
Gun and Knife Show Information Virtual Gun Show DACA's Mission Statement Club Officers Club Newsletter Upcoming Events Useful Links DACA's Book Store Club Resources Home	Pro-gun article points to facts about concealed law The Sunday, Feb. 8, 1998, DMN printed a statement by John Lott, author of More Guns, Less Crime. His article is titled, License to Kill? Careful look at the critical study actually backs gun permit holders." The following, taken from Mr. Lott's article, might be good information for us to memorize. During 1996 and 1997, the first two years that the concealed handgun law was in effect, 163,096 people were licensed. During that period, 263 license holders were arrested for felony offenses and another 683 were arrested for misdemeanor offences. By comparison, if permit holders had been arrested at the same rate as the average adult Texan, they would have had 731 arrests for violent crimes and 2,202 for property offences. Thus, permit holders were about a third as likely to be arrested as non-permit holders and much less likely to commit serious crimes. The public's ultimate concern is whether permit holders have used their concealed handguns improperly. So let's look at some more statistics to determine that. During 1996 and 1997, five permit holders were arrested for the "deadly conduct/discharge of a firearm" and another two for the "deadly conduct/display of a firearm. Those charges were brought in the connection with four deaths. If permit holders had been arrested for murder at the same rate as other adult Texans, 56 would have been arrested. Equally important, relying on arrest rates misses an important difference between permit holders and others who are arrested for murder. While the vast majority of murder arrests end in conviction, that has not been true for permit holders. Of the four deaths mentioned, none has resulted in a conviction. In fact, two so far have been cleared and deemed to have acted in self-defence. Thirty-five other permit holders were arrested for other felony "weapons-related offenses," but those involved the unlawful carrying of a weapon in places such as airports and schools. None of these cases apparently involved threats but invariably resulted from people who forgot they had a gun with them. Overall, the experience in Texas is the same as that of other states. In Florida almost 444,000 licenses were granted from 1987 through 1997. About half currently are licensed. Eighty-four people lost their licenses after using a firearm in commission of a felony. In Virginia, not a single permit holder has been involved in a violent crime. Similar results have been observed in Kentucky, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and other states for which detailed records are available. Mr. Lott's book More Guns, Less Crime, will be available in May 1998. It's published by the University of Chicago Press. Rod Wright

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Pro-gun article points to facts about concealed law

The Sunday, Feb. 8, 1998, DMN printed a statement by John Lott, author of More Guns, Less Crime. His article is titled, License to Kill? Careful look at the critical study actually backs gun permit holders." The following, taken from Mr. Lott's article, might be good information for us to memorize.

During 1996 and 1997, the first two years that the concealed handgun law was in effect, 163,096 people were licensed. During that period, 263 license holders were arrested for felony offenses and another 683 were arrested for misdemeanor offences. By comparison, if permit holders had been arrested at the same rate as the average adult Texan, they would have had 731 arrests for violent crimes and 2,202 for property offences. Thus, permit holders were about a third as likely to be arrested as non-permit holders and much less likely to commit serious crimes.

The public's ultimate concern is whether permit holders have used their concealed handguns improperly. So let's look at some more statistics to determine that.

During 1996 and 1997, five permit holders were arrested for the "deadly conduct/discharge of a firearm" and another two for the "deadly conduct/display of a firearm. Those charges were brought in the connection with four deaths.

If permit holders had been arrested for murder at the same rate as other adult Texans, 56 would have been arrested.

Equally important, relying on arrest rates misses an important difference between permit holders and others who are arrested for murder. While the vast majority of murder arrests end in conviction, that has not been true for permit holders. Of the four deaths mentioned, none has resulted in a conviction. In fact, two so far have been cleared and deemed to have acted in self-defence.

Thirty-five other permit holders were arrested for other felony "weapons-related offenses," but those involved the unlawful carrying of a weapon in places such as airports and schools. None of these cases apparently involved threats but invariably resulted from people who forgot they had a gun with them.

Overall, the experience in Texas is the same as that of other states. In Florida almost 444,000 licenses were granted from 1987 through 1997. About half currently are licensed. Eighty-four people lost their licenses after using a firearm in commission of a felony. In Virginia, not a single permit holder has been involved in a violent crime. Similar results have been observed in Kentucky, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and other states for which detailed records are available.

Mr. Lott's book More Guns, Less Crime, will be available in May 1998. It's published by the University of Chicago Press.

Rod Wright

The Dallas Arms Collectors Association, Inc
P.O. Box 704
DeSoto, Texas 75123
(972) 223-3066

dallasar@dallasarms.com

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