Journal of Law and Criminal Justice

Concealed Carry Permits: Catalystor Deterrent? A State-by-State LookInto How a Change From No-Issue To Shall-Issue Affects Crime Rates
Benjamin Reed Ferguson, Ryan Odegard, Georgie Ann Weatherby

Abstract
This study is a state-by-state look into whether or not the changing of a jurisdiction from no-issue to shall-issue, in terms of firearm right to carry laws, results in more or less violent and or property crime. In this study, the independent variable is the selected jurisdiction’s concealed carry permit laws. The dependent variables are the rates of violent crime, property crime and specific crime rate averages. This study focuses on handgun ownership and crime rates in relation to three key sociological theories; Anomie, Labeling, and Conflict. The data for this study were obtained from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports. The particular states and jurisdictions chosen were selected by looking at which jurisdictions had changed from no-issue in terms of RTC laws to shall-issue in the last 20 years within the United States. In the six states that went from no-issue to shallissue, three had significant decreases in murder and non-negligent manslaughter, which shows a positive correlation between a reduction in gun control legislation and a reduction in murder. Further research is likely needed to determine whether unaccounted for variables are the result of this nationwide decrease, or if right-tocarry laws have a causal relationship with specific violent crimes.

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