Concealed Handgun Licensing: Asset to Texas

Abstract

Collating conviction data reported by Texas Department of Public Safety, crime data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and census data, it’s possible to determine relative criminality of handgun carry licensees to their equivalent non-licensee population. This paper analyzes Texas carry licensees versus non-licensee Texans over age 21 to determine relative criminality, and also cites research enabling a comparison between police officer malfeasance and carry licensees.

There are five sections in this report:

• Conviction rates determine relative criminality of each population. • Carry licensees more law-abiding than police officers. • Carry licensees are more law-abiding than non-licensees. • Over 96% FBI crime reduction, if non-licensees were as law-abiding. • About $10 billion annual savings, if non-licensees were as law-abiding.

Keywords: Concealed Carry, Violent Crime, Texas Department of Public Safety, Cost of Crime, License to Carry