Guyana: crime and justice

How many serious crimes are reported in Guyana?

Guyana recorded 2,924 reported serious crimes in 2025, down from 3,511 in 2024 and 3,856 in 2023, according to the Bureau of Statistics, using data from the Guyana Police Force's Criminal Investigation Department dated February 2026. Larceny was the largest category, at 2,162 cases, followed by burglary and break-ins, at 265, and rape, at 209.

The table covers selected serious offences, not all crime, and counts crimes reported to police. Changes in reporting and recording affect the totals. The series goes back to 1990, when 4,182 serious crimes were reported.

Official sources: Bureau of Statistics: reported serious crimes 1990 to 2025

How many murders are there in Guyana each year?

Police in Guyana recorded 130 murders in 2025, up from 117 in 2024, according to the reported serious crimes table published by the Bureau of Statistics. There were also 12 cases of manslaughter. The highest count in recent years was 158 murders in 2023.

With a mid-2025 population of about 990,600, given in the Ministry of Finance's budget indicators, 130 murders equals roughly 13 per 100,000 people. That is a calculation from the two official figures, not a published rate. Murder counts refer to cases reported to police, not convictions.

Official sources: Bureau of Statistics: reported serious crimes 1990 to 2025 · Ministry of Finance: Budget Speech 2026 (PDF)

What is the homicide rate in Guyana?

19.1 per 100,000: that is the intentional homicide rate in Guyana for 2023, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Since 2005 it has ranged from 14.0 per 100,000 (2018) to 20.9 per 100,000 (2008). It is 13th highest of 25 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 19.1 per 100,000. World rank, highest first: 13th of 79.

How many women are murdered in Guyana?

The latest figure from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, for 2023, is 11.6 per 100,000. No year since 2005 has been higher. Latin America & Caribbean median: 3.4 per 100,000; Guyana is 1st highest of 25. World rank, highest first: 1st of 78.

How many men are killed in Guyana?

The latest figure from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, for 2023, is 27.1 per 100,000. Its high point since 2005 was 2016, at 35.3 per 100,000; its low point was 2018, at 22.7 per 100,000. It is 14th highest of 25 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 33.1 per 100,000. Worldwide: 14th of 78.