Kingston – Jamaica has recorded 707 murders during the first six months of this year, according to figures released by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
It said that the figure is a five per cent increase over the corresponding period last year, when 671 murders were committed. Last year, Jamaica recorded 1 300 murders.
Jamaica is currently under an island curfew occasioned by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The curfew begins at 8 p.m. (local time) and the JCF data indicates that nearly a third of the murders recorded in the first half of the year occurred between 6 p.m. and midnight.
According to the JCF, 159 people were killed between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8:59 p.m., while an estimated 14 murders were recorded between 9 p.m. and midnight.
The police said 195 killings were recorded over the two three-hour periods between 6:00 am and midday and that the St Andrew South Police Division leads the nation with 90 killings in the first six months of the year, a 14 per cent increase over the comparative period last year.
St James is next with 82 reported murders followed by the Kingston Western Police Division with 61. Trelawny recorded six murders, the least of the 19 police divisions, islandwide.
(CMC)
