THE police yesterday reported that 13 children have been murdered between January and April 7; six more than the same period last year.

The revelation was made by Assistant Superintendent of Police Dahlia Garrick, head of the constabulary’s Corporate Communications Unit (CCU), just after the police issued a news release showing that, as at April 7, there have been a total of 385 reported murders — a 4.1 per cent increase over the 370 reported over the same period last year.

Asked for a reaction to the data, Children’s Advocate Diahann Gordon Harrison said that she was not shocked by the increase because it was a reflection of how violent Jamaica was as a society and that “no one is spared”.

“The figures are indicative of the wide-scale violence in the society at large, and the disregard that seems to exist for human life,” she told the Jamaica Observer, adding that the news was both troubling and unacceptable.

“It is my hope that the families who have been impacted will continue to be strengthened, and that those responsible for these deaths will be held accountable through our courts,” she said.

Hear the Children’s Cry founder Betty-Ann Blaine said that the increase in child murders was inevitable because of Jamaica’s overall crime rate.

Blaine blamed families for placing children in situations in which they indirectly become targets of gunmen or are caught in the crossfire of raging family and gang feuds.

“When gunmen kick down the doors of family homes and shoot everyone the children become victims because they’re living with family members who are sometimes involved in nefarious activities,” she said. “I want parents and other family members who have children in their care to be careful of the life they live, because your children can become victims of crimes.”

Blaine said that the number of children murdered would continue to increase unless there was an overall reduction of crime and violence in Jamaica.

Assistant Superintendent Garrick appealed to the public to make it their duty to protect, care and nurture the nation’s children.

The police statistics also show that shootings increased by 0.6 per cent over the period January 1 to April 7, 2018. However, there is a 17.6 per cent reduction in the number of reported cases of rape and a 33.1 per cent reduction in aggravated assault.

“St James, where there is a state of public emergency and a zone of special operation in effect, recorded 46 fewer murders; a reduction of just over 66 per cent when compared to the same period in 2017,” Garrick said.

The parish had recorded a total of 69 murders last year, but reported 23 during the same period this year.

The St Catherine North Police Division, which is currently under a state of public emergency, had seen a 34 per cent increase in murders since last year.

The data reveal that the division recorded 51 murders in 2018 compared to 38 murders in 2017.

The police said that only two murders — which were reported as domestic incidents — have been recorded in the division since the start of public emergency last month.

St Andrew South recorded 55 murders since the start of this year, a sharp increase from the 16 reported in 2017.

Portland and Manchester recorded four murders each during the period.

The police said that the gun continues to be the main weapon used to commit murders; featuring in 81.4 per cent, or 301 of the 385 recorded.

Approximately 205 firearms, including 15 rifles and 150 pistols, have been seized up to April 7, 2018.