Jamaica’s homicide rate down by 35 per cent since 2009

437,000 human beings were killed by a fellow human being in 2012, according to the United Nations Global Study on Homicide 2013.

Of these homicides, 37 per cent occurred in the Americas. Of the top ten countries with the highest homicide rates, Jamaica ranks 6th at 39.3 per 100,000 people, which is an improvement from 3rd place a couple of years ago. The decrease in Jamaica is being attributed to successful initiative by the authorities to curb the drug trade.

But before I dig into the numbers, I point you to some interesting language in the preamble to the extensive report. Homicide is defined as “unlawful death purposefully inflicted on a person by another person.” The report also notes that most nations, and the United Nations, enshrine in law the right to life. There are also three main “typologies” of homicide: that which is related to criminal activities, that which attempts to resolve a conflict, and that which attempts to advance a social or political agenda. With this foundation set, let’s dig a little into the report.

The global average homicide rate stands at 6.2 per 100,000 population, but Southern Africa and Central America have rates over four times higher than that (above 24 victims per 100,000 popula- tion), making them the sub-regions with the high- est homicide rates on record, followed by South America, Middle Africa and the Caribbean
(between 16 and 23 homicides per 100,000 popu- lation). Meanwhile, with rates some five times lower than the global average, Eastern Asia, South- ern Europe and Western Europe are the sub- regions with the lowest homicide levels.

Going beyond the averages, what strikes me is the fact that 79 per cent of all homicide victims in 2012 were male. Within the domestic context, 43,600 victims were female. Also striking is the youth of the majority of victims: close to half are within the 15-29 age group, while just less than a third are in the 30-44 age group. So basically, young men are killing one another at rates exceeding those for any other scenario.

If you include the under 15 age groups, close to 50 per cent of all homicide victims are under 30. And in the Americas, 30 per cent of all homicides can be traced to organized criminal activity, and of these, 66 per cent are caused by firearms.

Specific to the region, the report goes on to say

…in El Salvador, Honduras and Jamaica,the male homicide rate in the 30-44 age group is higher than in the 15-29 age group and while the number of victims is greater in the 15-29 male age group, the rate indicates that the homicide risk for males aged 30-44 is higher. In Honduras, this means that almost 1 in every 280 males in the 30-44 age group falls victim to intentional homicide every year, compared to 1 in 360 males aged 15-29. The impact of this dynamic can be devastating for security and the economy, as the deaths of males in the older of the two age groups can have a disproportionate impact on families, the working population and perceptions of security.

The global homicide rate is in fact decreasing, but not in the Caribbean and South American region overall, although it is heartening to see that Jamaica’s homicide rate has decreased by 35 per cent since 2009.

Over the last 12 years, the Caribbean has experienced an increase in its homicide rate, whose fluctuations are also linked to changes in drug trafficking patterns and gang violence. Much of the high rate in these sub-regions can be attributed to very high rates of homicide in the “Northern Triangle” (El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras), as well as in Jamaica.

However, it appears that authorities are still facing challenges when it comes to curbing organized criminal activity, as 44 per cent of all homicides in Jamaica from 2008 to 2011 are caused by this phenomenon.

Overall, the report reveals some encouraging trends, even in Jamaica. A decrease in the murder rate (there have been more than 1,000 murders in Jamaica annually for the past few years) is good news, and important news that deserves attention and further scrutiny. I’m not sure why local media have not devoted more time and energy to this story. Even the government could use it is as a PR exercise. Maybe in the next few days we shall see more about this.