By Trudy Simpson, Staff Reporter
THE ACTUAL crime rate could be much higher than has been reported, at least one security official believes. Annmarie Barnes, criminologist and senior director for the Security Ministry's management co-ordination, policy, research and evaluation division, said estimates suggest that "actual crime rates are sometimes between two to 10 per cent greater than the reported rates that we actually see."
She said countries often measure official crime data "but we have no idea of what is really happening in the society ...which is why it is important to do things like self report studies and victimisation studies."
Figures provided by Mrs Barnes show that Jamaica was way ahead of other Caribbean territories in terms of its reported murders for the years 1998 to 2002.
The figures reveal that between 1998 and 2002, 4,853 persons were murdered in Jamaica, compared to 613 in Trinidad, 499 in Guyana and 113 in Barbados. In Barbados, 25 murders were recorded last year compared to 1,045 for Jamaica.
The murder rate for 2002 also saw Jamaica being way ahead of the other territories, recording a murder rate of 40 per 100,000 persons. By comparison, Guyana recorded a murder rate last year of 19 per 100,000; Trinidad and Tobago 13 per 100,000; and Barbados 10 per 100,000.
Violence is not only listed among the top five leading causes of death locally but as the top action which is sucking away much needed health care funds.
While the 2002 data was not available, those for 2001 from the Health Ministry show that violent injuries and subsequent hospital treatment cost the Government and public hospitals $971 million. They also resulted in the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) cancelling one in three elective surgeries per week, according to Dr. Elizabeth Ward, director of Disease Prevention and Control in the Ministry.
She said hospitals could save up to $6 million a year if people would stop wounding each other with sharp implements such as knives and that about $10 million a year could be saved if people would stop shooting each other.
She and Mrs Barnes were panellists at the Mike D'Silva Symposium, entitled: "Violence in Jamaica and the Caribbean - An Epidemic" on Thursday night. The symposium was held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Kingston, and was organised by the Medical Association of Jamaica (MAJ).
In 2002, injuries cost the KPH's Intensive Care Unit (ICU) $8 million. Data also showed that between $2,195 and $89,865 is spent on average on each hospitalised patient.
According to Dr. Ward, last year 1.6 million people worldwide died from violence. She said it was the leading cause of death in the 15-49 age group worldwide, accounting for 15 per cent of all deaths in males and 17 per cent of all deaths in females.
She said that in the Caribbean, violence was the leading cause of preventable mortality and that males are three times as likely to die from violence as females.
Figures provided by Mrs Barnes show that Jamaica was way ahead of other Caribbean territories in terms of its reported murders for the years 1998 to 2002.
The figures reveal that between 1998 and 2002, 4,853 persons were murdered in Jamaica, compared to 613 in Trinidad, 499 in Guyana and 113 in Barbados. In Barbados, 25 murders were recorded last year compared to 1,045 for Jamaica.
The murder rate for 2002 also saw Jamaica being way ahead of the other territories, recording a murder rate of 40 per 100,000 persons. By comparison, Guyana recorded a murder rate last year of 19 per 100,000; Trinidad and Tobago 13 per 100,000; and Barbados 10 per 100,000.
Violence is not only listed among the top five leading causes of death locally but as the top action which is sucking away much needed health care funds.
While the 2002 data was not available, those for 2001 from the Health Ministry show that violent injuries and subsequent hospital treatment cost the Government and public hospitals $971 million. They also resulted in the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) cancelling one in three elective surgeries per week, according to Dr. Elizabeth Ward, director of Disease Preven-tion and Control in the Ministry.
She and Mrs Barnes were panellists at the Mike D'Silva Symposium, entitled: "Violence in Jamaica and the Caribbean - An Epidemic" on Thursday night. The symposium was held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Kingston, and was organised by the Medical Association of Jamaica (MAJ).
In 2002, injuries cost the KPH's Intensive Care Unit (ICU) $8 million. Data also showed that between $2,195 and $89,865 is spent on average on each hospitalised patient.
