Key Homicide Data in Puerto Rico: An Analysis in the International Context

The Puerto Rico Violent Death Reporting System (PRVDRS), attached to the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, has published a new information capsule with 2024 data analyzing the archipelago's situation compared to the rest of the world.

Below, we highlight the most relevant findings regarding the incidence of homicides in Puerto Rico and worldwide:

Puerto Rico's Position in the Region

- Homicide Rate: Puerto Rico recorded a crude rate of 15.2 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.

- Caribbean Ranking: Among the 11 countries and jurisdictions analyzed in the Caribbean region, Puerto Rico ranks 10th, placing below jurisdictions such as the Turks and Caicos Islands (103.2), Haiti (64.3), Trinidad and Tobago (41.5), and Jamaica (40.4).

- Compared to the Regional Average: Although Puerto Rico's figure (15.2) sits below the Latin America and Caribbean average (19.3), it remains nearly three times higher than the global homicide average (5.1 per 100,000 inhabitants).

Firearm Prevalence: Puerto Rico – The Second Highest Figure in the Region

- 89.2% of Homicides Involve Firearms: Nearly 9 out of 10 homicides in the archipelago are committed using a firearm.

- Regional Leader: Alongside Saint Kitts and Nevis (89.3%), Puerto Rico presented the highest proportion of firearm homicides in all of Latin America and the Caribbean.

- International Contrast: This figure far exceeds the global average for firearm homicides (67.2%). The document emphasizes that a large portion of these incidents in Puerto Rico is related to organized crime.

Comparison by Gender and Racial Groups (Puerto Rico vs. United States)

When adjusting rates by age and comparing Puerto Rico's population with various groups in the U.S., significant disparities by sex are observed:

- Men: Men in Puerto Rico present the second-highest homicide risk rate (32.5 per 100,000 inhabitants), surpassed only by Black men in the U.S. (41.5). This figure is considerably higher than that of Hispanic men (8.6) and White men (3.6) in the U.S.

- Women: The adjusted rate for women in Puerto Rico is 3.9 per 100,000 inhabitants, placing below the risk level observed in Black women (6.9) and Native American women (5.9) in the U.S.

For more information, download the information capsule in the Access the Document section.

About the Data Source

The PRVDRS was established in 2016 with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The system consolidates and validates information from the Bureau of Forensic Sciences, the Puerto Rico Police, and the Demographic Registry of the Department of Health to generate rigorous and internationally comparable statistics.

Links of interest: Puerto Rico Violent Death Reporting System

To direct the Senate of Puerto Rico’s Committee on Finance, Budget, and PROMESA to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the excise tax on crude oil and its derivatives, known as the “crudita”; its legislative origin, tax evolution, and economic impact on consumers; its relationship to the financing of the Highways and Transportation Authority; the financial commitments associated with said tax within the public debt Adjustment Plan; its integration into certified fiscal plans; and any other matter related to the tax policy applicable to oil and fuels in Puerto Rico.

En el marco del décimo aniversario del Sistema de Notificación de Muertes Violentas de Puerto Rico (PRVDRS), compartimos una nueva cápsula informativa que presenta datos relevantes sobre el suicidio en Puerto Rico y el mundo.

Establecido en 2016 con el apoyo de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC), el PRVDRS integra información de distintas fuentes oficiales para ampliar el conocimiento sobre las muertes violentas y apoyar la toma de decisiones basada en evidencia.

Hoy, 10 de septiembre, Día Mundial para la Prevención del Suicidio, destacamos algunos datos que nos ayudan a comprender mejor esta realidad:

• Entre 2017 y 2024, se registraron 1,925 muertes por suicidio en Puerto Rico, para un promedio de 241 al año.

• En 2021, el suicidio fue la tercera causa de muerte entre los jóvenes de 15 a 29 años, tanto en Puerto Rico como a nivel mundial.

• El suicidio afecta de manera desproporcionada a los hombres.

Conocer los datos es fundamental para desarrollar estrategias de prevención y promover una conversación informada. Hablar salva vidas.

Si usted o alguien que conoce necesita apoyo, puede llamar o enviar un mensaje al 988 o comunicarse con la Línea PAS de ASSMCA al 1-800-981-0023

#estadisticasPR #statisticsPR

Access Episode 4 of the second season of The Institute of Statistics: The Podcast!

In this episode, Alejandro Rodríguez-Putnam, a researcher at the Center for Social Epidemiology and Population Health at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, discusses the prevention of firearm-related deaths.

Access episode 4 at: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7f0PSnfPO26zBP1aG2tQAA.

The Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics and the Fire Bureau have coordinated strategies to improve the Bureau's statistical reporting.

Dr. Orville M. Disdier Flores, Executive Director of the Institute, and Commissioner Josué Piñeiro Torres of the Fire Bureau led a meeting that resulted in a work plan to improve the processes for collecting, analyzing, and producing the statistics and reports generated by the Bureau.

Producing more comprehensive, reliable, and easily accessible statistics will promote better decision-making and service optimization.

Access the infographic on incidents reported by the Puerto Rico Fire Bureau: Incidents reported by the Puerto Rico Fire Bureau (2022-2025).

Statistics Institute steps up oversight of agencies and municipalities failing to appoint representatives to the Statistics Coordination Committee

39.7% of municipalities and 14.8% of executive branch agencies are currently non-compliant

The Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics (Institute) has intensified its oversight of agencies, public entities, and municipalities that have failed to fulfill their duty to appoint a representative to the Statistics Coordination Committee (CCE). As part of this effort, the Institute has published Special Report 2027-01, which identifies 16 executive branch agencies and entities, as well as 31 municipalities, that remained non-compliant as of August 31, 2026, despite requests and follow-ups made since January. These entities must complete their appointments immediately or face further findings, potential administrative fines, and other legal actions.

Under the Institute’s organic law, the Statistics Coordination Committee serves as the government’s advisory, coordinating, and participatory body for Puerto Rico’s Statistical Production Service. This body is responsible for ensuring the flow and continuity of statistical data and information, resolving issues regarding access to such data, and proposing solutions to problems related to the operation of statistical units. Furthermore, the Statistics Coordination Committee Regulations stipulate that, upon request by the Institute’s Executive Directorate, the head of each government entity must fulfill the duty of appointing the CCE member who will represent that entity on the Committee.

Special Report 2027-01 shows that 85.2% of executive branch agencies and public entities are in compliance. Conversely, the compliance rate for municipalities is lower, at 60.3%. Meanwhile, 14.8% of executive branch agencies and public entities are non-compliant, as are 39.7% of municipalities.

“Compliance with CCE appointments is an essential requirement, as it ensures that Puerto Rico has access to complete, reliable, and universally accessible statistics. For this reason, since the beginning of 2026, the Institute has conducted an extraordinary campaign to promote and monitor compliance. Special Report 2027-01 on CCE appointments reflects a considerable increase in designations, as previously less than 50% of agencies had appointments and very few municipalities had designated representatives. Despite this progress, the report also shows that there are still agencies in non-compliance, and, in particular, many municipalities that have yet to meet this requirement,” stated Dr. Orville M. Disdier, Executive Director of the Institute of Statistics.

Details regarding which entities and municipalities are non-compliant (having failed to meet the appointment requirement) can be found in Section 3 of Special Report 2027-01. Additionally, Section 2 lists the executive branch entities and municipalities that are in compliance (having met the appointment requirement).  

Agencies and municipalities that have already fulfilled their CCE appointment requirements do not need to take any further action at this time. However, those that are non-compliant must immediately complete and submit the appointment form (FormularioDesignaciónCCE-31-10-2025) to Dr. Idania Rodríguez Ayuso, the Institute’s Deputy Executive Director (idania.rodriguez@estadisticas.pr), with a copy to Jacobo Orenstein Cardona, the Institute’s Executive Assistant (jacobo.orenstein@estadisticas.pr).

“We urge all executive branch agencies and entities, as well as all municipalities that remain non-compliant, to take immediate action to avoid further findings and potential fines,” added Disdier.

You can access the full report at: Special report on the compliance of agencies and municipalities with appointments to the Statistics Coordination Committee - 2027-01.