Murders continue to climb
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The island’s murder total has moved above the 800 mark as 11 of the 19 police divisions show increases over last year.
Preliminary figures from the Jamaica Constabulary Force show 816 murders between January 1 and August 10.
This is 13 more, or just about two per cent above the corresponding period last year.
The St Andrew South Police Division, where a state of emergency (SOE) is in place, has so far recorded 100 murders to be the division with the most blood-letting so far this year.
But there has been a noticeable slowdown in the killings in the division which had seen 93 murders up to June 29 and only six since the SOE was imposed on July 7.
Clarendon with 89 murders comes second followed by St Catherine South and St James which have both recorded 81 murders.
The figures also show shootings up by 11 per cent with 800 reported since the start of the year with the reported cases of rape down by 11 per cent.
Arthur Hall
