Murder rate 4 times world standard

The country’s murder rate is four times the international standard, according to a report tabled by National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest.

Turnquest said international standards expect a murder rate of 5 per 100,000. In The Bahamas that number is 22 per 100,000, he said.

The crime statistics for 2007-2008, as gathered by the Police Research and Planning unit, were presented in the House of Assembly Wednesday.

Police are solving more cases in every area except murder according to the report. Solved, as defined by the police, means that a suspect has been charged and brought before a court.

In the last year there were less reports of:

• Murder (↓8%)
  
• Attempted murder (↓14%)
  
• Manslaughter (↓25%)
  
• Rape (↓16%)
  
• Unlawful sexual intercourse (↓18%)
  
• Armed robbery (↓5%)
  

Not everything went down in 2008, however:

• Attempted Robbery (↑70%)
  
• Robbery (↑29%)
  
• Attempted rape (↑5%)
  

-Guardian and Tribune