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In the 29 states that have lax CCW laws (where law enforcement must issue CCW licenses to almost all applicants), the crime rate fell 2.1%, from 5397.0 to 5285.1 crimes per 100,000 population from 1996 to 1997.  During the same time period, in the 21 states and the District of Columbia with strict carry laws or which don’t allow the carrying of concealed weapons at all, the crime rate fell 4.4%, from 4810.5 to 4599.9 crimes per 100,000 population.  The decline in the crime rate of strict licensing and no-carry states was 2.1 times that of states with lax CCW systems, indicating that there are more effective ways to fight crime than to encourage more people to carry guns.  The research is particularly important for Missourians who face an April ballot initiative which would radically liberalize that state’s CCW system.

Furthermore, the rate of violent crime fell even faster in states with strict carry laws – falling 4.9% in restrictive states compared to 3.0% in lax states from 1996 to 1997.  While the rate of violent crime is higher in strict CCW states, a look at the violent crime rates over a five-year period provides even more evidence that we don’t need lax gun laws to reduce crime.  From 1992 to 1997, the violent crime rate in the strict and no-issue states fell 24.8% while the violent crime rate for the lax states dropped 11.4% (the national average is 19.4%).  New York and California -- the two most populous states and ones with strict CCW licensing laws -- experienced dramatic decreases in violent crime over the five-year period.  New York experienced a 38.6% decline and California experienced a 28.7% decline, both without putting more concealed handguns on their streets.

"These numbers demonstrate what we’ve been saying all along," said Sarah Brady, chair of the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence and Handgun Control, Inc.  "We don’t need to make it easier for just anyone to carry a gun nor do we need more concealed handguns on our streets to fight crime.  The way to fight crime is to punish criminals and to make sure that criminals don’t get guns in the first place."

Lax or "shall issue" CCW laws require law enforcement to issue CCW licenses to virtually anyone who is not a convicted felon.  In these states, local law enforcement has almost no discretion in issuing these licenses and, in many cases, getting a license requires little or no safety training or even a demonstration that the applicant knows how to use a gun.  States that give law enforcement discretion in issuing licenses (so-called "may issue" states) or which prohibit the carrying of concealed weapons entirely have chosen other strategies to fight crime, resulting in the greatest decreases in crime over the past five years.

For several years now, the National Rifle Association and others have made it a priority to get state legislatures to pass lax CCW laws.  They claim that putting more guns on our streets reduces crime, despite the fact that almost every major law enforcement organization in the country opposes lax CCW laws.

"Common sense and practical experience dictate that more concealed handguns in the hands of untrained persons do not reduce crime," says Hazelwood, MO, Chief Carl R. Wolf, President-elect of the Missouri Police Chiefs Association. "Law enforcement has known this simple fact for years, and that’s why leading state and national police groups have fought against the gun lobby’s national push for lax laws governing the carrying of concealed handguns by private citizens.  This study further debunks the myth perpetuated by the gun lobby."

On April 6, Missouri voters will vote on a state-wide referendum, sponsored by the NRA, that would allow virtually anyone to carry a loaded, concealed weapon almost anywhere in the state. Currently, Missouri does not allow the general public to carry concealed weapons outside of one’s private property.  From 1992 to 1997, Missouri enjoyed a 22% drop in its violent crime rate -- almost double the drop of the lax CCW states.

"These numbers should make everyone question the NRA’s campaign for lax CCW laws under the guise of fighting crime," said Mrs. Brady.  "If the gun lobby is truly interested in reducing crime, they should work for common sense measures like stopping criminals from getting guns at gun shows and limiting handgun sales to one per person per month to cut gun trafficking.  Working with lawmakers, law enforcement, the public health community and civic leaders on proven crime-fighting strategies, we can make America safer for everyone."

Charts listing the crime rates for all of the states and the District of Columbia as well as a map of the United States are attached.

• Chart 1: States with Lax Concealed Weapons Laws Experience Smaller Drop in Crime

• Chart 2: States that Restrict or Prohibit Concealed Weapons Experience Larger Drop in Crime

• MAP ILLUSTATING TRENDS IN CRIME

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Handgun Control, Inc., chaired by Sarah Brady, is the nation’s largest citizens’ gun control lobbying organization.  Based in Washington, DC, HCI works to enact stronger federal, state and local gun control laws, but does not seek to ban handguns.  Founded in 1974, HCI has more than 400,000 members nationwide and works with local groups around the country to enact and protect reasonable gun control laws.  The Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, also chaired by Sarah Brady, was founded in 1983 to reduce gun violence through education, legal advocacy, research, and outreach to the entertainment community.  CPHV’s national initiatives include prevention programs for parents and youth on the risks associated with guns, legal representation for gun violence victims, work with the entertainment community to encourage deglamorization of guns in the media, and research of the risks associated with guns and the efficacy of gun control laws.