Jamaica records 41% drop in Murders, lowest mid-year homicide rate in over a decade

Jamaica: The Jamaican Constabulary Force (JCF) has released its latest serious crime statistics from across the country which shows a record low of 370 murders as of July 12. The figures highlight a 41% decrease in homicides, representing 258 fewer murders in 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.

The data provided by the JCF also records 14 murders in one week, from July 5 to 12, 2025, with a deadly 24-hour span in which seven murders occurred between July 8 at 5:45 a.m. and July 9 at 5:45 a.m. These homicides were spread across several police divisions. 

However, the murder surge followed a rare 24-hour period without any murders recorded from July 7 to July 8, highlighting the unpredictable nature of violent crime in the country.

One of the tragic murders recorded this week was that of 43-year-old Neisha Williams, a resident of Rae Town in Kingston, who was fatally stabbed by her cousin along Paradise Avenue around 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. The alleged attacker known to be her cousin was fatally shot moments later as the police arrived on the scene after being summoned. 

Meanwhile, the St Andrew South Police Division continues to lead all 19 police divisions by recording a staggering number of 50 murders so far into the year followed by a record of 33 murders recorded by St Catherine South while St Catherine North, St James, and St Ann all have records of 30 murders each.

With the least amount of murders being recorded by Trelawny, Portland, and St Elizabeth recording only 7 murders each since the start of the year. 

Seventeen of the 19 police divisions reported a decline in homicides, with shooting injuries and rape cases also decreasing. However, the country has seen a steady rise in robberies and break-ins year after year.