Corporal Jayann Raymond consoles Kelsey Ferrigon’s mates at St John’s Main College on Monday, Could 12. 9-year-old Kelsey was murdered and her physique stuffed in a barrel at her dwelling on Job Lane, Spanish City, St Catherine, on Friday, Could 9. (Photograph: Naphtali Junior)
FOR years the Jamaica Constabulary Drive (JCF) has struggled to establish the explanations behind the virtually annual spike in murders in Could.
“It must be famous traditionally that this month has historically been the very best regularly,” Minister of Nationwide Safety Dr Horace Chang identified throughout a particular post-Cupboard media briefing at Jamaica Home on Thursday. The truth is, it gave the police drive many hours of planning and considering as to what’s the reason for it as a result of Could turned up yearly with over 100 murders.”
On Friday Jamaica Observer sources with safety background additionally struggled to find out what triggered the annual spike as they pointed to doable causes, together with the annual convention of the Jamaica Police Federation which is often held outdoors of Company Space, and the absence of any main leisure or sporting occasions in the course of the month.
In 2021, 105 murders had been recorded in Could earlier than leaping to 135 for a similar month in 2022. Then, in 2023, a complete of 133 murders had been recorded within the month on Could.
However the development has damaged this 12 months with Chang pointing to an nearly 70 per cent decline in murders thus far in Could when in comparison with the identical interval in 2024.
“The truth is, final 12 months it was 134 [murders] and we are actually at 42 — and with two days to go [in the month] we are going to are available in under 50,” declared Chang on the Thursday afternoon media briefing.
“I say that with confidence as a result of typically there are talks by others that we should always not rejoice or take credit score for this exercise [but] this Authorities, led by Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, decidedly invested in safety,” Chang argued after pointing to the general main crime figures thus far this 12 months.
He mentioned that as at Thursday there was a 43.3 per cent lower in murders, in comparison with the identical interval (January 1 to Could 29) final 12 months.
“That signifies that we now have a discount of 210 murders in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months. This might be the bottom price of homicides within the island since 1991,” mentioned Chang as he famous that main crimes are down by 19.3 per cent thus far this 12 months.
“The projected homicide price for this 12 months, if we proceed as we’re, could be 24 per 100,000, which might be the bottom since 1991.
“The primary quarter of 2025 had the bottom [murder number] ever recorded for the reason that Jamaica Constabulary Drive (JCF) started maintaining disaggregated knowledge in 2001. Solely 188 murders had been recorded in Q1, and if it continues Q2 might be decrease,” Chang mentioned.
“Thus far, with the month [almost] accomplished [in the second quarter of 2025], solely 87 murders have been recorded. With only one month remaining within the quarter, Q2 might finish at a good decrease price than Q1,” declared Chang.
He was supported on the media briefing by the prime minister who argued that the regular decline in murders and different main crimes has not been by probability however a results of focused motion by his Administration.
“It’s the results of strategic and unprecedented funding in nationwide safety. Since 2016 this Administration has invested $87 billion in safety. [This is] greater than thrice what was invested by earlier Administrations earlier than 2016,” mentioned Holness.
“So, we’re investing about $9 billion per 12 months in safety. This exhibits our intent. It’s not simply speaking about safety, it’s simply not praying about safety, it’s really doing the work. It’s making the hassle and making the allocations for safety — and that’s yielding nice outcomes,” added Holness.
Minister of Nationwide Safety Dr Horace Chang talking throughout a particular post-Cupboard briefing at Jamaica Home on Thursday. (Photograph: Naphtali Junior)
