the island has been ranked as the 2nd most murderous Caribbean country.  

This ranking makes Jamaica being consistent at the 2nd place for five consecutive years now.  

The only country standing above Jamaica is Haiti which is a nation affected by extreme violence including chopping and burning of bodies, beheadings and much more.  

The most recent data which was released by Statista.com last month showcases that Jamaica is still reeling with the ongoing challenges of violent crime as it has recorded over 1000 murders every year since 2020.  

According to the homicide statistics to date by the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the country has already recorded 1060 murders this year.  

While comparing the data it was found that as of November 30, there were 228 less murders which is a reduction of 17.7% as compared to the same period in 2023.  

Notably, Jamaica recorded a total of 1393 murders in 2023, ranking second only to Haiti’s 4789 homicides among Caribbean nations.  

It was further reported that over the five-year period from 2019 to 2023, Jamaica recorded a total of 7027 murders, once again standing second just to Haiti’s 10610 count. 

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica revealed that 619 females and 6445 men were killed in Jamaica between the five year period. 

Other major figures for the previous year includes Dominica Republic recording 1237 homicides, Trinidad and Tobago with 577, Bahamas with 110 and Puerto Rico with 464. 

US issues Level 3 Advisory for Jamaica 

The increasing level of crime in Jamaica has also pushed its travel advisory status by the United States Department which places the country at Level 3. This level calls travellers to reconsider travelling to the destination due to the high level of crime. 

The most recent of this advisory was updated on July 25, 2024, which also alerted the passengers about the poor medical services available on the island.  

An excerpt from the advisory read that violent crime takes place across Jamaica while tourist areas generally see less rates of violent crimes than other parts of the nation.  

It was added that the murder rate reported by the Government is among the highest in the Western Hemisphere with reports of armed robberies and sexual assaults being common. It further highlights that cases are infrequently prosecuted to a final verdict.