Jamaica reports major drop in murders

By DAVID McFADDEN, Associated Press David Mcfadden, Associated Press – Thu Apr 7, 7:17 pm ET

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaican security leaders said Thursday that saturating gang-infested areas with police and soldiers has led to a big drop in murders and some other major crimes, but activists contend human rights have been hurt by heavy-handed tactics.

National Security Minister Dwight Nelson, citing a crime-fighting strategy that includes sustained curfews in troubled areas, told reporters that Jamaica saw a 44 percent reduction in killings during the first quarter of 2011 when compared to the same period last year.

Police statistics issued Thursday say there were 238 murders during the first three months of 2011, compared to 426 during that timeframe in 2010. Significant reductions of slayings and shootings were seen in numerous gritty police divisions, including Central and West Kingston, where there was a 60 percent drop in murders.

"We are very thankful for this reduction but we cannot take comfort from these figures ... because the figures are still too high. So we will continue our pursuit," Nelson said during a news conference at the Jamaican Constabulary Force officers club in Kingston.

Deputy Police Commissioner Glenmore Hinds, who heads the operations division, said security forces are gradually eroding the pernicious influence of drug and extortion syndicates, whose turf wars have plagued the Caribbean island of 2.8 million inhabitants.

"Our activities have increased and this is reflected in the decline of major crimes," Hinds said.

He added that the ability of authorities to seize assets from gang-related ventures under a new law has also contributed to the drop.

Authorities hope the murder reduction will boost public confidence in Jamaica's police force, which is in the midst of an anti-gang crackdown that is the toughest in the island's history.

But many who live in Jamaica's slums remain deeply distrustful of the police, and critics worry the recent downward trend in crime will be fleeting. Even islanders in rural hamlets are complaining of heavy-handed tactics, including fatal shootings.

The human rights group Jamaicans for Justice asserts that extrajudicial killings and unlawful actions by security forces are on the rise. The group notes nearly 400 civilians were killed in 2010 during security operations, compared to 253 in 2009.

Impunity and lack of accountability often protects members of the security forces from criminal indictment, according to the rights group.

"The government's legislative approach and heavy-handed 'crime-fighting' has only served to compound the problem, resulting in further curtailment of rights including a surge in arbitrary and prolonged detention and arrests," the group said in a statement.

Nelson dismissed the group's assertions as "absurd," insisting that crime-fighting strategies are working and saying more legislation is needed to help police battle gangs.

Nelson and Hinds acknowledged that not all crimes have gone down. The new police statistics showed slight increases in rape and robbery, while larcency has spiked significantly.