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Jamaica

Jamaica Crime Stats

chris.lockyer781

Author: chris.lockyer781

Jamaica has been constantly ranked as one of the country’s with the highest levels of crime. Both petty crimes and murders have fluctuated over the years. Mostly increasing by large percentages and decreasing by smaller numbers.

The country has one of the world's highest per-capita murder rates. Violent crime can be a real problem in Kingston and other parts of the country, but typically such crimes involve attacks by Jamaicans on other Jamaicans and revolve around drugs, gangs, politics, poverty, or revenge. Criminals do not target visitors.

In 2005, Jamaica had 1,674 murders or a murder rate of 58 per 100,000 people. That year, Jamaica had the highest murder rate in the world. November 2008, the Parliament of Jamaica voted to retain the death penalty, which is performed by hanging.

There were 1,682 reported murders in 2009 and 1,428 in 2010. Since 2011 the murder rate has continued to fall following the downward trend started in 2010, with increases in police patrols, curfews and more effective anti-gang activities. In 2012, the Ministry of National Security reported a 30 percent decrease in murders. Many of the murders in Jamaica are connected to organized crime in the country's urban centers; and most of this organized crime involves the illegal drug trade.

Background:

Jamaica's geographical position means that it is susceptible to drug related crime, it’s not short of non-drug related crimes. The country's rapes per capita rate is the 6th highest in the world for the period 1998 - 2000, at 0.4766 per 1,000 of the population. South Africa tops the table with 1,1954, with the Seychelles 2nd on 0.7883. Corruption is another prevalent crime with 45.56% of business managers identifying its influence in business, the 17th highest rate in the world and 2nd for 2005, behind Madagascar (46.08%).

Definitions

  • Assault rate: Number of assaults recorded by police per 100,000 population
  • Crime levels: Level of crime. Based on 0-50 contributions for Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria and 82 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria and 24 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Brazil, Canada and 17 more countries. The surveys were conducted by numbeo.com from July, 2011 to February, 2014. See this sample survey for the United States, respondents were asked "How serious you feel the level of crime is?". The higher the value, the more survey respondents believe it is high in their country.
  • Drugs > Annual cannabis use: Estimate of percentage of 15-64 year old population who use Cannabis.
  • Murder rate: Homicide rate per year per 100,000 inhabitants in various countries.
  • Police officers: Number of police officers per 100,000 population.
  • Rape rate: Number of rape incidents per 100,000 citizens in different countries. Figures do not take into account rape incidents that go unreported to the police.
  • Suicide rates > Suicide rate (both sexes): Suicides per 100’000 residents per year.
  • Total crimes: Note: Crime statistics are often better indicators of prevalence of law enforcement and willingness to report crime, than actual prevalence.
  • Total crimes per 1000: Note: Crime statistics are often better indicators of prevalence of law enforcement and willingness to report crime, than actual prevalence. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
  • Violent crime > Gun crime > Guns per 100 residents: Number of privately owned small firearms per 100 residents.
  • Violent crime > Intentional homicide rate: Homicides per 100’000 residents. Homicide is the death of a person purposefully inflicted by another person (it excludes suicides) outside of a state of war. Homicide is a broader category than murder, as it also includes manslaughter. The exact legal definition varies across countries, some of which include infanticide, assisted suicide, euthanasia and deaths caused by dangerous driving.
  • Violent crime > Murder rate: Intentional homicide, number and rate per 100,000 population.
  • Violent crime > Murder rate per million people: Intentional homicide, number and rate per 100,000 population. Figures expressed per million people for the same year.
  • Violent crime > Rapes: The number of recorded rapes. Large numbers of rapes go unreported. South Africa is estimated to have 500,000 rapes per year, Egypt 200,000, China 32,000 and the UK with 85,000 rapes per year.
  • Violent crime > Rapes per million people: The number of recorded rapes. Large numbers of rapes go unreported. South Africa is estimated to have 500,000 rapes per year, Egypt 200,000, China 32,000 and the UK with 85,000 rapes per year. Figures expressed per million people for the same year.
STAT AMOUNT DATE RANK HISTORY
Assault rate 421.9 2011 17th out of 93
Crime levels 73.33 2014 14th out of 93
Drugs > Annual cannabis use 9.9% 2006 3rd out of 21
Murder rate 60 2008
Police officers 273.9 2000 5th out of 8
Rape rate 24.4 2010 13th out of 57
Suicide rates > Suicide rate (both sexes) 0.1 1990 2nd out of 2
Total crimes 39,188 2002 58th out of 82
Total crimes per 1000 14.97 2002 44th out of 81
Violent crime > Gun crime > Guns per 100 residents 8.1 2014 71st out of 170
Violent crime > Intentional homicide rate 39 2011 5th out of 44
Violent crime > Murder rate 1,430 2010 18th out of 86
Violent crime > Murder rate per million people 529.39 2010 3rd out of 86
Violent crime > Rapes 668 2010 26th out of 57
Violent crime > Rapes per million people 247.3 2010 13th out of 57

SOURCES: European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control International Statistics on Crime and Justice, 2011; crime; https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/WDR2011/World_Drug_Report_2011_ebook.pdf, World Drug Report 2011, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 2011, p. 217.; UN Crime Stats; Wikipedia: List of countries by suicide rate (Suicide rates per 100,000 by country, year and sex (Table) ); The Eighth United Nations Survey on Crime Trends and the Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (2002) (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Centre for International Crime Prevention); The Eighth United Nations Survey on Crime Trends and the Operations of Criminal Justice Systems (2002) (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Centre for International Crime Prevention). Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Annexe I of the Small Arms Survey 2007 ; Wikipedia: List of countries by intentional homicide rate by decade; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Source tables; United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Source tables. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Statistics : Crime : Sexual Violence (UNODC) and Crime Statistics : Sexual Violence Against Children and Rape, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime; Statistics : Crime : Sexual Violence (UNODC) and Crime Statistics : Sexual Violence Against Children and Rape, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.

Citation

Jamaica Crime Profiles (Subcategories)

Fear of crime 9 Punishment 6
Perceived problems 4 Suicide rates 3
Prisoners 5 Violent crime 8
  • Jamaica ranked first for murders > WHO amongst Heavily indebted countries in 2004.

9

Jamaica has been constantly ranked as one of the country’s with the highest levels of crime. Both petty crimes and murders have fluctuated over the years. Mostly increasing by large percentages and decreasing by smaller numbers.

The country has one of the world's highest per-capita murder rates. Violent crime can be a real problem in Kingston and other parts of the country, but typically such crimes involve attacks by Jamaicans on other Jamaicans and revolve around drugs, gangs, politics, poverty, or revenge. Criminals do not target visitors.

In 2005, Jamaica had 1,674 murders or a murder rate of 58 per 100,000 people. That year, Jamaica had the highest murder rate in the world. November 2008, the Parliament of Jamaica voted to retain the death penalty, which is performed by hanging.

There were 1,682 reported murders in 2009 and 1,428 in 2010. Since 2011 the murder rate has continued to fall following the downward trend started in 2010, with increases in police patrols, curfews and more effective anti-gang activities. In 2012, the Ministry of National Security reported a 30 percent decrease in murders. Many of the murders in Jamaica are connected to organized crime in the country's urban centers; and most of this organized crime involves the illegal drug trade.

Posted on 28 Mar 2014

chris.lockyer781

chris.lockyer781

396 Stat enthusiast

5

Hi Kay, crime has adversely affected tourism in parts of Jamaica, <a href=http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/jamaica/hurting.htm>according to the country's Tourism Minister Aloun N'Dombet Assamba</a>, and tourists are <a href=http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1147.html>warned</a> what precautions to take while planning any travel to Jamaica.

Posted on 24 Mar 2005

Suchita Vemuri, Staff Editor

Suchita Vemuri, Staff Editor

1

Some of these stats are wrong, particularly because gathering information on some issues are so difficult, therefore a lot of assumptions have been made, especially with regards to human trafficking especially w.r.t trafficking fo forced labour etc

Posted on 13 May 2009

kell

kell

0

Jamaicans are worst than the Taliban. Every Jamaican who enters the U.S. is put on a criminal watch list for suspected criminal activity, aside from the terrorist ban list. There is no hope for the nation because of the Rastafarian religion. A cult religion based on a false prophet.

Posted on 15 Nov 2009

The Devil

The Devil

0

The matter of crime in Jamaica is serious concern for all Jamaican's citizenry including those in the diaspora who usually made the trip back home for holidays. the level of crime is preventing many from returning home,it has robbed the country of huge investment, as investor are forced to pay out huge sum for security in order to protect their investment. The police has not been able to rid the island of crime because it is too corrupt, it has limited resource, the police are poorly remunerated and the government has allow too much haphazard community development to take place making it almost impossible to police some section of the island.In addition there is perpetual link between criminal and those holding political offices, all of these make it almost impossible to rid the country of the monster call crime and as one writer suggest perhaps the only way to deal with the problem is to eradicate the entire nation and start a new.

Posted on 11 Dec 2010

zeebo

zeebo

0

Jamaica just like the rest of the Carribean seems like a beautifal and lovely place to live. Yes the crime is high in Jamaica and it is a worry however the people generally are nice and the whole feel of the island seems spectacular

Posted on 14 Jun 2010

anmol

anmol

0

No one in authority wants to hold the bull by the horn so crime must get out of hand. People needs to be safe and it is only few people have the opportunity to travel abroad inorder to escape the terror.Recommendation apply strong jaconian measures accordingly, authority mix up and mix up so if them put things in place them a go hurt them own read between the lines,corruption, corruption, corruption capital of the world Jamaica.

Posted on 14 May 2010

joanda

joanda

0

Some of the comments here demonstrate the lack of understanding of basic principles of statistics that completely deal with the fact that Jamaica is a small country with only about 2.5m people.
e.g.Fact: It has about the 7th highest murder rate per 100,000 population in the world.
In the last 6 years it has 6000 unsolved murder cases (Source Sunday Gleaner Jamaica).
It is true Jamaicans prefer to kill each other rather than tourists but why sit on a beach 8kms away from where a six year old girl is killed and her 9 year old sister in hospital gunned down as daughters of a local peacemaker who was also murdered? (Source Western Mirror Jamaica)

Posted on 11 May 2010

David Fisher

David Fisher

0

Corruption in Jamaica is too far gone, it's almost like you would have to get rid of a whole generation to get the country on the right path. I love my country, but as long as it is going the way it is, I will never ever think of living there again. My brother was murdered in cold blood in broad day light, in front of several witnesses, and absolutely nothing was done to bring this person to justice. Get rid of the corrupted politians who is only in it to make money while poor people suffer. This is a crying shame.

Posted on 16 Apr 2010

CaroC

CaroC

0

I only make a comment because I love the views of Raldo.You are right bro.It's just the perception of ones nationality.In such a way you become statistic automatically.

Posted on 09 Mar 2010

Simon(august town)

Simon(august town)

0

I feel at the age of 18 every Jamaican should be allowed to leave Jamaica and live a broad for a short while they will see sow the rest of the world live and they would stop the senceless killings that take place.I had friends come up from yard and they say they did not know that the rest of world live so different from them due to no exposure now they live repectfully I always say enviorment is stronger
than will people always adjust & conform to their surroundings.

Posted on 05 Feb 2010

TOPSHOTTA

TOPSHOTTA

0

Hey, people what we need to do is pray for our beautiful country Jamaica and people that lives in it. We need God in our lives to change our circumstances or we'll surely be lost. Are we are one people, one nation, and in God we trust and not man.

A thought- "If you don't have anything positive to say, please, please don't say anything."

Posted on 26 Jan 2010

Toni -NCU

Toni -NCU

0

Please Jamaicans and Jamaica a break. Did you all saw what happened on you tube, police beat up one white man and mash up him face in him car window. where did that happened? In America, not Jamaica. America

Posted on 29 Nov 2009

Ray Ray

Ray Ray

0

Jamaica is a beautiful country who happens to have problems just like everywhere else in the world. The reason why it appears to be so abhorred in your sight is because the country is tiny. America has its issues with murder, iraq, afganistan, to name a few. The only way anyone of you can condemn Jamaica is if in your country you have never had any for of criminal activities. If so then you can cast the first stone if not then you hold your peace. I am a true Jamaican who has travelled extensively and since people put me on criminal watch because of my country, it is simple all i do is dont give them what they are expecting. The best revenge you can have on someone is to prove them wrong. If all Jamaican were like me i would go to these countries and show them that we can be some where showing positive vibes without been labelled as criminals. Thank God that something positive exist about my country else if it were up to you all we would have shrink under condemnation. For the record JAMAICA is not a hell hole

Jamaica no problem, respect to all Jamaican crew, a jus one love we a deal wid.

Posted on 17 Nov 2009

Toshyboo

Toshyboo

0

As an American, Jamaica is a gorgeous but violent small country, but is it the worst? is it the more corrupt than Haiti or Columbia, Rio in Brazil or even South Africa, No. The fact of the matter is Kingston and Spanish town(old capital city) is where shooting takes place, in the very poor or ghetto areas, however if some one is a victim of a crime in any part of the country then your just a random statistic, just like any onther country

Posted on 23 Oct 2009

Raldo

Raldo

0

I can never under Jamaica. They are a group of people that are very divided and feed on hostility.My sister was murdered in my presence while visiting in Jamaica and no justice has been served. I am scared of anything called Jamaica, especially the men.
I would never date a Jamaica man and many foreigners shares the same feelings. Jamaica is like the wild! wild west. No integrity. It is capital world in corruption and crime. Stay away from that hell hole.

Posted on 15 Aug 2009

Patrick Bluth

Patrick Bluth

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