A worrying crime problem
Crime, already very high for many years, reached its peak in 2023 with 1,498 murders on the island, only to drop in 2024 to 1,141 murders... that's 3 to 4 deaths a day. The island has the highest crime rate in South America and the Caribbean, according to data published by the Jamaica Constabulary Force. Almost all crime is committed by Jamaicans living in the ghettos of Kingston, Spanish Town and Montego Bay. There are 8,100 firearms per 100,000 inhabitants, causing the majority of crimes in clashes between hostile gangs, notably for the control of drug trafficking. Prime Minister Andrew Holness has launched a long-term security plan for Jamaica, but regions are regularly placed under a state of emergency: first and foremost Kingston, Spanish Town and Montego Bay, but also Savannah-la-Mar, where drug traffickers are rampant.
Large families and early sexuality
Some Jamaicans - both men and women - marry several times in their lives, and often have several children. Families are blended again and again, and it is often difficult to find one's way through the family tree. It's not uncommon for a Jamaican living on the island to have other children elsewhere, often in the United States or England, as the diaspora is significant. Similarly, to help each other out, some families take in children from other families on a long-term basis. Marriage is common practice, even if some members of society (notably the Rastas) deny it. Contraception campaigns do not always have the desired effect. Abortion is inaccessible. The HIV/AIDS rate is fairly high (1.75% of the population, i.e. over 30,000 people infected), but the epidemic has been stagnating for years. Sexual relations are common from adolescence onwards, leading to early pregnancies and girls dropping out of school.
A half-hearted education
The adult literacy rate reached 88% in 2024. This leaves a 12% illiteracy rate, which mainly affects rural and inner-city areas. Although most Jamaican children attend school, it is not compulsory, and teachers are frequently confronted with prolonged absences on the part of some pupils, usually as a result of family dislocation. Teachers must therefore be particularly attentive. With the arrival of new technologies, access to education seems to have become easier: 96.5% of young people aged 15 to 24 have a cell phone and 46.5% use the Internet.
A macho and homophobic society
Jamaican society is enduringly macho, yet women play a vital role in the organization of society. Unemployment among women is almost twice as high as among men. Yet they are the lifeblood of the island, working mainly in education, healthcare, administration and the hotel industry. Men, on the other hand, are represented in construction, automotive and physical work. If you're traveling as a couple, the husband is more likely to be approached than the wife. Domestic violence and rape are very high. A quarter of Jamaican women have experienced domestic violence and 37% sexual violence outside the couple. Reports of rape are often associated with ultra-violent feminicide, always in poor neighborhoods.
Another problem is homophobia. Labeled by Time magazine, and also by the United States, as the "most homophobic country in the world", Jamaica assumes its bias. Legally, Jamaicans face up to 10 years in prison for "sexual acts between men". The Church also plays its part, being the first lobby to put pressure on the population to morally condemn any homosexual. The courageous J-Flag association, founded in 1998, campaigns for LGBT rights in Jamaica, but is under constant threat. Macabre events regularly make the headlines. Rastafarians, who might be expected to be more tolerant given that they themselves are stigmatized for their political and religious affiliation, are not to be outdone in their incitement to homophobia. Notably the movement's two iconic singers, Capleton and Sizzla, but also Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Anthony B, Elephant Man...
Music everywhere, reggae and dancehall
Turn on the radio and you're bound to come across a station playing excellent reggae or dancehall. Open your window in the evening as you stroll through the countryside to flush out a village sound system, where strangers will be warmly welcomed. Head out to the capital's hottest dancehall parties in Kingston to get a taste of the Jamaican atmosphere, dressed to the nines, hot and dancing like never before. If you come across a wedding party, there's bound to be a wall of sound, the music favored by Jamaican grandfathers and grandmothers. On public beaches, the music will be there too, and always in big kilos of sound. As you can see, music is everywhere and is part of the Jamaican DNA.
Ganja" smoked everywhere and by everyone
Cannabis possession was decriminalized in 2015, having previously been considered a crime. Residents can now keep 57 grams (or two ounces) and 5 plants in their homes, without it being considered a criminal offense. Officially, marijuana can also be used legally in a religious context by members of the Rastafari movement. However, not all Rastafarians smoke, and this sacrament is one of the most contested in the religion. The chalice, a pipe made of cow or goat horn or a bamboo or wooden pipe, is prepared with water, and the tobacco-herb mixture is mixed in a rigorous ritual, accompanied by blessings and the recitation of prayers.
Tourists are regularly offered one by small street vendors, on the beach and so on. Officially, they're supposed to have a medical prescription authorizing them to do so (and weed shops issue them ad hoc to customers), but in practice, the police will never stop non-Rasta Jamaicans or tourists smoking. At worst, the fine for possession of less than 57 grams of weed without a medical prescription is... 3 US$! Beyond this already generous limit, possession of more than 2 ounces of marijuana is a criminal offence. Smoking areas are set up everywhere: on beaches, in hotels, in bars and restaurants, and even in museums! You can smoke weed absolutely anywhere! Cigarettes, on the other hand, are frowned upon, especially by families, who are quite happy to smoke ganja but not cigarettes.
