Washington, D.C. — In the past seven years, 21 states have eliminated permit requirements for concealed carry, making it easier for almost anyone to carry a concealed handgun in public—and do so with no basic training. This growing trend among states to remove or weaken permitting standards for concealed carry—despite opposition from law enforcement—is having deadly consequences across communities. A new fact sheet released today by the Center for American Progress highlights how these extreme right-to-carry laws increase violent crime, gun thefts, disputes escalating into shootings, and officer-involved shootings.
“Research consistently shows that removing concealed carry permitting requirements leads to higher rates of gun homicides and violent crime. We’ve seen it again and again, in state after state,” said Nick Wilson, senior director for Gun Violence Prevention at CAP and author of the fact sheet. “By removing these safety measures, state legislatures are putting communities and law enforcement in danger.”
Some of the fact sheet’s key findings include:
- Firearm-involved violent crime rates increase 29 percent after a state enacts a right-to-carry law, with firearm robbery rates experiencing the largest increase.
- States with permitless carry laws see a 22 percent increase in gun homicides for the three years following the law’s passage.
- States that pass a right-to-carry law see an approximately 35 percent increase in gun thefts.
Read the fact sheet: “Weakening Requirements to Carry a Concealed Firearm Increases Violent Crime” by Nick Wilson
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Tricia Woodcome at [email protected].