Image by freestylee via Flickr
Crime is a big problem for Jamaica, especially in large city centers like Montego Bay or the capital of Kingston. Violent crime is especially prevalent. Such crimes can damage the moral of not only residents, but also visitors. Jamaica has a booming tourist trade, and in an effort to quash the factors that threaten it, the government recently came down hard on local gangs.
During the first 90 days of 2010, Jamaica had 426 murders occur. The government took a leaf from Brazil’s book and began to confront drug dealers and gangs on their own turf, bring in platoons of soldiers and squads of policemen to blanket crime-ridden areas. By increasing an armed presence, crime is decreasing, as evidenced by 2011′s numbers: in the first three months of this year, only 238 people were murdured. While still terrible, the government has touted this 44% drop in the murder rate as evidence that it’s strategy is working. Parts of Kingston have seen as much as a 60% drop in violent crimes.
However, not everyone is happy about this. Various groups complain that the government is isolating the population and that there have been increased instances of abuse propagated by soldiers. In 2009, 253 civilians were killed. The following year, 400 innocents were killed. Jamaicans for Justice, a civil rights group, is upset that the government is making their presence known in such a martial manner. Jamaica still has a long way to go, but with soldiers down on the corner, residents are safer than they were.
