If you've been in the Caribbean, whether cruising or on a land trip, you might have had an occasional feeling that something wasn't right. Maybe you were lost during an excursion, perhaps someone struck up a conversation that you didn't desire, or (as has happened to me on multiple occasions), you were approached with an offer for drugs.
Now, International Business Times has ranked the islands of the Caribbean on a 'safest' and 'most dangerous' ranking. (The rankings are based on the amount of homicides per 100,000 in population, and it should also be noted that the article states that by and large tourists are usually removed from scenes of most of the violent crime.)
In their article, the cited the "increasing amount of high profile murders and disappearances like that of Natalee Holloway in Aruba in 2005", and stated that "some tourists have begun to question if the Caribbean islands are a desirable and safe vacation destination."
Their study reports that for the most part, violent crimes are usually not found near tourist centers and "hotspots". Reported crimes include pick pocketing, carjacking and theft; and they advise travelers to avoid walking alone at night, wearing expensive jewelry, and leaving valuables in sight.
They also cite one indicator of safety is the poverty level of an island.
Statistics were compiled using homicide rates from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime statistics for either 2010 or 2008. Noticably absent from the report is Cuba and Haiti.
The rankings are as follows, with the name of the country followed by the number of homicides per 100,000 population.
Safest Caribbean nations:
- Martinique: 4.2
- Anguilla: 6.8
- Antigua & Barbuda: 6.8
- Guadeloupe: 7
- British Virgin Islands: 8.6
Most Dangerous Caribbean nations:
- Jamaica: 52.1 (Crime rates have decreased nearly 10% from 2009. Also, it is noted that violent crimes rarely occur to visitors)
- Saint Kitts and Nevis: 38.2 (Again, most violent crimes involve locals)
- Trinidad and Tobago: 35.2 (No evidence that tourists are being targeted directly)
- Bahamas: 28 (Majority of crimes take place in the most populated areas; New Providence and Grand Bahama)
- Puerto Rico: 26.2 (Majority of violence involves the trafficking of drugs and it is noted that tourists that keep a distance from the drug trade should be safe)
Overall, the report states you should take precautionary measures when you visit these countries and that by and large, foreign visitors are safe if they do so. You can use this as a guide when selecting your cruise itinerary, and also your shore excursions.
Read the full article from the International Business Times here.
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