Turks and Caicos Islands
The Turks and Caicos Islands is a British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean. The level of crime is reported to be low and mainly associated with burglary, theft and robberies. In recent years, however, the territory has seen a marked increase in recorded crime, including gang-related violence and homicides. The main causes of crime are poverty, the availability of firearms, and drug dealing and trafficking. The territory is also part of the Caribbean region where guns, drugs and criminals are highly prevalent.1
The guiding gun control legislation of the Turks and Caicos Islands includes the Firearms Ordinance of 2009.2 In 2022, in order to address the rise in crime, gang-related activity and gun crime, the legislation was reviewed and amended to impose higher penalties for the possession and use of firearms. The territory receives financial, technical and training assistance from the United Kingdom, the United States and the Bahamas, aimed at combating the violence and ensuring the security of the local population. Jamaica also provides support to address violence and transnational crime in the Turks and Caicos Islands.3
1 Philip Loft, Crime in the Turks and Caicos Islands 2022, Research Briefing (London: House of Commons Library, 2022), https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9694/CBP-9694.pdf.
2 Philip Alpers, Amélie Rossetti and Magda Coss, Turks and Caicos – Gun Facts, Figures and the Law (GunPolicy.org, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, 2022), https://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/turks-and-caicos.
3 Loft, Crime in the Turks and Caicos Islands 2022.
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Further information
Accidental explosions
Since the Small Arms Survey began collecting data in 1979, no accidental explosions have been reported in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Source: “Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS) Database,” Small Arms Survey, updated December 15, 2021, https://smallarmssurvey.org/database/unplanned-explosions-munitions-sites-uems.
Cases of diversion
Insufficient information on cases of diversion in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Disposal
Insufficient information on the disposal of ammunition in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Needs
No reported needs have been identified for the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Source: “Turks and Caicos National Response to Gang-related Violence,” Caribbean News Global, October 12, 2022, https://www.caribbeannewsglobal.com/turks-and-caicos-national-response-to-gang-related-violence.
