Gangs, Illegal Guns, and Deadly Violence in Jamaica
On August 6, 2025, Jamaica celebrated its 63rd independence anniversary. Typically, the independence celebration is a time of cultural festivities that evoke a sense of pride and patriotism for Jamaicans. It is also a time to reflect on the progress the nation has made since gaining its independence. Unfortunately, the progress that Jamaica has made over this period is one that has been punctuated with pervasive violent crimes and economic failures.
The problems that Jamaica has encountered during its journey as an independent nation are not unique to Jamaica. Countries that have been governed under colonialism like those in Africa, South and Central America, and the Caribbean have all faced overwhelming challenges at some stage in their independent life. These challenges come from different forces that are internal and external. How these countries handle the challenges depends primarily on the quality of leadership, the discipline of the people, and the help they get from other countries.
Jamaica’s post-independence journey has been like a roller coaster of highs and lows. The highs evidenced in infrastructure development (primarily new highways), great success in sports on the international stage, and in entertainment. The lows are the persistent violent crimes at the hands of gangs and other non-gang offenders using illegal guns.
Arguably, the violent crime wave that emerged in the 70s has had a disturbing impact on Jamaica’s social and economic progress. Despite efforts of the police to fight violent crime, it remains to this day a persistent challenge that at times seems futile. The analogy to describing this effort is like a gardener trying to eradicate weeds. Each time the weeds are destroyed they return with more growth.
With the exception of slave rebellion, notably the maroon wars, the Morant Bay rebellion, and isolated incidents of violence, Jamaica remained a relatively non-violent society through the post slavery up to the time of its independence. The occasional violence from “bad boys” or “rude boys” with their ratchet knives was a trend that in the 60s but it was not systemic as the gun violence we see today.
The Rise of Gun Violence Crime in Post Independent Jamaica
About a decade after Jamaica gained its independence from Britain, the fledgling nation would see the emergence of a new type of violence from the ordinary garden variety type of violence. That violence was from the hands of organized criminal gangs and other criminals using guns to terrorize the rest of the population. The turning point where this gun violence emerged was from a new political rivalry that would usurp previously docile political rivalries. That rivalry was the Michael Manley (PNP) vs Edward Seaga (JLP) election rivalry in 1972 up to the 1980 political season.
The Manley vs Seaga election campaign in 1980 would be a pivotal turning point that had unprecedented international intrigue. America and Cuba were the primary actors in this political drama that was unfolding during the campaign. It could also be argued that Britain perhaps had some interest by virtue of being the former colonial master.
Manley’s anti-American rhetoric and his alliance with Fidel Castro was the catalyst that triggered a negative reaction from the USA. It was alleged and confirmed by one CIA agent that America interfered in the 1972 general election. Edward Seaga was backed by American as evidenced in a Time magazine article with the heading “Our man in Jamaica.”
America’s goal in supporting Edward Seaga, was to make sure Michael Manley did not win the election. It wasn’t just that Manley espoused a democratic socialism agenda or his anti-imperialism rhetoric (that included calling America a rapacious capitalist), it was more his close alliance with Cuba’s Fidel Castro. America was not going to tolerate another Caribbean nation coming under communist influence by virtue of Manley’s alliance with Cuba.
America’s effort to enhance Seaga chance of victory was to incite a wave of political violence and the smuggling of large cache of weapons and ammunitions into the island. US news showed footage of unprecedented gun violence in the streets of Kingston during that campaign.
What emerged out of the Manley/Seaga election campaign rivalry of the 70s and the 80s was what became popularly known as garrison constituencies. These were constituencies in Kingston West, St. Andrew South, St. Andrew South West, and Kingston East and Port Royal. These constituencies were depressed areas represented by a Member of Parliament (MP) who formed an unholy alliance with criminal gang leaders called dons. Christopher Blake a.k.a. Dudus was one of the major dons whose duty among other things was to ensure that residents voted for the party the don supported.
The political dynamics of garrison constituencies was mutually beneficial for the politician representing that constituency and the don playing the role of overseer. The politician was literally guaranteed votes so he or she had a lock on the constituency – any political challenge would be futile. The reward for the don would include lucrative government contracts, protection from prosecution in the criminal enterprise they ran. Dons were essentially a gangster organization and they represented Jamaica’s first order of organized crime.
While the don/politician relationship was primarily in the Kingston and St. Andrew constituencies, overtime it would spread to other areas like Montego Bay, Portmore, and Spanish Town. Perhaps due to the familiarity with the power that dons wield and the wealth they accumulated, unemployed youths used them as an opportunity to start their own gangs that were not necessarily linked to a politician. These gangs up to the present time have proliferated across the island. In April 2025, the Jamaican Star reported that there were 85 active gangs across the islands 19 police divisions.
With more active gangs than police divisions, it is not a surprise that gang-related crimes would overwhelm the police. And it is not a surprise that efforts to fight gang-related crimes like the Zones of Special Operations (ZOSO) programs have not been effective. The onslaught of gang-related crimes and deadly violence remains a problem across the island.
If there is a good reason for the ineffectiveness of the police to dismantle or neutralize gangs, it lies in the fact that the police don’t get adequate support from the public. A good number of Jamaicans don’t have confidence in the police as they believe they are corrupt. There is also the stigma of snitching which draws the wrath of gangs in dealing with informants. Another factor that nullifies the effort of the police is that gangs are armed with assault rifles and high-powered caliber handguns.
For a country that doesn’t make guns or ammunition, it’s shocking how many illegal firearms end up in the hands of gangs and ordinary people. Judging from the high crime rate involving the use of guns and the age of the perpetrators, it seems like every young person in Jamaica has a gun. It is no secret that guns and ammunitions are smuggled into Jamaica. This illegal method somehow is successful as it remains a challenge for the government, the police, and customs officers to deal with this problem.
The high number of fatalities from the hands of gangs and other criminals occur with alarming frequency, impunity, and barbarity. This has left a deep psychological impact on law abiding Jamaicans. They have to be extremely careful where they venture, where they are dealing with, how they conduct their business like going to the bank, making sure their houses are fortified to prevent invasion. This social impact also affects business and the economy.
The Impact of Violence on the Economy
Jamaica’s economy from the Manley vs Seaga political rivalry to the present time is analogous to an EKG chart that shows the heartbeat in a high and low rhythm. Unlike the patient with heart disease and whose EKG chart could flatline, Jamaica is not at the stage where its social and economic health could flatline. However, if the nation continues to suffer from the systemic problem of corruption in the political system, Jamaica’s overall health will definitely get worse.
Undoubtedly, Jamaica’s economic problems are not due solely to domestic problems. Various global issues like recession, inequitable trade process, fluctuating market conditions, and high debt-to-GDP ratio. However, the domestic problems like violent crime and leadership effectiveness cannot be dismissed as major factors.
One indicator of Jamaica’s economic problems is seen with the devaluation of the Jamaican dollar. In 1962 when Jamaica gained its independence the exchange-rate of the Jamaican dollar to the US dollar was 0.76746. Since that time, it has significantly increased to the astronomical level of $160 today. That kind of exponential increase has left a devastating impact on Jamaica’s economy – higher cost of living, imported inflation, increase national debt burden, reduce investor confidence, and business uncertainty.
The Issue of Leadership
Whenever a country experiences social and economic disturbance, it inevitably raises question about political leadership and rightly so. Political leadership constitutes the government that is headed by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the opposition. These two leaders are responsible for the parliamentary governance of the country, so the buck stops with them. The PM more so than the Leader of the Opposition Party bears overall responsibility for these disturbances.
With the general election set for September 3, the Prime Minister (Andrew Holness – JLP and the Leader of the Opposition (Mark Golding –PNP) are busy with their election campaigning. Typically. these campaigns in any democratic country are run on urgent issues affecting the country. Unfortunately, elections in Jamaica do not traditionally see the principal candidates campaigning on the urgent issues. The two leaders contesting the general election should be telling voters about their plan to dismantle or neutralize gangs, eliminating illegal guns, or even introducing initiatives to boost or attract foreign investments. It seems that the candidate who is able to promote such an agenda would be a clear choice to an election victory.
The two political parties (JLP and PNP) have talked about their manifestos with the expectation that they will enlighten voters and enhance their electability. Manifestos are like promissory notes that are not legally binding and don’t require strict adherence to. Therefore, political leaders when the assume the office as the prime minister don’t have to achieve anything on the manifesto. The PNP has released their manifesto and at the time of writing this article the JLP is yet to release theirs.
Mark Golding’s JLP manifesto identifies 11 pillars on which the manifesto stands. One pillar is “violence prevention,” but like the other pillars there is no detail for each pillar −the idiom “the devil is in the details” applies here. At this stage of the campaign, it would be a surprise the Andrew Holness’ PNP manifesto provide details in their manifesto.
There are good reasons why little if anything is being said about gangs and violent crime on the campaign trail about violent crime. First, these problems are complex and are incubated by a culture of corruption, indiscipline, ‘badmanship’, and the glorification of violence through music. In essence, Jamaica’s crime problem is one that has taken root in the culture. This is why the basic crime-fighting methods like ZOSO is not effective.
Solutions to Fighting Violent Crime
Any solution to fighting violent crime and eliminating illegal guns will require a binary approach – a short-term program to yield immediate results and a long-term program. The short-term program should include making the anti-gang laws ─ Criminal Justice (suppression of Criminal Organizations) Act ─ more drastic. These laws should severely impact not just the gang members but those who aid and abet them.
Creative measures in eradicating gangs should include erecting bill boards in strategic areas to highlight the severe penalties of gun violence. Reinstating the death penalty is another option although some will disagree that it’s not a deterrence to preventing murders. However, when you look at countries like Singapore and Cuba that use the death penalty, violent crime is virtually non-existent.
The long-term program will include measures designed to transform the cultural mindset of people to learn conflict resolutions, how to respect one’s fellow human being. This would more or less an educational program that would be introduced into the schools. Other programs focusing on the youths such as their involvement in activities that will help them to foster a productive lifestyle that steer them into employment or educational opportunities.
Ameliorating the social problems (primarily gun violence) that plagues Jamaica cannot be done entirely by the government. Other entities that should be considered stakeholders need to give their support to the government and the police in whatever way they see fit. The saying “it takes a village to raise a child” and it also takes a village to effectively fight crime.” Fighting crime should be bipartisan political issue and stakeholders like the electorate who will vote on September 3 should demand this from the political party they support. Their choice of a leader should not be based on the old political party loyalty, but rather which leader will be able to be effective in resolving the social and economic problems.
Jamaica cannot afford to continue his governance as if it’s business as usual. The political leaders need to spare no effort in ensuring the public health and safety of all citizens. If Jamaica can fix its crime problem that it will enhance conditions for economic stability and progress.