New Research: How does concealed carrying of weapons affect violent crime?

Professor Carl Moody and Dr. John Lott just released new research. The paper can be downloaded here.

Abstract

Several articles have been published finding that carry concealed weapons (CCW) laws allowing citizens with a concealed carry permit to go about with a firearm concealed on their person, cause violent crime to increase. While most of the research finds that right-to-carry laws reduce crime, let’s assume that these laws do increase violent crime. There are two possible explanations, though few studies have examined them. Permit holders, despite the fact that they must pass a background check and satisfy the legal requirements to obtain a permit, become violent criminals after issuance. For example, one suggestion is that permit holders might be more susceptible to road rage than others. The second explanation is that permit holders reduce the effectiveness of police. Using a unique new data set on the number of stolen guns and the number of concealed handgun permits, we find no evidence for either explanation.

John R. Lott, Jr. and Carlisle E. Moody, “New Research: How does concealed carrying of weapons affect violent crime?” Crime Prevention Research Center, April 23, 2024.