THE Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) murder clearance rate has climbed to 111 per cent, the constabulary has announced.

The latest crime statistics show investigators cleared 304 murder cases during the period January 1 and July 4, 2026, compared with 253 over the corresponding period last year, an increase of 20 per cent, or 51 additional cases.

At the same time, Jamaica recorded 275 murders, down 23 per cent from the 335 reported during the same period in 2025. Overall, category one crimes (murder, shooting, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and larceny) declined by 15 per cent, with 322 fewer major crimes reported than last year.

“The 111 per cent murder clearance rate reflects investigators’ success in solving both current and historical cases. The rate has increased significantly from 71 per cent during the corresponding period last year,” the JCF said in a statement Tuesday.

Of the 304 murder cases cleared, 159 resulted in arrests, while 148 were cleared posthumously after suspects died before they could be prosecuted. Overall, 162 of the solved murders were resolved posthumously.

”The figures also highlight continued progress in resolving older investigations,” the JCF said. ”Detectives cleared cases dating back nearly two decades, including at least two cold cases from 2007. In total, 192 murder cases from previous years were cleared during the period, with 107, or 55.7 per cent, relating to murders committed in 2024 and 2025.“

Investigative gains were recorded across all five police areas. Area Two (St Ann, St Mary and Portland) recorded the largest improvement, with a 55 per cent increase in murder clearances compared with the same period last year. Area Five (St Andrew North, St Catherine North and South, and St Thomas) recorded a 28 per cent increase; while Areas Three (Clarendon, Manchester, and St Elizabeth); One (St James, Westmoreland, Hanover and Trelawny); and Four (Kingston Eastern, Western, Central and St Andrew South and Central) posted increases of 26 per cent, 17 per cent and seven per cent respectively.

At the divisional level, 15 of the JCF’s 19 police divisions met both their current and previous-year murder clearance targets, with 13 exceeding both benchmarks.

The reduction in murders formed part of a broader decline in serious crime, the police said. Shootings fell by 27 per cent, robberies by 25 per cent, while both rapes and break-ins declined by 10 per cent.

Police also reported increased enforcement activity. A total of 3,002 charges were laid for major crimes; 217 more than the corresponding period last year, representing an increase of 7.7 per cent.

Charges for assault increased by 31 per cent, aggravated assault rose by 22 per cent, and break-in charges were up by 18 per cent.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Wayne Josephs, who heads the Criminal Investigation Branch, credited the results to disciplined investigative work, improved training, and collaboration across the organisation.

“I commend the detectives for capitalising on the golden hours of their investigations, the relentless follow-up and constant feedback. We have also been investing heavily in the training and mentorship of our detectives to deliver investigative services of world-class standard. This success is also credited to the collaborative efforts of the intelligence and operations branches, who provided valuable support,” Josephs said.