Editing Jamaica (section)

===Crime===
{{Main|Crime in Jamaica}}
{{see also|Prisons in Jamaica|LGBT rights in Jamaica}}

When Jamaica gained independence in 1962, the murder rate was 3.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, one of the lowest in the world.<ref name="focal.ca">{{cite web|url=https://www.focal.ca/en/publications/focalpoint/307-september-2010-don-robotham|title=Crime and crisis in Jamaica|website=www.focal.ca|access-date=2019-06-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730212158/https://www.focal.ca/en/publications/focalpoint/307-september-2010-don-robotham|archive-date=30 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> By 2009, the rate was 62 per 100,000 inhabitants, one of the highest in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.focal.ca/en/publications/focalpoint/307-september-2010-don-robotham |title=Crime and crisis in Jamaica |publisher=Focal.ca |access-date=2017-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421211313/http://www.focal.ca/en/publications/focalpoint/307-september-2010-don-robotham |archive-date=21 April 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Gang violence became a serious problem, with organised crime being centred around [[Jamaican posses]] or "[[Yardies]]". Jamaica has had one of the highest murder rates in the world for many years, according to [[United Nations|UN]] estimates.<ref name="Nationmaster Crime Stats">{{cite web |url=http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_percap-crime-murders-per-capita |title=Nationmaster Crime Stats |publisher=Nationmaster.com |access-date=4 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929181837/http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_mur_percap-crime-murders-per-capita |archive-date=29 September 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="un37820">{{cite web |url=http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/Caribbean-study-en.pdf |title=Crime, violence and development: trends, costs, and policy options in the Caribbean |access-date=26 December 2007 |page=37 |publisher=United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228023900/http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/Caribbean-study-en.pdf |archive-date=28 February 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> Some areas of Jamaica, particularly poor areas in [[Kingston, Jamaica|Kingston]], [[Montego Bay]] and elsewhere experience high levels of crime and violence.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jamaica Travel Advice: Safety and Security |work=Foreign Travel Advice |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |url=https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/jamaica/safety-and-security |access-date=25 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140614052657/https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/jamaica/safety-and-security |archive-date=14 June 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

However, there were 1,683 reported murders in 2009 and 1,447 in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Crime Statistics |url=https://jcf.gov.jm/stats/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=Jamaica Constabulary Force |date=12 October 2020 |archive-date=25 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425170025/https://jcf.gov.jm/stats/ |url-status=live }}</ref> After 2011 the murder rate continued to fall, following the downward trend in 2010, after a strategic programme was launched.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://go-jamaica.com/news/read_article.php?id=29278 |title=Prime Minister Golding Speaks on Crime Reduction |date=9 June 2011 |website=The Gleaner |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170104074825/http://jamaica-gleaner.com/power/29278 |archive-date=4 January 2017 |url-status=dead |access-date=16 December 2017 }}</ref> In 2012, the Ministry of National Security reported a 30 percent decrease in murders.<ref>Pachico, Elyssa (2012-3-30). "Jamaica Murder Rate Dropped 30% in 2012". InSightCrime: Organized Crime in the Americas. Retrieved 2012-12-1.</ref> Nevertheless, in 2017, murders rose by 22% over the previous year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rjrnewsonline.com/local/jamaicas-murder-tally-over-1500-this-year |title=Jamaica's Murder Tally Over 1,500 This Year |website=rjrnewsonline.com |access-date=15 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215111501/http://rjrnewsonline.com/local/jamaicas-murder-tally-over-1500-this-year |archive-date=15 December 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Many Jamaicans are hostile towards [[LGBT]] and [[intersex]] people,<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Padgett |first=Tim |title=The Most Homophobic Place on Earth? |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1182991,00.html |magazine=Time |date=12 April 2006 |access-date=26 April 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060619081126/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1182991,00.html |archive-date=19 June 2006 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="State">{{cite web |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/204673.pdf |title=2012 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Jamaica|publisher= Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, U.S. Department of State| pages=20–22 |access-date=25 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170326151431/https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/204673.pdf |archive-date=26 March 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Jamaica Travel Advice: Local Laws and Customs |work=Foreign Travel Advice |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |url=https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/jamaica/local-laws-and-customs |access-date=25 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140614052706/https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/jamaica/local-laws-and-customs |archive-date=14 June 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> and mob attacks against gay people have been reported.<ref name="NewYorkTimes">{{cite news |last=Lacey |first=Marc |title=Attacks Show Easygoing Jamaica Is Dire Place for Gays |newspaper=The New York Times |date=24 February 2008 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/world/americas/24jamaica.html |access-date=19 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416022316/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/world/americas/24jamaica.html |archive-date=16 April 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="HumanRightsWatch">{{cite web |title=Jamaica: Shield Gays from Mob Attacks |publisher=Human Rights Watch |date=31 January 2008 |url=https://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/01/31/jamaica-shield-gays-mob-attacks |access-date=19 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090312143653/http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/01/31/jamaica-shield-gays-mob-attacks |archive-date=12 March 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="AmnestyInternational">{{cite press release |title=Document – Jamaica: Amnesty International condemns homophobic violence |publisher=Amnesty International |date=15 April 2007 |url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr38/004/2007/en/ |access-date=19 March 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190112150026/https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr38/004/2007/en/ |archive-date=12 January 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Numerous high-profile dancehall and [[ragga]] artists have produced songs featuring explicitly homophobic lyrics.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ccprcentre.org/doc/2012/05/G1147116.pdf |title=Concluding Observations of the Human Rights Committee: Jamaica, United Nations Human Rights Committee, CCPR/C/JAM/CO/3, paragraph 8, pages 2-3, 17 November 2011 |access-date=11 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111093406/http://www.ccprcentre.org/doc/2012/05/G1147116.pdf |archive-date=11 November 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> This has prompted the formations of LGBT rights organisations, such as [[Stop Murder Music]].<ref>"[https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2015/jamaicas-anti-gay-murder-music-carries-violent-message Jamaica's Anti-Gay 'Murder Music' Carries Violent Message] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707073902/http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2010/winter/harmonies-of-hate |date=7 July 2015 }}" by Leah Nelson, The Intelligence Report, The Southern Poverty Law Center. 27 February 2011</ref> Homosexuality is [[LGBT rights by country or territory|illegal]] and punishable by imprisonment.<ref>{{cite web |title=State Sponsored Homophobia 2016: A world survey of sexual orientation laws: criminalisation, protection and recognition |url=http://ilga.org/downloads/02_ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2016_ENG_WEB_150516.pdf |work=[[International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association]] |date=17 May 2016 |access-date=10 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902183618/http://ilga.org/downloads/02_ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2016_ENG_WEB_150516.pdf |archive-date=2 September 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=71 Countries Where Homosexuality is Illegal |url=https://www.newsweek.com/73-countries-where-its-illegal-be-gay-1385974 |work=Newsweek |date=4 April 2019 |access-date=16 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211204842/https://www.newsweek.com/73-countries-where-its-illegal-be-gay-1385974 |archive-date=11 December 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>