Michigan: Concealed Carry, Less Crime

I think Capper the Lefty was struggling with these factual stories. Here's another one for him to pore over. At some point in time, he may actually understand.

Six years after new rules made it much easier to get a license to carry concealed weapons, the number of Michiganders legally packing heat has increased more than six-fold.

But dire predictions about increased violence and bloodshed have largely gone unfulfilled, according to law enforcement officials and, to the extent they can be measured, crime statistics.

The incidence of violent crime in Michigan in the six years since the law went into effect has been, on average, below the rate of the previous six years. The overall incidence of death from firearms, including suicide and accidents, also has declined

More than 155,000 Michiganders -- about one in every 65 -- are now authorized to carry loaded guns as they go about their everyday affairs, according to Michigan State Police records.

About 25,000 people had CCW permits in Michigan before the law changed in 2001.

So that would be about SIX TIMES as many CCW. Hmmmmm?

As to Wild West Shootouts, mayhem, and general riotous behavior of CCW holders:

Nationally, the rate of CCW permits being revoked is very low, he [John Lott] said. State Police reports in Michigan indicate that 2,178 permits have been revoked or suspended since 2001, slightly more than 1% of those issued.

Another State Police report found that 175 Michigan permit holders were convicted of a crime, most of them nonviolent, requiring revocation or suspension of their permits between July 1, 2005, and June 30, 2006.

Nonetheless, there are those who simply deny reality.

Shikha Hamilton of Grosse Pointe, president of the Michigan chapter of the anti-gun group Million Moms March, said she believes overall gun violence (including suicide and accidental shootings) is up in Michigan since 2001. Many incidents involving CCW permit holders have not been widely reported, she said.

Yah. The State Police are hiding all the crimes and protecting the criminals. She probably thinks that there are hanging chads yet to be counted in Floriduh, too--and that the Sun rises (occasionally) in the West.

HT: John Lott