A further reduction in crime across the island was the common prayer by worshippers during watch night service on New Year’s Eve.

Competing with the praise and worship teams that had congregation singing and dancing before and after ringing in the New Year, majority of who spoke with Jamaica Observer said a further drop in crime was on the top of their wish list when the newspaper visited churches in the Corporate Area and the Portmore Municipality in St Catherine.

“I prayed for health, prosperity and to get rid of the crime,” Yvonne Duncan told the Observer yesterday morning at Webster Memorial Church on Half-Way-Tree Road in Kingston after ringing in the New Year.

“I prayed for peace and love in the country and a kinder, gentler Jamaica,” another worshipper said.

At North Street United Church, Lenieve Jonas, during her prayer for the nation, rejoiced that she was not a part of the those murdered in 2018, saying the nation has failed miserably.

At the same time, Jonas prayed for mercy.

“Father God, look at Jamaica land we love, the things that are happening, the things that are happening Lord. The murders, the rapes, just everything that is negative, Father God we put everything to you tonight and we asked that you cleanse us and all those who are preparing right now to do wrong. Father God speak to their heart. Let them realise that you are above and that you see all that is happening and that they cannot hide from you….” Jonas continued.

She also asked God to intervene in the lives of those who believe that they are their own masters.

“Grant us peace so that we can share with one another. Walk with us Father God. Grant us peace that we can share with one another, in your mercy we pray, Amen,” she prayed minutes after 11:00pm.

By this time, blue flashing lights reflected on the church’s walls as a police car along with a Scenes of Crime vehicle entered the neighbouring Kingston Public Hospital.

Cries for mercies and a drop in crimes, especially murders, were also expressed by members of the Power of Faith congregation and Bayside New Testament Church in Portmore.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) reported a 21.7 per cent decrease in murders for the period January 1 to December 1, 2018.

And according to the JCF’s periodic serious and violent crimes review up to December 29, there were 1,281 murders, compared to 1,637 for the same period in 2017 – a reduction of 21.7 per cent.

Rape was also down 12.3 per cent with 428 reported in 2018, compared to 488 for the same period in 2017, while shooting dropped 22.2 per cent with 1,147 reported in 2018 compared to 2017.

Aggravated assault, the JCF said, also saw a decrease of 12.1 per cent as there were 369 cases reported last year compared to 420 for the same period in 2017.

The overall decrease in these crimes, categorised by the JCF as “serious and violent”, is 19.8 per cent for the January 1 to December 1, 2018 period.

The police data also showed decreases in robbery, 15.1 per cent; and break-ins, 4.3 per cent. However, larceny saw an increase of 4.9 per cent, with 149 reported cases in 2018, compared to 142 in 2017.