Jamaica has recorded 333 murders since the start of this year, a decline of nearly 20 per cent for the same period last year, according to figures released by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
The figure for the same period last year was 415.
The figures show declines in murders in St. Ann’s, where it dropped from 36 to 23, St. Mary’s 19 to seven, Kingston Western from 23 to 17 and St. Andrew South from 50 to 27.
There were also decreases in St. Catherine North where the figure recorded for the first six months of the year was 35 as compared with 21 and Westmoreland from 27 to 17.
However, St. James recorded an increase in murders moving from 34 to 41, St. Elizabeth eight to 21,Manchester 16 to 23 and St. Andrew Central 21 to 27.
The JCF recorded 11 murders between August 2 to 8 marking a return to double-digit weekly murders after seven people were killed during the previous week.
The crime figures show that shootings declined by 24 per cent with 320 shootings recorded as compared with 421 for the same period last year.
Rape cases declined also from 246 to 219 and robberies were also down, registering341 as against 440 the previous year.
The JCF also recorded declines in other crimes giving an overall figure of 1,831 for the first six months of the year as compared with 2,207 last year.
In 2025, Jamaica recorded 675 murders, marking the first time in over 30 years that the annual homicide total fell below 700.