New Report calls for coordinated, multi-sectoral action to tackle firearm-related violence and trafficking in the Caribbean

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre (GA-CDRC) at The University of the West Indies and the Small Arms Survey are pleased to announce the release of their seminal Report, Pathway to Policy: Firearms Trafficking and Public Health in the Caribbean. This collaborative Report provides new detailed data and analysis on the complex issues underpinning firearm-related violence and trafficking in the Caribbean and proposes data-driven policy recommendations that create pathways to effective policies. Selected findings from the Report include:

   The Caribbean continues to suffer from high rates of gun violence, with the situation deteriorating over time and trends varying by jurisdiction. The proportion of homicides perpetrated with firearms increased substantially to reach 86% in 2023-24, partly due to the deteriorating conditions in Haiti.
   Maritime consignments from the United States are a primary vector for illicit trafficking, with procurement clustered in small southern areas, primarily in Florida. Seizures of rifles - especially AR- and AK-pattern models - have risen in recent years but still comprise a small percentage of all seized firearms.
   The average direct medical costs of treatment provided to patients with gunshot wounds greatly exceed annual healthcare expenditures per capita, as well as the costs of care for patients injured by other types of weapons. Firearm-related violence continues to divert scarce public resources towards dealing with the impacts of violence - that could otherwise be invested in prevention, education and development.

Lt. Col Michael Jones, executive director, CARICOM IMPACS said “These insights help

move the region from problem-diagnosis to system-wide, results oriented action”.

Dr. Mark Downes, director of the Small Arms Survey noted “The pathway forward requires harmonized data, shared accountability and a firm commitment to treating gun violence as both a security and public health priority”.

“This Report demonstrates how academic research, when aligned with regional security and health priorities, can drive actionable policy. The UWI is proud to contribute evidence-based insights that support a collective vision of a safer, healthier Caribbean”, stated Professor Simon Anderson, Director of the George Alleyne Chronic Disease Research Centre at The UWI.

Dr. Lisa Indar, executive director of CARPHA, explained that “These research findings underscore the urgent need to strengthen health systems, invest in real-time injury surveillance systems and ensure that public health is fully integrated into violence prevention and response efforts across the Caribbean”.

The Report draws from the unique multi-sectoral partnership among CARICOM IMPACS, CARPHA, the GACDRC and the Small Arms Survey to examine regional trends in the nature and scope of violence and in firearms trafficking - including the main types and sources of illicit weapons- and presents updated estimates of the costs of firearm-related injuries in The Bahamas, Barbados, and Jamaica.