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Justice Minister, Senator the Hon. Mark Golding, said he is exploring the possibility of establishing a compensation fund to assist victims of crime and violence, where such intervention by the state may be required. Speaking at the official opening of the May Pen Restorative Justice Centre in Clarendon on Tuesday (February 7), Senator Golding said currently, the criminal justice system...

The United States (US) government has donated vehicles and protective gear valued at approximately $64 million to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to boost its crime fighting efforts. Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting, accepted the items, which include 20 motor vehicles, 500 ballistic vests, and 500 tactical uniforms, at a handing over ceremony held Wednesday morning (February 8)...

Licensed firearm holders are being reminded that weapons left in the care of the police over a protracted period, will be destroyed. The reminder came from the Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting, on Tuesday Feb. 7, as he addressed the start of a weapons destruction exercise at the Jamaica Constabulary Forces’ (JCF) Armoury on Elletson Road, Kingston. “I...

To combat the illegal trade of firearms, approximately 4,000 weapons and about half ton of small arms ammunition are to be destroyed during a disposal exercise starting Tuesday Feb. 7. Some 2,000 guns will be disposed of today, in Kingston,  while the ammunition will be destroyed at the Jamaica Police Academy at Twickenham Park, St. Catherine, tomorrow (February 8). The...

The Office of the Children’s Registry (OCR) is putting more measures in place to eliminate the silence of child abuse. Several initiatives will be rolled out this year, as the organisation celebrates its fifth anniversary under the theme: ‘Celebrating Five Years of Breaking the Silence’. One such initiative is the establishment of a three-digit number, so that children may call...

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, Dianne McIntosh, says there has been an increase in the number of victims of human trafficking, who have been rescued. “In addition, there has been a marked divergence from earlier discerned trends, as male victims have also been rescued from bonded labour in early 2011,” she stated. Ms. McIntosh’s remarks came in...

Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting, says the Ministry will be seeking to improve the delivery of service in all its agencies, through the establishment of standards and benchmarks. "This focus on service delivery is a determined effort to ensure consistency with the overall goals of modernisation in keeping with our intention to take a more holistic approach to...

The Ministry of National Security will be seeking to strengthen the legislative environment, to ensure law enforcement agencies are able to directly tackle current and emerging forms of criminality. To this end, a draft of the Organised/Anti-Gang legislation is now ready and is being reviewed. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Peter Bunting, said the bill is “an omnibus legislation targeting diverse and...

Jamaica's effort at solving crime and reducing the number of unsolved cases has been boosted with the donation of equipment valued at US$250,000 by the United States (US), to the Jamaica Constabulary Force's (JCF) Forensic Science Laboratory. This was disclosed by Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting, during a tour of the facility located at 2½ Hope Boulevard, in...

Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington says he is fully satisfied with the work of the Forensic Science Laboratory in Kingston. Speaking with reporters, after an introductory tour of the facility along with the National Security Minister, Hon Peter Bunting, Commissioner Ellington said he was “thoroughly impressed” with the quality of work done at the Lab and the staff’s commitment to...

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is reporting a 22 per cent reduction in murders last year, compared to 2010, as a result of the numerous anti-crime strategies employed. Police statistics show an overall decline of 17.1 per cent in serious violent crimes, relative to last year, with a 13 per cent reduction in shootings contributing to the decrease. These figures...

The Office of the Children's Registry (OCR) has received over 24,000 reports of child abuse, since its inception in 2007. It is estimated that some 7,000 cases were received in 2011. This was revealed by the Registrar, Greig Smith, at the OCR’s fifth anniversary church service on Sunday (January 14) at Andrews Memorial Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Hope Road, Kingston. The...