By Byron Buckley, News EditorCONTRARY TO popular perception, Jamaica's crime rate is among the lowest in the region, according to a report prepared by a British-funded local civil society group.
In its 2003 annual progress report, the Jamaica Social Policy Evaluation (JASPEV) group notes that "the overall per capita crime rate of Jamaica has been among the lowest in the Western Hemisphere for the past quarter of a century." The report cites the 'U.N. Surveys on Crime Trends and the Operations of the Criminal Justice Systems', 2000, to substantiate its finding.
JASPEV adds that data from the Jamaica Constabulary Force "corroborates the stability of our crime rate", which has declined by 54 per cent in the last 25 years, from 2,220 to 2,114 per 100,000 between 1997 and 1994 to 1,200 in 2003. The group, which is an advisory arm to the Public Sector Modernisation Programme in the Cabinet Office, points out that Jamaica's crime rate is similar to Trinidad and Tobago, comparatively lower than Barbados and significantly lower than Guyana.
DISTURBING TRENDS
But the JASPEV group highlights the fact that the major problem for human security in Jamaica is not overall crime it is violent and homicidal crime. The report notes that over the past three decades "the landscape of crime has changed from predominantly property crimes to more violent crimes."
Added the report: "The violence is reflected most tellingly in Jamaica's spiralling rates for murder, which are comparatively higher than our Caribbean counterparts. Disturbing trends are the increased number of women and children who are murder victims and increases in the number of double and triple murders. The large number of young males-are both victims and perpetrators of violent crimes."
Spokesperson for the group, Jennifer Jones, told reporters during yesterday's launch of the report at Jamaica House that the violent trait in the society was also detected in areas evaluated other than human security. But she said the group will examine the causes behind this dysfunctional behaviour and include it in the next annual report. Jones' observation was supported by University of the West Indies sociologist, Hermione McKenzie, a volunteer member of JASPEV.
The JASPEV project monitors the quality of output from the public sector in seven areas human security, governance, social integration, secure and sustainable livelihoods, environment, education and skills and health and well-being.
