The Caribbean stands out as one of the most violent regions in the Americas, registering some of the worst murder rates in the continent. The Caribbean Basin is also infamously known for harboring billions of dollars worth of tax evasion that would otherwise fund the coffers of some of the largest economies and emerging countries worldwide. Besides violent deaths and financial crime, Caribbean states also suffer from concerning levels of property crimes, such as robberies, burglaries, and car thefts.
A ranking with no winners
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) defines intentional homicide as the unlawful killing of a person by another whose intent is to kill or seriously injure the victim. While laws on murder and its different degrees may vary, intentional homicide rates allow cross-national comparisons and can reflect how likely it is to die a violent death in a given country.
In the Caribbean, the worst murder rate is found in Jamaica, with 52.9 homicide victims per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022. Jamaica’s homicide rate is almost five times higher than, for instance, the Dominican Republic's, where 11.9 people were killed per 100,000 population that same year. When it comes to the homicide count, the number of murders in Jamaica reached 1,498 in 2022, while in the Dominican Republic it reached 1,389.
The most common property crimes in the Caribbean
Although statutory crimes and offenses also vary across countries, some general trends can be drawn. Since the isolation measures imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, property crimes seem to have plummeted in some Caribbean nations, most notably in Puerto Rico during 2020 and 2021. However, underreporting may partially explain this decrease, even more so in the case of lesser crimes as petty theft or breaking and entering.
Illegal appropriations, or thefts, are the most frequent crimes against private property in Puerto Rico. Cases involving stealing also top the list of property crimes in the Bahamas. Citizens reported more robberies than any other type of property crime in Trinidad and Tobago in 2022, while the Dominican Republic stands out for the number of vehicle thefts, adding up to over 4,000 cases in 2021.
How do small islands become tax havens?
The Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Bahamas, and the British Virgin Islands have been labeled some of the main tax havens in the world, based on the corporate tax haven index. All these territories are also considered major enablers of tax evasion globally. When a country’s legal framework and financial system facilitates corporate tax abuse and financial secrecy, it attracts undeclared – and very likely, illicit – financial flows from abroad, generating the phenomenon of offshore wealth accumulation. It is estimated that tax havens located in the Caribbean Basin cause up to 130 billion-dollar losses in tax evasion worldwide.
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FAQs
DRUG TRAFFICKING The drug trade is a prime driver of crime in the Caribbean. Jamaica and St Vincent are prime exporters of marijuana to other islands in the Caribbean. Pirogues constantly make bold efforts to cross the waters to land marijuana in respective islands.
What are the most common crimes in the Caribbean? ›
The most common property crimes in the Caribbean
Illegal appropriations, or thefts, are the most frequent crimes against private property in Puerto Rico. Cases involving stealing also top the list of property crimes in the Bahamas.
Which Caribbean country has the lowest crime rate? ›
The Safest Islands in the Caribbean
- The British Virgin Islands. ...
- Antigua and Barbuda. ...
- St. ...
- Montserrat. ...
- Caiman Islands. ...
- Martinique. ...
- Aruba. ...
- Bonaire. As if being located outside of Hurricane Alley wasn't enough, this Dutch municipality doesn't have much crime at all.
Crime in the member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is fast becoming an overwhelming phenomenon beyond the capacity of the individual national police forces to cope with. Drug trafficking has spawned much of this crime which includes murders, aggravated burglary and, in some cases, kid- napping.
Why is the Caribbean in danger? ›
Hurricanes, increasingly powerful storms, and rising sea levels are already harming human health, ecosystems, water and food supplies, and critical infrastructure in the US Caribbean, with underserved communities suffering disproportionate impacts.
What is the biggest problem in the Caribbean? ›
Of greatest concern has been the enormous, uncontrolled growth of tourism in the Caribbean region, with the widespread construction of hotels, marinas and associated developments, especially along coasts with white-sand beaches and coral reefs offshore, often resulting in beach erosion and other profound impacts.
What are the 5 main crimes? ›
Although there are many different kinds of crimes, criminal acts can generally be divided into five primary categories: crimes against a person, crimes against property, inchoate crimes, statutory crimes, and financial crimes.
Which Caribbean island is the safest? ›
Montserrat. This island has the lowest crime rates in the entire Caribbean. In Montserrat most visits are trouble-free.
What are the top 3 crimes? ›
By far the most common form of property crime in 2022 was larceny/theft, followed by motor vehicle theft and burglary. Among violent crimes, aggravated assault was the most common offense, followed by robbery, rape, and murder/nonnegligent manslaughter.
What are the 3 major hazards affecting the Caribbean? ›
Summary: The Caribbean region is exposed to various natural hazards, including hurricanes, floods, landslides, earthquakes, and volcanoes that make the region's ecosystems and inhabitants vulnerable to loss, dislocation, injury, and death.
Unfortunately, dependence on fossil fuels (region- ally and globally), poor land use and waste management, and industrialization all contribute to poor air quality in the Caribbean.
Why do Caribbean countries have high homicide rates? ›
With increasingly sophisticated and high-calibre firearms and ammunition being smuggled into countries, the rate of violent deaths in CARICOM member states is almost three times the global average with firearms involved in more than half of all homicides in the region (9).
What is the biggest problem affecting most of the Caribbean islands? ›
Caribbean islands are in a water crisis, and their governments have warned that water scarcity may become the new norm. Within the past five years, every island in the region has experienced some sort of water scarcity.
