Murders in Jamaica are set to close 2025, with around 660 cases, if the current trend continues, down 41 percent compared to 1,141 persons last year, the lowest in 32 years, data released by the Jamaica Constabulary Force shows. The latest data also points to a moderate decline next year, to 640 murders.
Data released by the country’s security force up to the 8th of November, shows the number of murders falling from 979 to the 8th of November last year, to 571 this year, a drop of 408 murders, up to the 8th of November, at a rate of just over an average of 1.75 murders per day.
If achieved, this year would be the lowest in since the mid-1990s and ranked with 1993, with 654 murders on record. It would be lower than the 889 murders in the general election-driven 1980, by far the worst year on record up to then.
For the year to August, murders were running at 1.85 per day, and have now dropped to 1.75. At the current rate, murders for 2026 are set to end around 640, which would be a small reduction compared to the above projection for 2025.
The police data shows only two divisions out of 19, reflecting deterioration in murders this year to date; these are St. Thomas with a one percent rise and St. Ann up 19 percent compared to 2024.