KINGSTON, Jamaica — The police are reporting that a total of 353 major crimes have been committed against children across Jamaica since the start of 2018.

According to the statistics out of the police’s Corporate Communications Unit (CCU), this is a reduction of 128 or 27 per cent in major crimes committed against children over the corresponding period in 2017, when 481 major crimes were committed against children.

Despite the downward trend, Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson today gave his assurance that the safety and security of children remain a primary focus of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

This comes against the recent incidents of violence against children, several of which emanated from domestic conflicts.

“The JCF continues to place high priority on the safety and well-being of our children. All reported incidents of violence or abuse are taken seriously and treated with urgency,” Anderson said.

An examination of respective categories of major crimes also indicated that the year-to-date murders figure for children is 38, which is comprised of 24 males and 14 females.

When compared with the corresponding period in 2017, there were 48 murders (30 males and 18 females). This represents a decrease of 10 murders or 21 per cent.

Three divisions —  St Catherine South, Trelawny and Kingston Eastern —  had no reported murders of children since the start of the year.

Additionally, there were four less females killed in 2018 when compared to the same period in 2017.

Head of the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA), Superintendent Charmine Shand, asserts that “active investigations are being done into all reported incidents against children, and detectives from CISOCA, with the assistance of other units of the JCF, have arrested several perpetrators or suspects in these cases.”