Officials hail fewer homicides as rights advocates call for body-worn cameras to improve police accountability

Jamaican officials have hailed a sharp reduction in murders but rights campaigners warn that tackling crime should not come at the expense of accountability amid an “alarming” rise in fatal police shootings.

Already burdened with the highest homicide rates in the region, Jamaica has recently struggled with a surge in gang-related violence. But the number of murders per capita has been falling this year, with a marked decline between January and April.