How Does Concealed Carrying of Weapons Affect Violent Crime?

Abstract

Several articles have been published finding that carry concealed weapons (CCW) laws allowing citizens with a concealed carry permit to go about with a firearm concealed on their person, cause violent crime to increase. While most of the research finds that right-to-carry laws reduce crime, let’s assume that these laws do increase violent crime. There are three possible explanations for why concealed carry laws might increase crime, though few studies have examined them. Permit holders, even though they must pass a background check and satisfy the legal requirements to obtain a permit, become violent criminals after issuance. For example, one suggestion is that permit holders might be more susceptible to road rage than others. The second explanation is that as more people carry concealed, the rate of gun theft increases. The third explanation is that permit holders reduce the effectiveness of police. Using a unique new data set on the number of stolen guns and the number of concealed handgun permits, we find no evidence for any of these explanations.

Keywords: Concealed Carry, Constitutional Carry, Stolen Guns, Crime, Policing

JEL Classification: K14