JCF Embraces Advanced Analytical Methods to Improve Policing Strategies

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has embraced advanced analytical methods to enhance policing strategies.

Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, said the JCF has integrated mathematical models into its operations, drawing on the groundbreaking work of Professor Jonathan Farley of Vanderbilt University.

Opening the 2025/26 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on April 29, he informed that Professor Farley’s seminal applications of Lattice Theory and the Theory of Ordered Sets, originally to address terrorist cell dynamics, are now being applied to the analysis and disruption of criminal gangs operating in Jamaica.

These models provide critical insights into the structure, behaviour, and vulnerabilities of organised crime networks.

“This is why today we have less gangs operating in Jamaica, because we have brought that kind of analysis,” Dr. Chang said.

“This is innovation. This is deep thinking, data-driven policing. As a matter of fact, our very own Commissioner, Dr. Kevin Blake, has gained international recognition for his work in this area of Mathematical modelling for targeted crime fighting,” he added.

Dr. Chang noted that this empirical approach is producing the desired results, adding that “through deliberate conflict monitoring, meticulous evidence gathering, and the preparation of robust case files, we are better positioned to secure successful prosecutions and deliver justice. That is our objective”.

Since the start of 2025, 63 gangs have been impacted through investigations and operational efforts; 159 known gang members have been arrested; 34 members aligned to gangs were charged for applicable offences, which include murder, firearm breaches and lottery scamming; and 15 gang members have been charged under the ‘Anti-Gang’ legislation.

“Overall, 10 gang-related cases, involving over 90 accused, are currently before the courts,” Dr. Chang said.
Meanwhile, during the first quarter of 2025, a total of 85 gangs were identified as active across all 19 police divisions.

“This represents a significant reduction when compared to the 120 active gangs that were recorded during the same period in 2024 – reflecting a decrease of 29 per cent or 35 gangs,” Dr. Chang said.

“This downward trend is a clear indication that our strategy is gaining traction and delivering tangible results in dismantling criminal networks and disrupting their operations. This is the power of focused, intelligence-driven policing. We are taking the fight to the gangs, and we are winning,” he added.