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Access Type
WSU Access
Date of Award
January 2024
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Department
Political Science
First Advisor
Brady Baybeck
Abstract
As Jamaica continues to welcome record breaking numbers of tourists annually, a well-known secret lingers beyond the shorelines: high homicides rates. As homicide rises, clearance rates remain abysmal. This dissertation examines the factors that affect clearance rates in Jamaica. Using previous literature which suggest that adequate police training and recruitment practices, adequate resources, decreased levels of corruption, police legitimacy and good leadership are the cornerstone of high homicide clearance rates, the dissertation assesses their influence in the Jamaican context. Employing the use of a qualitative approach that included semi-structured interviews, the dissertation found that, while there are definitional issues that adds a layer of complexity to the notion of clearance rates, inadequate homicide detective training is a major hindrance to the police agency’s ability to effect major changes to homicide clearance numbers. Additionally, the dissertation highlights the presence of other exogeneous factors including a culture of silence that is at the core of sustainedly low clearance rates
Recommended Citation
Collins, Toycia, "Getting Away With Murder? The Problem Of Solving Homicides In Jamaica." (2024). Wayne State University Dissertations. 4113.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_dissertations/4113