Crime Does Drop When Americans Are Armed Even In Chicago

Illinois Passes Concealed-Carry Law, Sees Drop in Crime

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Recent data from one of America’s largest cities appears to support the premise that a better-armed society is a less violent one. The Chicago Police Department released Q1 crime numbers and showed the lowest murder rate since 1958.

Why is this significant? Because Chicago was labeled by the FBI as recently as September 2013 as the “Murder Capital of America,” passing New York City for that dubious honor. And what seems to be the reason for this measurable downturn in murder and other crime?

Because the Illinois legislature passed a statewide concealed-carry law on July 9, 2013. It was the last state in the U.S. to allow its citizens to conceal-carry a firearm.

Illinois was the last state to pass a law permitting citizens to conceal-carry a firearm.

The report also said there were 90 fewer shootings and 119 fewer shooting victims compared to last year. There were 222 fewer shootings and 292 fewer shooting victims compared to the first quarter of 2012.

However, Chicago Police Chief Gerry McCarthy doesn’t agree. He gives credit to reduction in crime to the confiscation of over 1,300 illegal guns in the first three months, better police training and “intelligent policing strategies.” McCarthy and staunch Obama supporter Mayor Rahm Emanuel are strong opponents of the new concealed-carry law. the-board drop in crime.

But many criminals probably assumed the concealed-carry law went into effect last summer, so it’s not unreasonable to conclude that the drop in crime is because criminals are concerned their potential victims may be armed. Prior scientific research supports this premise. Mike Miller from the Independent Journal Review outlinessome of this research:

Gun crime experts John Lott, Jr. and David Mustard made the famous argument in “Crime, Deterrence, and Right-to-Carry Concealed Firearms” that: “When state concealed handgun laws went into effect in a county, murders fell by 8.5 percent, and rapes and aggravated assaults fell by 5 and 7 percent.” More guns mean less crime.

Gary Kleck, PhD., also a gun crime expert, found that the crime deterrence effect of firearms possession is significant: sophisticated statistics suggest three to four crimes are stopped by a handgun than are committed in the United States every year.

This increasingly pro-gun trend isn’t limited to Chicago or Illinois. Detroit, a longtime progressive city plagued by violent crime, is currently taking an armed stand against criminals. The city’s police chief, James Craig, has advised “fed up” residents to exercise their Second Amendment rights if they feel their life is in danger.

He said criminals should be afraid to break into homes or commit other crimes because it could be the last thing they ever do. Craig also pointed out, “you’re not always going to have time to dial 911.” Early in 2014, more Detroit residents appear to agree with Chief Craig. Ten “justifiable homicides” of criminals were reported through March 25.

While these numbers are far from conclusive, it’s an encouraging sign that more citizens are willing to exercise their 2nd Amendment rights. Especially in two of the most liberal cities in America.