For the first time all year, Jamaica last week recorded single-digit homicides during a period covering seven days.
According to data published Monday morning by the Jamaica Constabulary Force, for the week of December 21-28, the country recorded nine murders.
The murder toll as at December 28 is 1,038, which represents a decline of 19 per cent or 259 fewer homicides year-on-year.
A week prior, over the period December 14-21, the country recorded 15 murders and had been averaging 22 murders per week leading up to the Yuletide season.
Three police divisions have recorded 100 or more murders this year.
They are St. James with 125, St. Andrew South recording 118, and Westmoreland with 100.
St. Catherine North, 94 and St. Catherine South, 83, round out the top five divisions with the most homicides.
Fifteen of the country's 19 police division have recorded a decline in murders this year.
Shootings, injured persons, rape and robbery are down year-on-year.
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