Understanding and Addressing Jamaica’s Homicide Epidemic: A Multi-Decadal Analysis of Socio-Political and Structural Factors
Paul Andrew Bourne, PhD, Vocational Training Development Institute, Jamaica, West Indies
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Bulletin | DOI 10.6084/m9.figshare.30067672 | Page 01 to 31
Abstract
Jamaica has experienced a dramatic escalation in homicide rates from 1960 to 2024, transforming from a relatively peaceful post-independence society into one of the countries with the highest percapita homicide rates globally. Annual homicide counts rose from fewer than 70 in the 1960s to peaks exceeding 1,600 in the early 2000s, with corresponding rates per 100,000 population increasing from 3.2 to over 60. Time-series and five-year analyses indicate that these increases were not solely due to population growth but were amplified by socio-political dynamics, including the rise of urban garrisons, political rivalries, and retaliatory violence. Firearm proliferation further intensified lethality, while structural drivers such as poverty, unemployment, and community fragmentation sustained high levels of violence even during periods of temporary decline. Decadal and five-year averages reveal persistent high homicide rates from the 2000s onwards, highlighting the chronic nature of violence and the limitations of reactive law enforcement interventions. The findings underscore the predominance of social and political determinants over drug trafficking alone, suggesting that dispute resolution, rights-based policing, and multi-sectoral socioeconomic interventions are critical for sustainable reductions. This study demonstrates the value of longitudinal data in identifying high-risk periods, evaluating interventions, and guiding policy for targeted homicide prevention. Overall, a combination of short-term crime suppression and longterm structural reform is required to address the complex, multidimensional drivers of lethal violence in Jamaica.
Keywords: Jamaica, homicide trends, firearms, urban violence, socio-political factors, longitudinal
analysis
Suicide among Jamaicans Aged 0–18 Years: A Secondary-Data Study
Paul Andrew Bourne, PhD, Vocational Training Development Institute, Jamaica, West Indies
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Bulletin | DOI 10.6084/m9.figshare.30067684 | Page 01 to 23
Abstract
Suicide among adolescents in Jamaica is a significant public health concern that extends beyond mortality statistics. Official death records suggest relatively low rates among individuals under 19 years; however, secondary data indicate that nearly one in four Jamaican adolescents report suicidal ideation, and approximately one in ten report suicide attempts. Gender differences are notable, with girls more likely to report ideation and boys more frequently using lethal methods such as hanging. Key risk factors include exposure to interpersonal violence, bullying, family instability, and poor sleep, while protective factors encompass parental support, school engagement, peer relationships, and community networks. Patterns of suicide methods reveal that ingestion of pharmaceuticals or pesticides predominates in non-fatal attempts, emphasising the role of access to means in shaping outcomes. Regional comparison demonstrates that Jamaica’s adolescent suicide rate is moderate relative to Caribbean peers, yet rising trends, particularly among males, signal the need for urgent intervention. Schools emerge as critical sites for early detection and intervention, while community and faith-based networks provide protective support. Policy frameworks aligned with international guidelines, such as the WHO LIVE LIFE strategy, are essential to strengthen mental health services, promote evidence-based interventions, and implement culturally sensitive prevention strategies. Sustainable suicide prevention requires integrated approaches across clinical, educational, community, and policy domains. These findings underscore the hidden burden of adolescent suicidal behaviours in Jamaica and highlight opportunities for targeted, multi-level interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality.
Keywords: adolescent suicide, Jamaica, risk factors, protective factors, policy implications, regional comparison
QUANTUM MECHANICS: A RITZY PANORAMA
CHRISTOPHER ALEXANDER UDOFIA, DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY, AKWA IBOM STATE UNIVERSITY, NIGERIA
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Bulletin | DOI 10.6084/m9.figshare.30067801 | Page 01 to 30
Abstract
Mechanics is a realm of Physics which studies the motion of bodies. Quantum mechanics entails the study of the motion of sub atomic realities. This work maintains the thesis that Quantum mechanics is the progeny of previous mechanics. To sustain this position the work traces the genesis of the study of mechanics remotely to Aristotle which was redefined and given a new orientation in the modern Newtonian mechanics. Using the philosophical mechanism of analysis, the work demonstrates that the breakdown of these two mechanics gave birth to Quantum mechanics. The research critically observes that a juxtaposition of Quantum mechanics with the former two showed that the objectivity, causality, determinism and certainty that defined the former mechanics are oblivionated in the framework of Quantum mechanics. The discourse concludes with the tenet that since the current status of research in science admits the unification of all the realms of knowledge, then the idea of the intermingling of Metaphysics and Science in the advancement of human knowledge should be a new dimension to knowledge acquisition.
Keywords: Mechanics, Quantum, Science, Metaphysics, unification.
COMPARING THE ACHIEVED AND DESIRED FAMILY SIZE OF MARRIED WOMEN USING A METHOD OF MEDIAN TEST FOR MATCHED SAMPLE
Uchechukwu Marius Okeh, Department of Industrial Mathematics and Health Statistics, David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS) Uburu, Nigeria.
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Bulletin | DOI 10.6084/m9.figshare.30095278 | Page 01 to 10
Abstract
Background: The application of nonparametric statistical methods becomes necessary when the data collected from samples do not meet the foundational assumptions of continuity and normality that are prerequisites for their parametric counterparts. This paper introduces and formalizes a tiesadjusted median test specifically designed for analyzing paired-sample populations. This novel method serves as a modified alternative to conventional nonparametric techniques like the ordinary Sign test and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test.
Methodology: The procedural foundation of this study involved adapting the extended median test for matched samples to specifically account for the potential occurrence of tied observations. This is particularly relevant for datasets where measurements may be on an ordinal scale. The resulting chisquare test statistic was formulated to evaluate the null hypothesis of equal treatment medians and was subsequently applied to an empirical dataset to demonstrate its practical application.
Results: To illustrate its utility, the proposed method was used to test the null hypothesis that there is no significant difference between the actual and desired number of children among women in a sampled community. The analysis yielded a p-value of 0.0048. For the purpose of comparison, the same data analyzed with the Sign test produced a p-value of 0.0193, while the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test resulted in a p-value of 0.0139.
Conclusions: At a 5% significance level, the proposed method demonstrates greater statistical power than both the ordinary Sign test and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. This suggests that the new test possesses a higher probability of accurately rejecting a null hypothesis that is indeed false.
Keywords: Paired Data Analysis, Nonparametric Statistics, TiesAdjusted Median Test, Matched Samples, Chi-Square Statistic, Statistical Power.
Imagining an Undivided Subcontinent: A Counterfactual Analysis of the Gains and Losses from the Partition of British India
Mr. Tayabur Rahman Laskar, Freelancer, BCA Graduate, Gauhati University, Assam,
International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Bulletin | DOI 10.6084/m9.figshare.30134770 | Page 01 to 08
Abstract
The 20th-century partition of British India was a watershed moment that radically reconfigured the geopolitical landscape of South Asia. This article conducts a counterfactual analysis to explore the potential outcomes of a hypothetical “undivided India,” comprising modern-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. By synthesizing historical data, contemporary economic indicators, and social analyses, the study assesses the synergistic advantages a unified subcontinent might have possessed and, conversely, the enduring costs imposed by its fragmentation. The analysis posits that a unified state, with a combined 2024 population of approximately 1.93 billion and a GDP of $4.8 trillion, could have emerged as a premier global economic and political power. Key potential advantages include a seamlessly integrated single market, optimized infrastructure and resource management (particularly transboundary water resources), pooled human capital, and substantially greater international influence. In contrast, the actual partitions are shown to have inflicted deep and lasting wounds, including catastrophic human displacement and violence, chronic economic disruption, severed supply chains, and the creation of persistent geopolitical rivalries that divert crucial resources from development to defense. While acknowledging the immense complexities of governing such a diverse entity, this paper concludes that understanding the scale of these lost opportunities underscores the critical importance of fostering greater economic integration and peaceful cooperation among the subcontinent’s successor states today.
Keywords: Partition of India, Economic Integration, South Asian Development, Counterfactual History, United India, Geopolitics, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar.