The Rule of Law
in Jamaica
Key Findings from the General
Population Poll 2022
Acknowledgements
The Rule of Law in Jamaica: Key Findings from the General Population Poll 2022 was produced by the World Justice Project under the research oversight of Alejandro Ponce and the executive direction of Elizabeth Andersen.
The production of this report was led by Ana María Montoya and Tanya Primiani. This report was prepared by Said Aarji, Erin Campbell, James Davis, Joshua Fuller, Skye Jacobs, Ana María Montoya, Santiago Pardo González, Enrique Paulin, Tanya Primiani, Hannah Rigazzi, Natalia Rodríguez Cajamarca, Jeison Sabogal Sánchez, Victoria Thomaides, Carlos Toruño Paniagua, and Moss Woodbury.
Mariana Lopez was the graphic design lead for this report, with support from Raquel Medina. Photo for cover provided by 3.26 via Flickr.
Sampling, fieldwork, and data processing in Guyana and Jamaica were conducted by StatMark Group, based in the United States. Data collection in The Bahamas was conducted by DMR Insights Ltd., based in St. Lucia. Data collection in the Dominican Republic and Haiti was conducted by CID Gallup, based in Costa Rica. Data collection in Suriname was conducted by D3: Designs, Data, Decisions, based in the United States. Scripting of the questionnaire in the online platform SurveyToGo was conducted by Ezekiel Agwata of Polar Solutions.
The findings in this report are taken from the General Population Poll (GPP) conducted for the World Justice Project in 2022. The GPP’s conceptual framework and methodology were developed by Mark David Agrast, Juan Carlos Botero, and Alejandro Ponce. The methodology for this iteration of the GPP was developed by Lindsey Bock, Ana Cárdenas, Alicia Evangelides, Joshua Fuller, Nora Futtner, Amy Gryskiewicz, Verónica Jaso, Ana María Montoya, Alejandro Ponce, Eréndira González Portillo, Tanya Primiani, Natalia Rodríguez Cajamarca, Victoria Thomaides, and Marcelo Torres.
This report was made possible with the support of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs' Office of Western Hemisphere (INL). The views expressed in this report are those of the survey respondents and do not necessarily represent the views of INL.
© Copyright 2023 by the World Justice Project.
Requests to reproduce this document should be sent to:
Alejandro Ponce
World Justice Project
1025 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 1200
Washington, DC 20005, USA
Email: [email protected]
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ABOUT
THIS REPORT
ABOUT THIS REPORT
EFFECTIVE RULE OF LAW reduces corruption, combats poverty and disease, and protects people from injustices large and small. Strengthening the rule of law is an important objective for governments, donors, and civil society organizations around the world. To be effective, rule of law development requires clarity about the fundamental features that define the rule of law, as well as an adequate basis for its evaluation and measurement.
The Rule of Law in Jamaica: Key Findings from the General Population Poll 2022 presents question-level data drawn from the General Population Poll (GPP), an original data source designed and collected by the World Justice Project. To provide a more in-depth view of trends in perceptions of rule of law in Jamaica, this report also presents select findings over time and compared to Jamaica’s regional peers within the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas subregion of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The GPP was conducted between June and August 2022 through face-to-face interviews to a nationally representative sample of 531 Jamaican households. This poll was designed to capture data on the experiences and perceptions of ordinary people regarding a variety of themes related to the rule of law.
This report represents the voices of people in Jamaica and their experiences with the rule of law in their country.
The data derived from the General Population Poll is presented in this report as thematic briefs, each one highlighting a different dimension of the rule of law from the perspective of Jamaicans. These thematic briefs focus on the current rule of law ecosystem in Jamaica while simultaneously illuminating changes over time and comparisons across the following peer countries in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas region: The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, and Suriname. Each section touches upon perceptions of and attitudes towards the following topics: authoritarianism, fundamental freedoms, corruption, bribery victimization, trust in institutions, the criminal justice system and its actors, police performance, crime victimization, support for victims of crime, and security.
EXECUTIVE FINDINGS
The Rule of Law in Jamaica: Key Findings from the General Population Poll 2022 provides a comprehensive overview of how citizens perceive and experience the rule of law in Jamaica alongside comparative findings across the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas. The findings in this report indicate some positive trends in the general public’s perspective on the rule of law in Jamaica, including relatively low rates of crime victimization, positive perceptions of personal safety, and relatively positive views on victim support practices. Despite these positive developments, however, these findings highlight the fact that many challenges—including deteriorating perceptions of fundamental freedoms, worsening perceptions of corruption, and weakened confidence in criminal justice system performance—persist. Similarly, at the regional level, prominent trends include deteriorating perceptions of fundamental freedoms, worsening perceptions of corruption, and weakened confidence in criminal justice system performance.
SECTION 1
Authoritarianism and Fundamental Freedoms
1. Authoritarianism
On average, more than half of all respondents in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas agreed that top government officials engage in authoritarian behavior. Among respondents in the region, on average, Bahamians most often felt that top government officials engage in authoritarian behavior and Haitians least often felt that top government officials engage in authoritarian behavior.
- When asked about authoritarian tendencies in Jamaica, respondents most often felt that top government officials attack or attempt to discredit opposition parties (63%), resort to misinformation to shape public opinion in their favor (62%), and attack or attempt to discredit the media and civil society organizations that criticize them (62%).
- Compared to their regional counterparts, respondents in Jamaica most often felt that top government officials attack or attempt to discredit the media and civil society organizations that criticize them (62%) and seek to limit the courts’ competencies and freedom to interpret the law (54%). Respondents in Jamaica least often felt that top government officials seek to influence the promotion and removal of judges (46%) and prosecute and convict members of opposition parties (48%).
2. Fundamental Freedoms
On average, fewer respondents believe that their freedoms of expression, political participation, election, and religion are guaranteed in The Bahamas, Guyana, Jamaica, and Suriname compared to the last year of data collection. In contrast, the average percentage of respondents who believe that these freedoms are guaranteed increased slightly in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Throughout the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas, fewer respondents agreed that people can join any political organization and that people can vote freely without feeling harassed or pressured when compared against the last year of data collection.
- When asked about respect for fundamental freedoms in Jamaica, respondents had more favorable views on freedoms of political participation, with 83% of respondents agreeing that people can attend community meetings. Conversely, Jamaicans had less favorable views on electoral freedoms, with 38% of respondents agreeing that local government officials are elected through a clean process.
- Perceptions of the state’s respect for almost all fundamental freedoms deteriorated in Jamaica between 2019 and 2022, with the exception of the perception that people can organize around a petition (up less than 1 percentage point). The most significant declines include decreases in the perceptions that local government officials are elected through a clean process (down 9 percentage points), people can attend community meetings (down 8 percentage points), and political parties can express opinions against the government (down 8 percentage points).
SECTION 2
Corruption and Trust
3. Corruption
Public views on the pervasiveness of corruption within the legislature and among national government officers deteriorated in almost every country in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas. Within the region, on average, more Haitian respondents reported perceptions of corruption across all actors than their regional peers, whereas Surinamese respondents reported the same least frequently.
- Between 2019 and 2022, public views on the pervasiveness of corruption within the legislature, the executive branch, the judiciary, and law enforcement deteriorated in Jamaica. Perceptions of corruption deteriorated most for public defense attorneys, with a 20-point increase in the percentage of respondents who believe that most or all public defense attorneys engage in corrupt practices.
- Political parties are considered the most corrupt institution in Jamaica. Approximately 70% of respondents believe that most or all members of Jamaican political parties are involved in corrupt practices.
- Teachers in public schools are considered the least corrupt actors in Jamaica, with 34% of respondents reporting that they believe most or all teachers are involved in corrupt practices.
4. Attitudes Towards Corrupt Behaviors
Acceptance of corrupt behaviors in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas is relatively common compared to in the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean. Throughout the region, respondents, on average, most often found a public officer recruited on the basis of family ties and friendship networks to be acceptable. Elected officials taking public funds for private use and company officials asking for a bribe from a job applicant were tolerated the least often. On average, respondents in Haiti most often found certain cases of bribery, nepotism, and embezzlement always or usually acceptable, whereas respondents in Suriname least often found these behaviors acceptable.
- Jamaicans most often felt that it was acceptable for a public officer to be recruited on the basis of family ties and friendship networks (16%).
- Jamaicans least often felt that it was acceptable for a company official to ask for a bribe from a job applicant (11%).
5. Bribery Victimization
On average, respondents in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas reported paying a bribe most often in Haiti and least often in The Bahamas. Throughout the region, respondents most frequently had to pay a bribe when interacting with police officers and car registration agency officers in the last 12 months, on average. Respondents least frequently had to pay a bribe when interacting with public utility company officers.
6. Trust
Respondents in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas trust judges and magistrates or people living in their country more than any other public actor, with the exception of respondents in Haiti, who had the most trust in police officers. Respondents in the region expressed the lowest average levels of trust in executive actors or police officers. On average, respondents in Suriname least often reported having some or a lot of trust across all institutions. In contrast, respondents in Guyana reported the highest overall levels of trust.
- Between 2019 and 2022, Jamaica’s most significant trends in trust in institutions include decreases in trust in judges and magistrates (down 11 percentage points), public defense attorneys (down 9 percentage points), and police officers (down 6 percentage points).
- In 2022, respondents in Jamaica most often reported having some or a lot of trust in people living in their country (42%) and judges and magistrates (42%) and least often reported having some or a lot of trust in police officers (29%).
SECTION 3
Security and Criminal Justice
7. Crime Victimization
On average, 29% of all respondents surveyed in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas reported experiencing a crime in the last 12 months. On average, roughly half (51%) of those respondents reported their crime experience to an authority.
- Fifteen percent (15%) of Jamaicans reported experiencing a crime in the last 12 months, a figure below the regional average (29%).
- Just over half (52%) of Jamaican respondents who were victims of a crime did not report the crime to an authority, with those respondents most often citing the belief that reporting would not help as their reason for not reporting (37%).
More than half of all respondents in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas feel safe or very safe when walking in their neighborhood at night, with the exception of respondents in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Perceptions of safety improved in almost every country between the previous round of data collection and 2022. Perceptions of safety declined only in Guyana, where 50% of respondents reported feeling safe in their neighborhood at night, compared to 68% in 2018. Compared to respondents in regional peer countries, Bahamians most often reported feeling safe in their neighborhood at night (82%), while roughly one-third of Haitians (35%) reported the same.
- In Jamaica, 63% of respondents reported feeling safe walking in their neighborhood at night in 2022.
- Jamaicans under the age of 30 and Jamaicans who live in an urban area were less likely to feel safe walking in their neighborhood at night than respondents with other sociodemographic characteristics.
9. Criminal Justice
Across the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas, respondents are, on average, most confident that the criminal justice system ensures equal treatment of victims and least confident that the criminal justice system ensures timeliness. On average, respondents in the Dominican Republic reported the highest levels of confidence in the criminal justice system overall, while respondents in The Bahamas reported the lowest levels of confidence. Average perceptions of the criminal justice system’s overall performance deteriorated in almost every country within the region, with the exception of the Dominican Republic.
- Jamaicans were most confident that the criminal justice system ensures widespread access to the criminal justice system (52%) and ensures equal treatment of victims (50%). Jamaicans were least confident that the criminal justice system gives appropriate punishments (39%) and ensures timeliness (39%).
- Perceptions of adherence to proportionate punishments and uniform quality of service in the Jamaican criminal justice system worsened the most between 2019 and 2022, with declines of 7 and 6 percentage points, respectively.
10. Police Performance
When asked about their impressions of police performance, respondents in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas had the most negative views on accountability and due process and the most positive views on absence of discrimination and public service, on average.
- When asked about their impressions of police performance, respondents in Jamaica were most confident that:
- Police resolve security problems in the community (60%).
- Police help them feel safe (57%).
- Police serve the interests of the community (56%).
- Police are available to help when needed (56%).
- Respondents in Jamaica were least confident that:
- Police do not serve the interests of politicians (27%).
- Police do not use excessive force (33%).
- Police are held accountable for accepting bribes (34%).
- In Jamaica, respondents most often indicated that younger suspects, suspects with tattoos, and suspects with a darker skin tone would most likely be at a disadvantage in a criminal investigation.
11. Victim Support
In every country surveyed in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas, less than half of all respondents, on average, believed that victims of crime receive adequate support and protection. Respondents in Jamaica reported the highest average levels of confidence in victim support practices overall, while respondents in Haiti reported the lowest average levels of confidence in the victim support practices overall.
- Jamaicans were most often confident that crime victims are addressed by the police using accessible language (62%) and receive a clear explanation of the crime reporting process (52%).
- Jamaicans were least often confident that crime victims receive prompt and courteous attention (36%) and are believed (38%) when reporting a crime.
Note: In addition to the data found in regional charts included in this report, comparative data for regional peer countries referenced in the Executive Findings can be found in each country’s respective report.
THEMATIC FINDINGS
SECTION I
AUTHORITARIANISM AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS
AUTHORITARIANISM
CHART 1.
Perceptions of Authoritarian Behaviors
Percentage of respondents who believe that top government officials...
◆The Bahamas ◆Dominican Republic ◆Guyana ◆Haiti Jamaica
ATTACKS ON ELECTORAL SYSTEMS AND OPPOSITION PARTIES
ATTACKS ON THE JUDICIARY
ATTACKS ON THE MEDIA AND MISINFORMATION
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
CHART 2.
Perceptions of Authoritarian Behavior, by Support for the Current Administration
Percentage of respondents in Jamaica who believe that top government officials...
Government Supporter Non-Government Supporter
ATTACKS ON ELECTORAL SYSTEMS AND OPPOSITION PARTIES
ATTACKS ON THE JUDICIARY
ATTACKS ON THE MEDIA AND MISINFORMATION
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
CHART 3.
Attitudes Towards Authoritarianism and Rule of Law
Percentage of respondents who agree with the following statements
The prime minister can attack the media, civil society, and opposition groups
The prime minister must respect the media, civil society, and opposition groups
None of the above
The prime minister can undermine independent authorities
The prime minister must respect independent authorities
None of the above
Government efficiency is more important than citizen influence
It is important that citizens have a say in government matters, even at the expense of efficiency
None of the above
The prime minister should not be bound by the laws or courts
The prime minister must always obey the law and the courts
None of the above
It is not necessary to obey the laws of a government that you did not vote for
It is important to obey the government in power, no matter who you voted for
None of the above
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS
CHART 4.
Fundamental Freedoms in Jamaica Over Time
Percentage of respondents who believe the following statements
EXPRESSION
People can express opinions against the government
Civil society organizations can express opinions against the government
Political parties can express opinions against the government
The media can express opinions against the government without fear of retaliation
The media can expose cases of corruption
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2022
PARTICIPATION
People can attend community meetings
People can join any political organization
People can organize around an issue or petition
ELECTIONS
Local government officials are elected through a clean process
People can vote freely without feeling harassed or pressured
RELIGION
Religious minorities can observe their holy days
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2022
CHART 5.
Perceptions of Fundamental Freedoms in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas
Percentage of respondents who believe the following statements
BHS = The Bahamas DOM = Dominican Republic GUY = Guyana HTI = Haiti JAM = Jamaica SUR = Suriname
EXPRESSION
People can express opinions against the government
Civil society organizations can express opinions against the government
Political parties can express opinions against the government
The media can express opinions against the government without fear of retaliation
The media can expose cases of corruption
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
PARTICIPATION
People can attend community meetings
People can join any political organization
People can organize around an issue or petition
ELECTIONS
Local government officials are elected through a clean process
People can vote freely without feeling harassed or pressured
RELIGION
Religious minorities can observe their holy days
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
THEMATIC FINDINGS
SECTION II
CORRUPTION AND TRUST
CORRUPTION
CHART 6.
Perceptions of Corruption by Institution Over Time
Percentage of respondents who believe that most or all people working in the following institutions are corrupt
MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
POLICE OFFICERS
EXECUTIVE
Local Government Officers
National Government Officers
JUDICIARY
Prosecutors Judges & Magistrates
Public Defense Attorneys
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2022
CHART 7.
Perceptions of Corruption in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas, by Institution
Percentage of respondents who think people in the following groups are involved in corrupt practices
◆The Bahamas ◆Dominican Republic ◆Guyana ◆Haiti Jamaica ◆Suriname
THE MEDIA AND POLITICAL PARTIES
NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
ADMINISTRATIVE AND BUREAUCRATIC INSTITUTIONS
SECURITY AND JUSTICE INSTITUTIONS
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
CHART 8.
Attitudes Towards Corrupt Behaviors in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas
Percentage of respondents who believe the following behaviors are always or usually acceptable
◆The Bahamas ◆Dominican Republic ◆Guyana ◆Haiti Jamaica ◆Suriname
BRIBES OFFERED
BRIBES REQUESTED
NEPOTISM AND EMBEZZLEMENT
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
BRIBERY VICTIMIZATION
CHART 9.
Bribery Victimization in Jamaica and Regional Peer Countries
Percentage of respondents who paid a bribe in the last 12 months to one of the following officers, of those who had a contact with these officers
POLICE OFFICERS
JUDGES AND MAGISTRATES
TAX/REVENUE OFFICERS
CUSTOMS OFFICERS
PUBLIC UTILITY COMPANY OFFICERS
CAR REGISTRATION AGENCY OFFICERS
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
TRUST
CHART 10.
Trust in Institutions Over Time
Percentage of respondents who have a lot or some trust in...
PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR COUNTRY
POLICE OFFICERS
EXECUTIVE
Local Government Officers
National Government Officers
JUDICIARY
Prosecutors Judges & Magistrates
Public Defense Attorneys
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2022
THEMATIC FINDINGS
SECTION III
SECURITY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE
CRIME VICTIMIZATION
CHART 11.1
Types of Crimes Experienced by People in Jamaica
Victimization rate, by type of crime
CHART 11.2
Crime Victimization Rates and Reporting
Data on crime victimization and reporting in Jamaica
Note: For additional information on how Chart 11.1 and Chart 11.2 were produced, please see the Appendix.
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
SECURITY
CHART 12.1
Perceptions of Security in Jamaica Over Time
Percentage of respondents who reported that they feel safe or very safe walking in their neighborhood at night
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2022
CHART 12.2
Impact of Sociodemographic Characteristics on Perceptions of Safety
Likelihood that respondents feel safe or very safe walking in their neighborhood at night
Note: The results in this infographic were obtained from a logit regression. Each point indicates the average marginal effect of the corresponding sociodemographic characteristic on the predicted probability of a respondent to answer “safe” or “very safe” to the question “How safe do you feel walking in your neighborhood at night?” The lines indicate the 95% confidence intervals of each average marginal effect. For additional information on how Chart 12.2 was produced, please see the Regression Key linked in the Appendix.
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
CHART 13.
Perceptions of the Criminal Justice System in Jamaica
Percentage of respondents who are confident that the criminal justice system...
2022 2019
Note: For additional information on how Chart 13 was produced, please see the Appendix.
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2019 and 2022
CHART 14.
Criminal Justice Actors
Perceptions of criminal justice actors in Jamaica
Prosecutors Public Defense Attorneys Judges & Magistrates
TRUST IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACTORS OVER TIME
Percentage of respondents who have a lot or some trust in prosecutors, public defense attorneys, and judges and magistrates
PERCEPTIONS OF CORRUPTION ACROSS CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACTORS OVER TIME
Percentage of respondents who believe that most or all prosecutors, public defense attorneys, and judges and magistrates are corrupt
PERCEPTIONS OF EFFECTIVENESS ACROSS CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACTORS OVER TIME
Percentage of respondents who believe that prosecutors, public defense attorneys, and judges and magistrates do their job well
Note: Variables in Effectiveness category are as follows: Prosecutors prosecute crimes committed in an independent manner and are not subject to any sort of pressure; Public defenders do everything they can to defend poor people that are accused of committing a crime; Judges decide cases in an independent manner and are not subject to any sort of pressure.
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2022
POLICE
CHART 15.
Perceptions of the Police
Opinions on the effectiveness and legitimacy of law enforcement
EFFECTIVENESS
Serve the Public
Percentage of respondents who believe that the police...
Crime Control and Safety
Percentage of respondents who believe that the police...
LEGITIMACY
Due Process
Percentage of respondents who believe that the police...
Discrimination
Percentage of respondents who believe that the police do not discriminate against suspects based on....
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
Corruption
Percentage of respondents who believe that the police...
Trust and Crime Reporting
Percentage of respondents who...
Accountability
Percentage of respondents who believe that the police...
Note: For additional information on how Chart 15 was produced, please see the Appendix
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
VICTIM SUPPORT
CHART 16.
Perceptions of the Treatment of Crime Victims
Percentage of respondents who are confident that crime victims...
Note: For additional information on how Chart 16 was produced, please see the Appendix.
Source: WJP General Population Poll 2022
PROJECT DESIGN
METHODOLOGY
To present an image that accurately portrays the rule of law as experienced by ordinary people, data in this report is drawn from the General Population Poll (GPP), an original data source designed and collected by the World Justice Project (WJP). The GPP captures the experiences and perceptions of ordinary citizens concerning the performance of the state and its agents and the actual operation of the legal framework in their country.
The General Population Poll used to collect data in Jamaica in 2022 features several new questions that highlight perceptions on issues salient to the region, including corruption, authoritarian behaviors, police performance, criminal justice, and security. In total, the General Population Poll questionnaire includes 172 perception-based questions and 122 experience-based questions, along with sociodemographic information on all respondents. Additionally, the GPP in Jamaica was administered to a sample of 1,001 respondents.
Data Collection
The GPP in Jamaica was conducted for the WJP's The Rule of Law in Jamaica: Key Findings from the General Population Poll 2022 with sampling, fieldwork, and data processing by StatMark Group, based in Florida, USA. StatMark Group administered the surveys between June and August 2022, conducting face-to-face interviews using a multi-stage stratified random sampling design. The target population group for this survey included Jamaicans aged 18 years or older residing across all 14 parishes throughout the country.
SAMPLE SIZE AND SAMPLE FRAME
The General Population Poll in Jamaica represents an achieved total sample size of 1,001 interviews distributed proportionally across three regions. StatMark Group based the sampling frame on 2018 census figures from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), acquiring a proportionally stratified sample by region, age, gender, socioeconomic status, and level of urbanization.
In order to address all relevant topics while controlling the questionnaire length, the World Justice Project split three of the survey modules into two versions (Option A and Option B) and randomly assigned one option to each respondent for each module. These modules included: Hypothetical Situations, Civic Participation, and Institutional Performance. Aside from these modules, the questionnaires are identical. A link to the complete survey instrument, in English, can be found in the Appendix of this report.
SAMPLING
Regions and parishes were selected to achieve a nationally representative sample of the country based on population density and geographic coverage. Within parishes, cities and towns were then selected as primary sampling units using probability proportional to size sampling. Neighborhood blocks within the primary sampling units were selected at random, and each house within the selected enumeration area was approached. Within each enumeration area, survey administrators performed a systematic random route to sample households and used a Kish grid to select respondents. If the selected respondent declined to be interviewed or otherwise did not meet the characteristics of the target quota, the interviewer moved on to the next household.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SAMPLE
COVERAGE: Interviews were distributed across regions to create a nationally representative sample. Forty-six percent (46%) of the interviews took place in Middlesex, followed by 31% in Surrey and 23% in Cornwall.
GEOGRAPHY: Forty-six percent (46%) of respondents resided in rural areas and municipalities, while 54% of respondents resided in metro areas or cities.
RACIAL AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND: Most respondents (82%) identified themselves as Afro-Jamaican, followed by Mixed Race (14%).
GENDER: Fifty-one percent (51%) of respondents were female and 49% were male.
EDUCATION: Most respondents (80%) reported that they received at least a high school diploma or vocational degree and the remaining 20% of respondents received up to a middle school diploma.
RESPONSE RATES
| Eligible household, non-interview | 3,287 |
| Refusals | 3,224 |
| Break-off | 29 |
| Non-contact | 34 |
| Ineligible household | 3 |
| No eligible respondent in the household | 3 |
| Quota filled | 0 |
INTERVIEWING AND QUALITY CONTROL
In total, 39 interviewers worked on this project, including 28 female interviewers. Enumerators worked in groups of five interviewers each. Interviews were conducted in English.
The supervisory team directly oversaw or backchecked via telephone 300 interviews (approximately 30% of the total sample). Additional quality control measures included GPS validation, audio quality checks, and checks for abnormal answer patterns. After quality control, 69 interviews were rejected from the final sample. Interviews averaged 40 minutes in length and ranged from 20 to 99 minutes.
DATA REVIEW AND JUSTIFICATION
As part of the data analysis process, the team consulted several third-party sources in order to contextualize and validate perception-based data captured by the General Population Poll and compare it with the objective rule of law situation in-country. Peer data sources consulted include select indicators measured by the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP)'s AmericasBarometer, Latinobarómetro, Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem), Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, the Bertelsmann Stiftung's Transformation Index (BTI), and Freedom House's Freedom in the World. While certain trends captured by the 2022 General Population Poll in Jamaica are comparable to trends in perceptions data measured by other indices, the experiences and perceptions presented in this report may not always coincide with the reality of Jamaica's rule of law performance as measured by other sources.
HISTORICAL DATA
Historical data in this report derives from the WJP Rule of Law Index®'s General Population Poll that is typically administered every two to three years using a nationally representative probability sample ranging from 500 to 1,000 respondents. These household surveys were administered in the three largest cities of most countries until 2018, when the World Justice Project transitioned to nationally representative coverage as the preferred methodology for polling. The historical polling data used in this year's reports was collected in the following intervals: Data for The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Suriname was collected in 2016, 2018, and 2022. Data for Haiti was collected in 2021 and 2022. Data for Jamaica was collected in 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2022.
ADDITIONAL COUNTRIES
The Rule of Law in Jamaica: Key Findings from the General Population Poll 2022 includes comparisons to the following countries in the Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas surveyed by the World Justice Project during the same period: The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti and Suriname. This report is additionally part of a series that presents findings from the following five sub-regions within Latin America and the Caribbean: Andes (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru); Southern Cone (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay); Eastern Caribbean (Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago); Greater Antilles, The Bahamas, and the Guianas (The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Suriname); and Central America (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama). Together, these 26 countries are a portion of the 140 countries and jurisdictions included in the WJP Rule of Law Index 2022 report. Detailed information regarding the methodology of the Rule of Law Index is available at: www.worldjusticeproject.org.
| Country | Polling Company | Methodology | Sample |
| Argentina | StatMark Group | Face-to-face | 759 |
| The Bahamas | DMR Insights Ltd. | Face-to-face | 500 |
| Barbados | DMR Insights Ltd. | Face-to-face | 500 |
| Belize | CID Gallup | Face-to-face | 1,500 |
| Bolivia | Captura Consulting | Face-to-face | 1,000 |
| Brazil | About Brazil Market Research | Face-to-face | 1,109 |
| Colombia | Tempo Group SA | Face-to-face | 1,000 |
| Costa Rica | CID Gallup | Face-to-face | 1,005 |
| Dominica | DMR Insights Ltd. | Face-to-face | 500 |
| Dominican Republic | CID Gallup | Face-to-face | 1,002 |
| Ecuador | StatMark Group | Face-to-face | 1,005 |
| El Salvador | CID Gallup | Face-to-face | 2,010 |
| Grenada | DMR Insights Ltd. | Face-to-face | 500 |
| Guatemala | Mercaplan | Face-to-face | 2,002 |
| Guyana | StatMark Group | Face-to-face | 500 |
| Haiti | CID Gallup | Face-to-face | 507 |
| Honduras | Mercaplan | Face-to-face | 2,000 |
| Jamaica | StatMark Group | Face-to-face | 1,001 |
| Nicaragua | CID Gallup | Telephone | 1,014 |
| Panama | CID Gallup | Face-to-face | 2,023 |
| Paraguay | Datum Internacional S.A./BM Business Partners | Face-to-face | 1,000 |
| Peru | Datum Internacional S.A. | Face-to-face | 1,029 |
| St. Lucia | DMR Insights Ltd. | Face-to-face | 500 |
| St. Vincent and the Grenadines | DMR Insights Ltd. | Face-to-face | 500 |
| Suriname | D3: Designs, Data, Decisions | Face-to-face | 502 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | CID Gallup | Face-to-face | 1,001 |
APPENDIX
APPENDIX
Methodological Materials
GENERAL POPULATION POLL (GPP)
The General Population Poll in the Caribbean was designed to capture high-quality data on the realities and concerns of ordinary people on a variety of themes related to the rule of law, including authoritarianism, corruption, police performance, crime, and security.
VARIABLES USED IN INFOGRAPHICS ON CRIME VICTIMIZATION
This table lists the question-level variables from the General Population Poll used to construct Chart 11.1 and the “Reasons the crime was not reported” table in Chart 11.2.
World Justice Project Crime Rates and Reporting Variable Map
REGRESSION TABLES FOR REGRESSION ANALYSIS USED IN INFOGRAPHIC ON PERCEPTIONS OF SECURITY
This document includes the question-level variables from the General Population Poll used in the regression analysis and the regression results featured in Chart 12.2.
World Justice Project Regression Tables
VARIABLES USED IN INFOGRAPHIC ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
This table lists the question-level variables from the General Population Poll used to construct Chart 13.
World Justice Project Criminal Justice System Variable Map
VARIABLES USED IN INFOGRAPHIC ON THE POLICE
This table lists the question-level variables from the General Population Poll used to construct Chart 15.
World Justice Project Police Performance Variable Map
VARIABLES USED IN INFOGRAPHIC ON PERCEPTIONS OF THE TREATMENT OF CRIME VICTIMS
This table lists the question-level variables from the General Population Poll used to construct Chart 16.
ABOUT THE WORLD JUSTICE PROJECT
The World Justice Project (WJP) is an independent, multidisciplinary organization working to create knowledge, build awareness, and stimulate action to advance the rule of law worldwide. Effective rule of law is the foundation for communities of justice, opportunity, and peace–underpinning development, accountable government, and respect for fundamental rights.
The WJP builds and supports a global, multidisciplinary movement for the rule of law through three lines of work: collecting, organizing, and analyzing original, independent rule of law data, including the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index; supporting research, scholarship, and teaching about the importance of the rule of law, its relationship to development, and effective strategies to strengthen it; and connecting and building an engaged global network of policymakers and advocates to advance the rule of law through strategic partnerships, convenings, coordinated advocacy, and support for locally led initiatives.
Learn more at: worldjusticeproject.org.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
For more information click on the publication.
WJP Rule of Law Index 2022 Insights
Highlights and data trends from the WJP Rule of Law Index 2021
WJP Mexico States Rule of
Law Index 2020-2021
Perceptions and experiences in 32 states
World Justice Challenge 2021
Outcome Report
For more information or to read these reports, visit worldjusticeproject.org/our-work
