Section Three: Conclusion
While advocates of relaxed concealed carry laws promise the public
protection from crime, Texas Department of Public Safety data details
the day-to-day, real-world effect of such laws: they arm criminals and
threaten public safety. All too often, concealed carry license holders
don't stop crimes, but commit them.
Yet, exactly how many and what types of crimes are being committed
is becoming harder to ascertain. Texas, which allows information about
the arrests of the concealed handgun license holders to be analyzed
by the public, has taken the first step toward restricting information
with the enactment of legislation, which took effect September 2001,
restricting information posted on the Department of Public Safety's
web site. Other states do not provide any information at all
about the number and types of crimes committed by their concealed carry
licensees. Allowing the public full access to this information on concealed
carry holders is essential to a fair examination of the concealed carry
licensing system.
In light of the findings of this study, and previous studies conducted
by the Violence Policy Center of the Texas as well as Florida concealed
carry laws, the VPC strongly recommends against the adoption of concealed
carry licensing in any additional states and urges states that have
passed such laws to repeal them.