Police to Split Criminal and Domestic Murder Figures

Minister of National Security, Senator the Hon. Dwight Nelson has reiterated plans to disaggregate murder figures to reflect the number of homicides that result from criminal activity, and those which occur due to domestic incidents.

“We churn out the figures…(for example), for the month of May, we have 100 murders, but we do not disaggregate the figures, so everybody accept that 100 murders (mean) 100 criminal murders, when this is not so. We have a very significant number of domestic murders, which the police can’t do anything about,” he explained.

Since May 2010, the country has experienced the greatest decline in murders in eight years, with a 44 per cent drop.

Senator Nelson was addressing Heads of Missions and other stakeholders in the Foreign Service, on June 28 session of a four-day forum, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Trade, at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston.

Meanwhile, on the matter of rape, which is one of the major crimes that has not experienced a decline, Minister Nelson said he has advised the police that the Rape Unit must become more proactive.

“Given the increased incidence in this crime, there is need to make that unit more proactive…it has to start public campaigns,” he pointed out.

Today’s session also addressed a number of matters, including: national development issues, which featured a presentation by Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding; economic perspectives, by Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Hon. Audley Shaw; Vision 2030 Jamaica National Development  Plan, by the Planning Institute of Jamaica; economic diplomacy; and foreign trade policy.

On June 29, the forum will examine international political developments; intra-Caribbean relations; tourism; public diplomacy and communication strategy.