By Stabroek News

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(Jamaica Gleaner) The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) is raising concern about a mid-year surge in suicides, warning that the island could face a worsening crisis if urgent interventions are not stepped up.

The warning comes against the backdrop of several recent suspected suicides that have reignited public debate about the pressures facing Jamaica’s youth and young adults.

Between January and September 2025, the JCF recorded 44 suicides, compared with 53 cases over the same period in 2024 — a 16.9 per cent decline year-on-year.

“At face value, this decline appears positive; however, the monthly breakdown reveals a troubling pattern,” the JCF said in a statement on Sunday.

According to the police, suicides were consistently lower in the first six months of 2025 than in 2024, but July, August, and September showed a sharp reversal. July recorded 8 suicides — a 33 per cent increase over July 2024 — while August and September rose by 20 per cent and 25 per cent respectively.

The police also highlighted shifting geographic patterns. While St James, St Elizabeth, St Catherine South, and St Thomas had notable spikes in 2024, this year St Catherine North has been disproportionately represented, recording four cases in July alone.

“Gender continues to be a critical dimension. The overwhelming majority of suicides remain among males. However, there are indications that suicides among women, while still relatively low, may be edging upwards,” the JCF reported. It added that this signals the need for “urgent gender-sensitive interventions, as women’s experiences with self-harm often differ and may be linked to domestic, relational, and or social factors that require tailored responses.”

The force stressed that suicide is not solely a policing matter but a broader public health challenge.

“As a law enforcement body, the JCF recognises that suicide is not solely a policing matter but a broader public health and social challenge. We therefore call on all relevant stakeholders, including public and mental health professionals, social workers, educators, community leaders, and faith-based organisations, to intensify their interventions, so that the effects of suicide can be lessened. Coordinated action is urgently needed to strengthen community resilience, provide counselling and support services, and respond effectively to the vulnerabilities that may be driving these increases,” the statement read.

The JCF urged persons experiencing mental or social challenges to seek help through “a pastor, peer group, or any upstanding individual in their community.”

On September 23, 26-year-old Tyra Spaulding, a former Miss Universe Jamaica contestant, was found dead at her home in St Andrew. Police confirmed relatives discovered her hanging in her bedroom.

Earlier this month, 13-year-old Twaine Skyers of Lilliput, St James, was found hanging in his bathroom, while on September 21, 16-year-old Holmwood Technical High School student Jhamar Surgeon, also known as “DJ,” was discovered dead in his kitchen in Trelawny.

Education Minister Dr Dana Morris Dixon described the deaths as “devastating,” stressing: “Bullying is not harmless. It is destructive and dangerous, capable of eroding a child’s confidence and sense of self-worth and sometimes leading to fatal consequences.”

“Every child deserves a safe and supportive learning environment, and the Ministry will intensify its response to protect them. But we cannot succeed without the active involvement of parents, schools, and communities working together,” she said.

The JCF said it remains committed to working alongside partners “to ensure that the troubling mid-year surge does not extend into the remainder of 2025.”

Preliminary data from the MOHW showed that the suicide rate remained at 2.4 per 100 000, according to the 2024 Economic and Social Survey of Jamaica, released by the Planning Institute of Jamaica over the summer. It said reported cases of suicide increased slightly by 1.5 per cent to 67, up from 66 in 2023; males comprised 91 per cent of the victims.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, call the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ mental health and suicide prevention helpline at 888-NEW-LIFE (639-5433).