15 Caribbean Islands With Serious Safety Issues 

The Caribbean’s beauty often hides the reality of violence affecting its communities. Visitors and residents alike experience the impact, revealing a side that postcards don’t show. These 15 islands face higher crime rates, reminding us that beneath the tropical charm, challenges quietly shape daily life.

Turks And Caicos Islands

The crystal-clear water distracts no one from the numbers. In 2024, Turks and Caicos hit 103.1 homicides per 100,000 people, which is more than any country in the Caribbean. Most violence is fueled by turf wars and imported firearms. For locals, safety isn’t seasonal.

St. Kitts And Nevis

Can paradise be too small to hide crime? This island nation, home to under 50,000 people, recorded a murder rate of 65.0 per 100,000 residents. That means even a few incidents can shake entire communities. Law enforcement struggles with limited resources, and conflict often explodes close to home.

Haiti

Violence happens out in the open here. Armed gangs run key ports and neighborhoods. Street executions and turf battles define daily life. Haiti’s crisis is a humanitarian collapse with bullets, evidenced by nearly 4,800 people killed in 2023 alone.

Jamaica

There’s a rhythm to Jamaica’s violence that hasn’t changed much in decades. In 2023 alone, 1,393 homicides were recorded. Here, gun offenses dominate and are often gang-related, deeply rooted in poverty and lack of opportunity. For many Jamaicans, the line between safe and unsafe can shift by street.

Saint Vincent And The Grenadines

This wasn’t always on anyone’s danger radar. But in 2023, the island saw its highest-ever homicide count of 52. That’s nearly one murder per week in a small island nation. A surge in illegal guns and economic strain are pushing this peaceful image into a very different reality.

Saint Lucia

Most 2023 murders in Saint Lucia were targeted hits, usually tied to gang rivalries. Though known for luxury resorts, some inner communities are overrun with illegal firearms and unresolved turf feuds that escalate fast. The island’s homicide count reached 74 last year, equating to 40 per 100,000 people.

Trinidad And Tobago

News broke in early 2024: the country had reached 623 murders in a single year (its highest on record). While Trinidad grapples with drug trafficking and gang warfare, Tobago remains far less affected. Urban districts like Laventille and East Port of Spain bear the brunt, and locals feel abandoned.

The Bahamas

Tourists rarely venture past Nassau’s resorts, but many residents live in fear year-round. In 2023, there were 110 homicides, most tied to gang activity and illegal firearms. The Bahamas’ per capita murder rate now rivals parts of Central America. Even the Prime Minister acknowledged the country’s “crime emergency” earlier this year.

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico walks a line between calm and chaos. Violence is largely gang-driven, centered in urban areas like San Juan and Ponce. Economic hardship and drug routes contribute to recurring cycles of bloodshed. In 2024, the homicide rate reached 15.3 per 100,000. 

Dominican Republic

Despite a homicide rate drop to 16.4 per 100K, the Dominican Republic still faces significant violence in cities like Santo Domingo and Santiago. Robberies and drug-linked shootings remain common. What’s misleading is the vacation-friendly reputation; although violent crime doesn’t often target tourists, it’s still part of the daily backdrop.

U.S. Virgin Islands

The beauty of St. Thomas and St. Croix doesn’t erase the numbers. Though recent homicide data is limited, the territory held one of the region’s highest rates: 49.3 per 100K in past years. Gun violence persists, often fueled by drug trafficking routes and territorial disputes among local criminal networks.

Curacao

Curacao faces a growing reputation as a drug transit hub, bringing with it rising violence. Locals report more assaults and organized crime threats. The Dutch Caribbean island grapples with cross-border criminal groups operating through its ports. Official violent crime numbers against life hovered around 158 in 2022, though they were less than 685 in 2014.

Aruba

It’s marketed as one of the safest Caribbean destinations, but Aruba’s crime story is changing. Though homicide remains rare, low-level offenses and illegal firearm incidents are growing. The gap between tourism centers and working-class neighborhoods is widening, and local authorities have noted increased activity tied to trafficking rings.

Barbados

Barbados saw an uptick in shootings and gang-related incidents in 2023. The overall rate remains modest, but concern is rising in areas like Bridgetown and The Pine. Most violent crime here is retaliatory, but police have warned of expanding influence from overseas criminal elements.

Grenada

Grenada’s reputation for peace has been tested recently. In 2023 and early 2024, violent incidents involving knives and targeted attacks rose sharply. Law enforcement is increasingly vocal about youth involvement in gangs and the spread of unlicensed firearms. It’s a shift many residents didn’t see coming until now.