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KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC — Jamaica has recorded a significant drop in major crimes so far in 2025, with the latest police statistics showing a 23.8 per cent reduction in murders between January 1 and February 18, compared to the same period last year.
The downward trend is attributed to targeted law enforcement operations aimed at dismantling criminal gangs. These efforts contributed to a 13 per cent decrease in murders and a 10 per cent decline in shootings between January 1 and February 1 when compared to the same period in 2024.
According to the latest data from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), the country has seen a 12.3 per cent decline in shootings and an even more remarkable 73.6 per cent decrease in rape cases during the January 1 to February 18 period. The figures show that 99 murders were recorded this year, compared to 130 over the same period in 2024. Shootings decreased from 130 to 114, while rape cases fell from 72 to 19.
The statistics indicate that St James experienced a dramatic reduction in crime. The parish recorded six murders, a steep 72.7 per cent decrease from the 22 reported in the same period last year. Shootings in the parish also declined by 47.6 per cent, from 21 cases in 2024 to 11 this year. Rape cases dropped by 55.6 per cent, from nine to four.
Trelawny saw an even more positive trend, recording no murders for the period, compared to six last year. In St Ann, murders declined by 30 per cent, from 10 last year to seven this year. Meanwhile, St Mary reported four murders, an increase from two in 2024, while shooting incidents doubled from two to four.
In Area One, which includes St James, Westmoreland, Hanover, and Trelawny, murders declined by 63.2 per cent, shootings by 53.3 per cent, rapes by 70.8 per cent, and robberies by 50 per cent.
Despite the overall reductions, some areas continue to struggle with crime. Area Four, which includes sections of Kingston and St Andrew, recorded 34 murders compared to 33 last year. Similarly, Area Five, which covers St Catherine North, St Catherine South, St Andrew North, and St Thomas, saw a slight increase in murders, rising from 28 in 2024 to 30 this year.
Meanwhile, traditionally high-crime parishes such as Clarendon, St Elizabeth, and Manchester reported a combined total of seven murders for the period, a significant drop from the 17 recorded in the same timeframe last year.
The declining crime numbers have been welcomed by the business and tourism sectors, which view the trend as a positive sign for investment and economic stability.
