As the authorities grapple with a spike in crime and violence, data obtained by Radio Jamaica News has revealed that the country has recorded more than 1,000 murders since January.
The 1,003 homicides were recorded up to August 29, when compared with 951 murders registered over the corresponding period last year.
This represents a 5.5 per cent spike in murders.
Ten of the 19 police divisions are now seeing an upsurge in murders, shootings and other serious crimes.
The St. James police division has so far recorded the highest number of murders with 134, followed by Westmoreland with 97, St. Catherine North with 99, St. Andrew South 88 and St. Catherine South 81.
Even as firearm seizures continue to increase, the majority of crimes committed are gun related.
According to the data, 741 people have been shot and injured in gun attacks across the island since January.
Some 765 injuries were recorded over the same period last year.
The data underscores the illegal gun problem in the country, and is why Prime Minister Holness recently called for greater collaboration among CARICOM countries to combat the flow of ammunition and weapons into the region.
Investigators are also probing 263 cases of rape - 53 fewer than the 316 cases reported last year.
There has also been a 14 per cent increase in robberies and six per cent increase in break-ins.
The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) has called for Prime Minister Andrew Holness to hold a Vale Royal summit with the Parliamentary Opposition in a bid to identify solutions to the country's growing crime problem.
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