The State Department is urging Americans to "reconsider" travel to Jamaica because of the high instances of violent crime including sexual assaults and the absence of health care.
A new travel advisory said while crime occurs throughout Jamaica, tourist areas see lower rates than the rest of the country, whose homicide rates are among the highest in the Western Hemisphere.
"The U.S. Embassy routinely receives reports of sexual assaults, including from U.S. citizen tourists at resorts. U.S. citizens report slow or unsatisfactory response to serious criminal incidents. When arrests are made, cases are infrequently prosecuted to a final verdict and sentence," the State Department said in a statement issued this week.
It also said that U.S. citizens should not expect to see the same level of healthcare in the Caribbean nation that they experience at home.
"This includes generally lower levels of emergency service response times or routine care for illness or injury. Private hospitals require payment up front before admitting patients and may not have the ability to provide specialized care," it said.
"Ambulance services are not always staffed with EMTs or always readily available, especially in rural areas," the statement continued, adding a recommendation that Americans carrying extra prescription medications with them because they could be hard to obtain in Jamaica.
For those traveling to Jamaica, the State Department urges people now to bring firearms or ammunition, noting penalties can include lengthy prison sentences.
It also advised not to walk or drive at night, avoid public buses, stay away from secluded places, do not resist a robbery attempt, and keep a low profile.
