Recent governments in the Caribbean nation have been reluctant to issue death warrants and the last execution was in 1988.

Human rights groups say the death penalty does not deter crime and called on the government to focus on attacking poverty and reforming the justice system instead.

But there have been demands for executions in the past few months, even by members of the clergy, after a young girl was beheaded and an 11-year-old boy's dismembered body was found in a rubbish bag.

The ruling Labour Party vowed to address the issue when it came to power 15 months ago.

Jamaica's House of Representatives voted 34-15 in favour of keeping capital punishment, with 10 abstentions.

Bruce Golding

Prime Minister Bruce Golding pledged to resume executions in response to the country's high murder rate, which has repeatedly been ranked among the worst in the world.

Opposition politician DK Duncan warned that the measure could lead to further violence, similar to what happened in the 1970s when the government authorised police to enter homes without a warrant.

"All that did was allow policemen to kick down people's doors, scare children and destroy lives," he said.

"It developed a culture of brutality, and we have to take responsibility that Jamaica has come to this."

More than 1,240 killings have been reported this year in the island of 3 million people, with a total of 1,400 murders last year.

In comparison, Chicago, a city of about 2.8 million residents, reported 443 murders in 2007.