With almost two months remaining in 2017, crime statistics show that the number of murders in Jamaica so far this year has exceeded total homicides recorded for all of last year.
The crime figures show that 1359 people were murdered from January 1 to November 4. This is 280 more or a 26 per cent increase over the corresponding period last year.
For all of 2016, there were 1350 murders.
Since January 1 this year, 1200 men and 103 women have been killed by violent means.
A breakdown of the figure shows 48 children and eight members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force were killed during the period.
The data also show a major increase in shootings this year.
So far this year, 1225 fatal shootings have been recorded by the police, compared to 979 during the corresponding period in 2016.
The data revealed that illegal guns featured in 82 per cent of murders this year.
There have been reductions in other major crimes such as rape, aggravated assault, robbery, break-ins and larceny.