Jamaica: crime and justice

How many murders have there been in Jamaica in 2026?

There were 418 murders in Jamaica from 1 January to 10 October 2026, compared with 546 in the same period of 2025, a fall of 23.4%, according to the Jamaica Constabulary Force. August 2026 had 37 murders, which the JCF says is one of the lowest monthly totals in more than 30 years.

The JCF updates its year-to-date serious crime report regularly and breaks it down by police division. St James was one of the few divisions with more murders than a year earlier, at 51 against 45. The force notes that figures can change as investigations continue, for example when a death is reclassified as a murder.

Official sources: JCF: Crime Statistics · JCF: August Records One of Jamaica's Lowest Murder Totals in 30 Years

What is the murder rate in Jamaica?

Jamaica recorded 675 murders in 2025, according to the yearly series published by the Jamaica Constabulary Force. With the World Bank's population of 2.84 million, that is about 24 murders per 100,000 people. There were 1,147 murders in 2024 and 1,406 in 2023.

The 2025 count is the lowest in the JCF table since 1993. The highest was 1,683 in 2009. For comparisons between countries, the World Bank publishes UN Office on Drugs and Crime homicide rates, which put Jamaica at 49.4 per 100,000 in 2023. The UNODC series uses its own definition of intentional homicide and is published with a delay of about two years.

Official sources: JCF: Crime Statistics · World Bank: Intentional homicides per 100,000 people, Jamaica

What are Jamaica's crime statistics?

The police recorded 2,297 serious crimes from 1 January to 10 October 2026, down 20.3% from 2,883 in the same period of 2025, according to the Jamaica Constabulary Force. The total covers murders, shootings, rapes, robberies and break-ins.

Break-ins were the largest category, at 785 against 900 a year earlier. There were 409 robberies (575 in 2025), 406 shootings (547), 279 rapes (315) and 418 murders (546). These are crimes reported to and recorded by the police, so they leave out crimes that victims do not report. STATIN's crime and justice tables carry longer series, including major crimes reported and cleared up.

Official sources: JCF: Crime Statistics · STATIN: crime and justice statistics

What is the murder rate in Jamaica?

The latest figure from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, for 2023, is 49.4 per 100,000. Since 2005 it has ranged from 36.0 per 100,000 (2014) to 62.3 per 100,000 (2005). Latin America & Caribbean median: 19.1 per 100,000; Jamaica is 3rd highest of 25. Of 79 countries with 2023 data, 3rd highest.

How many women are murdered in Jamaica?

8.2 per 100,000: that is the homicide rate for women in Jamaica for 2023, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Since 2005 it has ranged from 7.1 per 100,000 (2014) to 13.7 per 100,000 (2005). It is 5th highest of 25 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 3.4 per 100,000. Worldwide: 5th of 78.

What is the male homicide rate in Jamaica?

In 2023, the homicide rate for men in Jamaica was 91.5 per 100,000, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. Its high point since 2005 was 2009, at 112 per 100,000; its low point was 2014, at 65.3 per 100,000. Latin America & Caribbean median: 33.1 per 100,000; Jamaica is 3rd highest of 25. Worldwide: 3rd of 78.