Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter

Crime continued to plague Jamaica in the month of July, according to the latest crime statistics provided by the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

The figures are already indicating that the nation is heading towards a huge unwanted total with 843 murders being committed as at the end of July, a 41 per cent jump, when compared to 756 murders during the comparable period last year.

Total crime in the metropolitan areas of Kingston and St. Andrew, and St. Catherine has increased by 11 per cent when compared with the same period in 2006. In the rural area, which includes the hotbed parish of St. James, the figures have decreased by 13 per cent when compared with last year's.

A breakdown of the figures show that reported murders for the month in Kingston and St. Andrew, and St. Catherine stood at 89, a massive 82 per cent increase over last year which saw 49 murders.

The Kingston Western Police Division saw the highest jump with 10 murders being reported in July as opposed to two murders in the same period last year.

The St. Andrew South Police Division, however, had the highest number of murders, with 18 persons being killed last month. This was a 38 per cent increase over last year.

Rural faring much better

The rural areas of the island fared much better, with several parishes showing decreases in their murder rates or no increase.

However, St. James and Clarendon continue to be problem spots, with St. James having the same number of murders, 16, as last year Clarendon had an eight per cent decrease, it still had 11 murders in the parish.

The gun also continued to be the favoured weapon of choice in murders and otherwise, with shootings seeing a 25 per cent increase in Kingston and St. Andrew, and St. Catherine.

In rural areas, eight more incidents of shooting were committed this year, which comprised a 22-per-cent increase in the figures.

Despite Jamaica currently being in election mode albeit the passage of Hurricane Dean, the police figures did not indicate whether any of the killings was linked to politics.

mark.beckford@gleanerjm.com