Pennsylvania: More Concealed Handgun Licensees, Less Crime

[JohnRich 4]

News:

Pennsylvania: More Concealed Carry Permits Than Average

"Since the 1980s, the numbers of citizens licensed to carry a concealed gun has grown from less than a million to 6 million. While 1 of 50 Americans has a license to carry a concealed weapon, in Pennsylvania that number is close to 1 in 14.

"In Pennsylvania, in 2009, according to the Uniform Crime Report Program by Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies in 2009, the crime index offenses decreased 5.4 percent from 2008.

"Crime Index offenses are considered to be both the most serious and most likely to be reported, and are used nationally as the standard base for comparisons. They include, murder and non-negligent manslaughter, and other violent crimes..."

Full story: http://uspolitics.einnews.com/247pr/232713

But, the gun-o-phobes said there would be blood in the streets, that it would turn the state into the "wild west", and that people everywhere would get into gun fights over traffic disputes. What went wrong?

[freethefly 6]

Missouri enacted CCW in 2003, Sept. 11th. Looking at the numbers from 2003 to 2009, it would be a stretch to say the index proves that CCW law reduces crime overall. The same can be said for PA. Take for instance MO murder rate. In 2003 there were 289 murders. The following years brought 354, 402,368,385,456, and for 2009 there were 383 murders. Five years prior to the law there were lower rates than 2009. Further back there were higher rates and lower rates. Population has to also be taken into consideration as does the areas where population rates spiked. Even then, murder rates would be a poor indicator whether or not CCW law has any affect. Also interesting is that forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault rates are higher now than when the law was enacted. Property crimes, however, are lower, where as violent crimes are up. There is really not that much difference when compared to PA crime rate.
Although I am in favor of CCW, as I support the second amendment, I do not see any correlation with CCW and lower crime rates when the picture is expanded to a wider spectrum of all crimes. What I do see, when looking at the expanded view, is only trends in crime. That said, it doesn't hurt to be armed.

An interesting perspective:
http://www.davekopel.com/2A/LawRev/ShallIssue.htm#c10

PA crime report:
http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/pacrime.htm

MO crime report:
http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/mocrimn.htm

"...And once you're gone, you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black."
Neil Young

[dks13827 3]

Dont confuse us with the facts, John. Our brains would overload quite easily.
I actually saw a reporter say that surprisingly, gun restriction laws did not actually reduce crime at all, apparently, but that such laws are still a 'good idea'.
No use arguing or discussing anything with pea brains like that, it cant be done.