In the Caribbean, the worst murder rate is found in Jamaica, with 52.9 homicide victims per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022. Jamaica's homicide rate is almost five times higher than, for instance, the Dominican Republic's, where 11.9 people were killed per 100,000 population that same year.

Identifying the "highest" crime rate in the Caribbean is complex as it depends on whether you are measuring total volume or per capita rates, but as of early 2026, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago consistently report some of the highest homicide and violent crime rates in the region. Most of this crime is gang-related and concentrated in specific urban neighborhoods, such as parts of Kingston or Port of Spain, which are rarely visited by tourists. For travelers, the "safety" of an island is often better measured by the rate of petty theft and "crime against tourists." Islands like the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico have also seen fluctuations in crime rates due to socio-economic challenges. On the opposite end of the spectrum, islands like Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, and the Cayman Islands remain some of the safest destinations in the world. It is important to note that while crime exists, millions of people visit Jamaica every year without incident by staying in well-regulated resort areas and following standard travel safety precautions, such as avoiding isolated areas at night.