Study: Laws Permitting Concealed Carry Result in Fewer Murders, Not More

Yup.

The purpose of the present study is to determine the effects of state-level assault weapons bans and concealed weapons laws on state-level murder rates. Using data for the period 1980 to 2009 and controlling for state and year fixed effects, the results of the present study suggest that states with restrictions on the carrying of concealed weapons had higher gun-related murder rates than other states. It was also found that assault weapons bans did not significantly affect murder rates at the state level. These results suggest that restrictive concealed weapons laws may cause an increase in gun-related murders at the state level. The results of this study are consistent with some prior research in this area, most notably Lott and Mustard (1997).

One of the odd things about Progressives' Gun Panic is their apparent belief that normal, law-abiding citizens will just go Kill-Crazy if they have a gun.

This is absurd. It always has been absurd. It always will be absurd.

A generally lawful citizen will have a marginally higher rate of committing an act of gun violence (especially suicide) simply because of the ease of access to the weapon. Even law-abiding people will have a small increase in opportunistic gun violence, given ease of access.

But this small effect is small beans compared to the number of gun attacks by non-law-abiding people which are deterred or prevented by armed citizens.

I think the Gun Control folks actually have it mind to disarm the non-law-abiding people. But that's hard to do -- most criminals can't legally own a gun, and the law doesn't seem to stop them -- so they decide upon the easy goal of disarming law-abiding folks.

After all, law-abiding folks will abide by the law-- so disarming them is relatively easy, whereas disarming the six-time liquor store bandit and killer isn't so easy. That guy isn't giving up his guns, as his occupation depends on guns, but hey, maybe the average law-abiding citizen will give up his guns, if we threaten him with jail.

And then they can claim victory for having disarmed the 90% of the populace that does nothing at all illegal or hostile with guns. They'll just ignore that the 10% of the population that causes all the chaos and murder still has their guns -- 90% on any test will get you an "A," after all.

posted by Ace at 03:15 PM

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