Thirty-four people were killed across Jamaica in the first 11 days of January.

That’s 8 more murders than the 26 murders recorded in the similar period of last year – an increase of 30.8%.

The latest statistics published by the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) indicate that divisions in St. Andrew and St. Catherine are seeing an uptick in murders.

St. Catherine South and St. Andrew South, for instance, have both recorded 5 murders each so far this year, compared to 1 last year. That’s an increase of 400% for both divisions.

Meantime, St. James has seen a notable reduction in murders so far this year. The parish has only seen 1 murder to date, compared to six in the similar period last year. That’s a reduction of 83.3%.

All other serious crime categories are seeing reductions.

According to the JCF, robberies are down by a third, break-ins have declined by 20% and rape cases have dropped significantly with only one case reported so far this year, down from 22 cases last year –  a reduction of 95.5%.