Jamaica recorded more than 300 murders in the first quarter of 2023, a decrease when compared to the similar period last year.

The report comes from the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) latest crime data that indicates 303 murders occurred between January 1 2023 and March 31, 2023. This is 79 fewer than the 382, recorded in the similar period, last year.

St. James recorded the highest number of murders with 41, followed by Kingston Western and Clarendon with 26 each.

Additionally, there was a decline in reports of rapes, robberies and break-ins during the first quarter of the year, when compared to the same period last year.

Reports from the JCF are that cases of rape declined from 137 to 71, while robberies went down from 248 to 168 and break-ins declined from 245 to 215.