KINGSTON, Jamaica, Mar 30, CMC -Official police statistics in Jamaica have indicated a decline in major crimes, but a recent survey has revealed that most Jamaicans believe crime has increased across the island.
The 2023 Jamaica National Crime Victimisation Survey, conducted by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), asked Jamaicans aged 16 and older living in private dwellings about their perceptions of crime trends. Respondents were questioned on whether they thought crime had “increased,” “remained the same,” or “decreased” in their community, town or city, parish, and the nation as a whole.
The survey results indicate that a staggering 88.6 per cent of respondents perceived an increase in crime in Jamaica when comparing 2022 to 2023. This figure marks a significant rise from the 76.5 per cent who felt crime had increased between 2018 and 2019. Similarly, 67.8 per cent of respondents in 2023 believed crime had increased in their parish, compared to 56.2 per cent in 2019. The perception of increased crime in towns and cities also rose, with 47.8 per cent of respondents noting an uptick, up from 37.9 per cent in 2019.
When looking at local communities, the percentage of respondents who believed crime remained the same stood at 55.9 per cent in 2023, slightly up from 52.3 per cent in 2019. The parish with the highest perception of increased crime in 2023 was Portland, where 92.7 per cent of residents reported a rise. This contrasts with 2019, when St Elizabeth had the highest perception of increased crime, at 76.1 per cent.
Urban and rural perspectives on crime remained relatively stable. In 2023, 53.2 per cent of urban dwellers and 58.8 per cent of rural residents felt crime in their communities had stayed the same, marking a rise from 45.5 per cent for urban respondents but a slight decline from 60.2 per cent for rural respondents in 2019. Meanwhile, 24.1 per cent of urban residents and 21.7 per cent of rural dwellers reported a decrease in crime in their communities.
However, data from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) suggests a different reality. The police statistics indicate that major crimes in Jamaica declined by 10.7 per cent in 2023 compared to 2022. The number of recorded murders fell to 1,393 in 2023, reflecting a 7.8 per cent decrease from the previous year. Additionally, incidents of shootings, rapes, robberies, and break-ins also saw a decline.
Despite these official figures, the gap between statistical trends and public perception highlights a critical issue—fear of crime remains high among Jamaicans, even in the face of statistical improvements. This disconnect suggests that efforts to not only combat crime but also improve public confidence in law enforcement and crime data reporting must continue.
CMC/nb/2025