Hinds unhappy with 16% murder detection rate

NATIONAL Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds says he is unhappy that with 663 murders in the period September 2022-2023, "the percentage of suspects and persons arrested and charged for murders, was 16 per cent."

He partly attributed this statistic to the use of high-powered firearms in many murders in recent times.

Hinds made these statements in response to a question from Independent Senator Dr Paul Richards in the Senate on Tuesday.

Richards asked him if he was happy with that statistic, given the level of crime facing the country.

Hinds replied, "Absolutely not."

He added, "It is the reason why this minister, with the support of the Cabinet and the Government, would have spent a lot of time and resources to improving our scientific response to crime."

Hinds identified improvements in the operations at the Forensic Sciences Centre in St James as one example of what that Government has been doing.

He said improvements have been made to departments within the police service that deal with matters such as evidence recovery.

"They (police) are consistently indicating that the systems that they work are improving and getting better and better results."

Hinds made an observation.

"They (police) have charged more people. (But) this year for murders, I think the last figure I revealed to this Parliament was about 87 people. Some for offences that took place last year,"

But while this is happening, Hinds said, "The rate of killings in this country with the advent of all of these automatic weapons, using military grade ammunition, is really putting stresses on the system."

He added this is why Government is taking action "to improve our border security."

Hinds said the legislative approach is another strategy which Government takes towards fighting crime.

"From time to time, we will come to this House with measures seeking the support of my friends on the other side to toughen our responses as a nation to those who are perpetrating criminal acts against us."

Richards said some perpetrators kill many people.

He asked Hinds for data to match individual perpetrators to the murders they committed.

While Hinds welcomed the question, he lamented he did not have the specific information to share with Richards.

He promised to reply either in writing or verbally in the Senate at a later date.

Richards said he would be grateful to receive Hinds' answer in writing.