2024 is done, and the number of murders increased marginally. At the end of the year, there were 91 murder by our count - which is a 5% increase. We note that the police commissioner's count puts that number at 89. With that, Belize's murder rate per hundred thousand residents goes up slightly from 21.5 to 22.14.

Whichever number you stand by, it is still a marked decrease from the past many years, and we can also see that a generally lowering trend is occurring.

We note that Jamaica - saw a sharp decrease in murders - down 19% - with 265 fewer killings.

Trinidad on the other hand - saw an increase - and was recently put under a state of emergency.