Kingston, Jamaica – Jamaica is witnessing a remarkable decline in murders, according to the latest national crime statistics released by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). As of May 17, 2025, the country has recorded 257 homicides—representing a 42 percent reduction compared to the 439 murders reported during the same period in 2024.
This downward trend continues the encouraging trajectory noted earlier this year, with homicides steadily decreasing across most police divisions. In the previous week alone, Jamaica recorded nine murders, contributing to the lowest national average in recent years.
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Notably, 16 out of the island’s 19 police divisions have seen reductions in murder rates. However, certain areas remain hotspots for violent crime. St. Andrew South leads with 35 murders, followed by St. Catherine South (24), St. James (22), and St. Ann, Kingston West, and St. Catherine North, each reporting 18. The parish of Trelawny recorded the fewest homicides, with just six to date.
While the murder rate has dropped significantly, the data shows improvements across other categories of serious crime. Shootings, aggravated assaults, rapes, and robberies have all declined. Nevertheless, break-ins have bucked the trend, increasing by 16 percent year-on-year.
In total, serious and violent crimes have decreased by 22 percent, reinforcing confidence in ongoing crime-fighting initiatives and police strategies. The current national weekly average for murders stands at 13, a sharp drop from last year’s average of 22 murders per week.
The JCF has attributed the continued decline to a combination of increased intelligence-led operations, community-based policing, and strengthened inter-agency cooperation. Authorities have also emphasized the role of citizen support and the use of technology in improving crime detection and prevention.
As the island continues to battle organized crime and gang violence, officials remain cautiously optimistic that the downward trend will persist through the remainder of 2025.
