I will let the number speak for themselves.
| Year | # of Murders |
| 1970 | 152 |
| 1971 | 145 |
| 1972 | 170 |
| 1973 | 227 |
| 1974 | 195 |
| 1975 | 266 |
| 1976 | 367 |
| 1977 | 409 |
| 1978 | 381 |
| 1979 | 351 |
| 1980 | 899 |
| 1981 | 490 |
| 1982 | 405 |
| 1983 | 424 |
| 1984 | 484 |
| 1985 | Unavailable |
| 1986 | 449 |
| 1987 | 442 |
| 1988 | 414 |
| 1989 | 439 |
| 1990 | 543 |
| 1991 | 561 |
| 1992 | 629 |
| 1994 | 690 |
| 1995 | 780 |
| 1996 | Unavailable |
| 1997 | Unavailable |
| 1998 | 953 |
| 1999 | 849 |
| 2000 | 887 |
| 2001 | Unavailable |
| 2002 | 1045 |
| 2003 | 975 |
| 2004 | 1471 |
| 2005 | 1674 |
| 2006 | 1340 |
| 2007 | 1574 |
| 2008 | 1601 |
| 2009 | 1680 |
| 2010 | 1428 |
| 2011 | 1125 |
| 2012 | 1097 |
| 2013 | 1200 |
Graphical representation of the above data.
Murder Rates in Jamaica 1972- 2013
Filed under: Crime |
Warren's Blog 
Facts tell stories only sell, how do the comrades rationalize this now?
I know this is not a thread to post this but I would like to get some answers to an issue. First, I currently reside in upstate NY and my wife is the founder of a non-profit organization which raise awareness and funds about urgent issues in Jamaica (i.e. inadequate education resources, lack of medical supplies).
Last year, a group medical professional in upstate NY were willing to donate some medical supplies (including incubators) on our behalf. We raised funds to ship a container, via Food for the Poor, of supplies to KPH and other public medical facilities. Unfortunately, this did not happen because due some “bureaucratic” policy. The customs office wanted us to have a 3rd party to inspect and send a more detailed (i.e. dimensions) itemized list to them. Is that a normal procedure? Even if we could afford a 3rd party’s validation, wouldn’t the supplies be re-inspected by customs once it arrives?
Anyway, the shipment was instead sent to Haiti.
The system is totally corrupt and controlled by a few from the flow of medication(drugs) to specialized equipment.
I am curious as to how Shaggy does it? Because we are still open to trying again.
Because he is Shaggy. That’s how things have worked in Jamaica for a VERY long time. May as well get used to it.
You see Jamaica isn’t poor enough that the saying “beggars can’t be choosers” can apply. That’s how it works throughout society. I’ve had beggars attempting to choose how much money I give to them. Once or twice I even took the money back since they didn’t seem to really want it and thus didn’t really need it. Go figure.
is it the system that is corrupt ?. or is it people that are corrupt.
Good Question! “We” spend an inordinate amount of time blaming “Politicians” for ALL the ills of the Jamaican society, yet corruption is systemic throughout every fabric of our society. No one is immune from cheating the “System”. Look at the Millions that the JUTC Drivers have been ripping off from the GOJ, yet guys like Jay choose to focus on the hundreds of thousands that went into building the wooden shacks at the Spaulding Market. Look at the billions that is owed to the GOJ by importers, yet they continue to received billions in GOJ Waivers.
We must focus on everything. If you choose to add something to the table, then by all means the forum is here for you to do so, vs “focusing” on what I choose to address, that is why this is an open forum.
The thousands that are ignored today becomes the millions and billions tomorrow.
There is so much corruption in Jamaica its sometime very difficult to choose where to start.
The best way to address the problem is to create an open and transparent system that works for ALL, in that way there are no favours and it brings an end to preferential treatment, which lends itself to corruption.
BTW way you should check this out
https://commonsenseja.wordpress.com/2013/09/22/any-move-to-rid-jamaica-of-corruption-will-bring-cries-of-political-victimization/
Bullshit. You don’t get rid of corruption by changing the system. You get rid of corruption through foreign (non-corrupt) control (case in point: Turks and Caicos) OR through the non-corrupt attempting to weed out corruption. The point is you need non-corrupt people in control whether they are local or foreign.
Corrupt people manage the system and from my experience it goes to the very top.
People. Systems are only corrupt if the people that keep them running are themselves corrupt. The same system di Americans use to such great effect gave us di Marcos in di Philippines. The same system dat work in Englan’ and Barbados and Bahamas gave us our “great” poliiticians like (deleted stuff) Seaga and that (deleted stuff)Manley and that sly tied PJ and that (deleted stuff) Bruce Golding. Why? Because our early politicians were corrupt or allowed corrupt politicians to remain and so now the corrupt ones have taken over the system. No system change odda dan having Britain or America tek is ova is gonna change corruption in Jamaican society until Jamaicans choose to stop being corrupt.
As usual though we Jamaicans like to blame the “Other” whether it be Trinidad, Britain (for slavery, colonialism and visas), America (for daring to want our drug dealer “Robin Hood” heroes) or The System.
(Post modified by moderator)
@ Wayne Jr. The lack of accountability is deliberate. If a proper management system and honest knowledgeable individuals were in place, it would have been caught in a Jiffy! I will agree that the “bandoloo” mentality is quite pervasive but systems can be put in place to curtail this, but, we cannot allow the crooks who are already in place to create these systems. We need more people in place whose knowledge base allows them to think in a systematic manner. I have seen JUTC tyres on Trucks Islandwide. Where is the accountability! Managing simple assets such as these are not that difficult! And that is the tip of the iceberg.
Jamaicans do not care about corruption and this system provides an incentive for politicians to be corrupt, most people enjoy the fringe benefits of corruption but they seem not to understand the implication of their actions on investments and growth. Just look at the state of public entities, like HAJ, NWC etc. If Jamaicans would become less frivolous and more serious then we would see a dent in corruption. For example, most people will engage in a debate about the asinine comments of a politician, but they will ignore the fact that a deregistered company received a contract from the cabinet
Very interesting article brother! Would love to have you as a contributor on The Jamaican Blogs.
poverty breeds crime, get rid of poverty crime goes away. As for corruption the people should demand the right to write in whoever they choose and to go back to paper balleting
I don’t know who coined that phrase, but it is totally bogus. How many millionaire/billionaire investors have been found guilty of insider trading and a host of other crimes related to the financial markets. These investors are not poor by any stretch of the imagination. Outside of the Financial realm, we see similar crimes in the USA and other countries related to construction contracts and “rigging” of outcomes of the bidding process and paying bribes to both private and government officials.
As to the issue of corruption, Jamaica is just as corrupt as Russia, USA, China, etc. In fact, all the name countries are MORE corrupt than Jamaica. You cannot get any business done in Russia without paying off the Russian Mafia. In the USA, corruption is built-in to the system by way of lobbyist or the lobbying process. They pretty much write most bills tendered in the House/Senate at the State and Federal level.