That's according to information from the latest Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Periodic Crime Statistics Review, which covers the period January 1 to September 7.
It shows that there have been 73 more murders for the period, with 1,055 recorded this year, compared to 982 for the same period in 2021.
The St James Police Division leads the murder count with 145 cases, a 33 per cent increase compared to the 109 homicides reported in the division up to September 7 last year.
Westmoreland with 103 homicides; St Catherine North, 101; St Andrew South, 100; and St Catherine South, 87, round out the top five murderous police divisions of the 19 across the island.
Trelawny has the highest percentage increase in murders nationally, with a 145.5 per cent rise. This is just ahead of St Mary, where homicides have shot up by 138.5 per cent.
Numerically, there were 27 murders committed in Trelawny up to September 7, compared with 11 for the corresponding period in 2021. In St Mary, 13 murders were recorded last year as opposed to 31 this year.
Portland is the parish with the least murders this year. A total of nine killings were recorded in contrast to the 14 reported last year.
Meanwhile, the JCF's serious crimes report showed that there was a 5.7 per cent decrease in the number of shooting incidents as of Wednesday.
There were 813 cases of shootings so far this year, compared to 862 for the same period last year.
Likewise, declines have been recorded in cases of rape, with 278 reported up to September 7 this year compared to 328 in the corresponding period last year, representing an overall reduction of 50 cases or 15.2 per cent.
The JCF reported a 16.1 per cent increase in robberies — 620 this year compared to 534 in 2021 – while the number of break-ins committed islandwide up to Wednesday increased by 41 cases or 6.4 per cent. Some 680 break-in incidents were reported so far this year when compared to 639 recorded last year, the JCF said.
The total number of serious and violent crimes committed so far this year has increased by three per cent. A total of 3,446 serious and violent crimes were reported up to September 7, when compared to 3,345 incidents reported for the corresponding period in 2021.
