National

Major Crimes Down 14 Percent, Suicides Jump 60 Percent

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Bahamas saw a 14% drop in overall crime and a 26% decrease in murders in the first half of 2025, but suicide and attempted suicide rates have increased, with depression, anxiety, and relationship issues cited as leading cause.

Published

1 year ago

July 28, 2025

Berthony McDermott

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Just six months into 2025, major crime across The Bahamas is trending down, except in one troubling area: suicides and attempted suicides.

That’s according to Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles, who delivered the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s mid-year crime report during a press briefing at Police Headquarters on the morning of July 28th.

Commissioner Knowles revealed a 14 percent drop in overall crime, with 1,223 cases recorded so far this year compared to 1,420 during the same period in 2024.

Notably, murders decreased by 26 percent, with 44 homicides in 2025 compared to 60 in 2024. Knowles reported that 64 percent of those cases have been solved, and that 84 percent of victims were between the ages of 18 and 45.

Retaliation, gang violence, and interpersonal conflict remain the top three motives for murder, accounting for 64 percent of cases collectively. Homicides were most prevalent in New Providence’s South-Central Division, with guns remaining the weapon of choice.

Other categories also saw notable declines:

Armed robberies dropped by 42%
Rape decreased by 24% (25 cases vs. 33 in 2024)
Unlawful sexual intercourse fell by 34% (57 cases vs. 86)
Burglaries, shop break-ins, stealing, and stealing from vehicles also declined

Commissioner Knowles emphasized that most victims of sexual offenses knew their attackers.

SHANTA KNOWLES – COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
“I believe the good Lord is working with the Royal Bahamas Police Force even more than He has before. Our officers truly understand their mandate, to serve the Bahamian people, and they are doing just that.”

Despite the positive trends, one area has raised concern: suicides and attempted suicides are on the rise.

By mid-year 2025, suicide cases increased from 5 to 8, all of them involving male victims. Attempted suicides rose by 39 percent, from 23 cases in 2024 to 32 in 2025.

SHANTA KNOWLES – COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
“The leading causes continue to be depression and anxiety, relationship issues, and people simply feeling they no longer want to live.”