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Yes, that's why I specifically said that I wasn't sure about the more "touristy" spots. I am only familiar with border towns, and being from Texas I've been traveling to the border since I was a kid....but lately because I'm aware of what's been going, I haven't made any shopping trips in the last several years. ;)
Mexico's murder problem is much worse than Jamaica - over 30,000 murders in the last 5 years in Mexico, with about 7,500 in Jamaica.
Add to that that Jamaica's murders are confined to a few Kingston areas, for the most part - and are gang-related rather than tourist-related.
Mexico's murders are mostly in the border area and gang-related, too. But unlike Jamaica, in Mexico it IS spreading to the non-border tourist areas - and tourists are increasingly part of the statistics.
For instance, Acapulco has gotten very bad.
"Saturday's Acapulco killings come only a few weeks following the shocking discovery of a mass grave containing the remains of 18 people... The victims are believed to have been touring Acapulco by bus while on vacation when they were kidnapped by cartel members and murdered in cold-blood..."
http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/kouri/110218
While both may be equally safe for AI guests who don't leave the resorts - I feel perfectly safe travelling in Jamaica off-resort, which I would no longer do in Mexico.
Marcia have fun on your trip, just try to avoid some of the 'danger' areas and with that I dont necessarily mean the ghetto's or downtown, just the places where there is the most tension between the Cartels and the government forces. Speaking from own experiences.
I love Mexico and I love Jamaica, never on my trips have I not gone downtown and Im not saying dont go to Mexico at all. Just avoid certain areas thats all and you'll spare yourself getting caught up in shootings or having to witness dead bodies stuffed in shopping trolleys or hung up in trees.
Mexico is beautiful country, there's just a lot going on in certain parts and it's good to be smart about it and do your research.
Have an awesome trip Marcia.