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which needed to be addressed, including unstandardized data strategies. Further, the JCO-ICVIS allows for comparisons of
collection practices across the Jamaica Constabulary Force, incidence and prevalence of crime and violence events over
and limited data analysis, dissemination and reporting efforts time, between places or between different groups of population
which all have implications for the response, and policy and and contribute to the identification of changes in trends of
decision-making. certain events. Jamaica is one of three Caribbean countries
to have an established crime observatory. It is anticipated that
The crime observatory is the first and only management tool this investment will ensure (1) standardization across all data
in place nationally which is designed to collect, process and collection points/sources (2) accessibility to timely and reliable
analyze data on public security along with its various actors, crime data to (3) support to government’s efforts at reducing the
with a view to drawing up reports to help understand the current incidence of crime and violence by strengthening the capacity
situation and developments in the area of public security, as of responders to crime and violence. Through these efforts, it is
well as challenges and progress achieved, so that they can be envisioned that the results will feed into policy level decision-
used as inputs for planning and implementing public policies on making and ensure that targetted and informed responses are
security at a national and international level. The Observatory’s made to the spectrum of security risk factors.
crime data is currently restricted to specific crimes committed
in particular parishes primarily because of the prevalence of
the crimes at the national level and the contribution of these
parishes to the prevalence rates. The crimes include: murder,
sexual offences, suicide, traffic fatalities, robbery and shootings
in the parishes of St. James, Clarendon, Kingston & St. Andrew,
St. Catherine, Hanover, St. Ann, Westmoreland, St. Mary and
Manchester. Consequently, the JCO can be used to provide
data on (1) the victim of a crime (age and sex) (2) total number
cross-validated incidents (homicides, suicides etc) and (3)
when, where and how the incident took place (day of week, time
of day, type of location, parish, police division and context ).

Through the observatory, policymakers and other practitioners
can understand the populations at risk and create an awareness
of risk and protective factors associated with the occurrence
of events. Further through the observatory, all crime actors
will be provided with an opportunity to improve the quality of
crime and violence statistics that directly influence the design
and implementation of evidence-based strategies and policies
to boost peaceful co-existence and citizen security, in Jamaica
thereby facilitating safer communities, improved crime-fighting

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