The Patriot Post® · More Carry Permits, Fewer Murders

It’s long been a truism that more guns means less crime. That may seem like a paradox, but when criminals have to wonder if potential victims are armed, it decreases the likelihood they’ll commit a crime. Now, according to a new report set to be released by the Crime Prevention Research Center, we learn that murder rates have fallen at the same time concealed carry permits have skyrocketed. We don’t think that’s a coincidence. Since 2007, the number of people with concealed carry permits has nearly tripled — from 4.6 million to 12.8 million. And 2014 enjoyed a 15.4% increase over 2013 in permit applications, while seven states don’t even require a permit. According to The Washington Times, we can thank Barack Obama, in a manner of speaking: “Between 1999 to 2007, the number of permits increased by about 240,000 per year. But in the next four years, during Mr. Obama’s first term in the White House, the number of new permits issued jumped to 850,000 per year. From 2011 to 2013, the number increased by 1.5 million, rising to 1.7 million last year.” Meanwhile, both the murder rate and violent crime rate dropped 25%. That doesn’t in any way belittle the tragic loss of life caused by bad guys with guns, but the solution isn’t to take guns away from the law-abiding.