CHL crime stats

[shp4108]

As a CHL holder, I had a discussion where I would like to have been better informed about crime stats related to CHL, such as trends before and after CHL legalization, crimes committed by CHL holders with their sidearms (must be VERY low), etc. Where can I find such info?

[Keith B]

It is available on the DPS webiste here.

[seamusTX]

Welcome to the forum.

The raw numbers are here: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administra ... vrates.htm

The bottom line is that CHL holders have a low rate of offenses. The 300,000 CHL holders in Texas commit approximately one each of homicide, rape, and aggravated robbery per year. The most frequent serious offense is deadly conduct, with 11 convictions in 2006. Deadly conduct is typically pointing a weapon at someone without justification.

The other aspect, overall crime rates, is covered best in John Lott's book More Guns Less Crime. Crime dropped throughout the 1990s, when many states were passing CHL laws, and stabilized around 2000.

IMHO, CHLs have little to do with the crime rate. Most of what is classified as violent crime is simple assault, whether that's domestic abuse or fights. Most homicide is domestic or gang-related (shootouts between gangsters or drug dealers and their customers).

However, if you are the intended victim and can stop the crime, you have reduced your crime rate 100% that day.

- Jim

[Keith B]

An interesting statistic I saw from 2006 was this one:

UNL POSS METAL OR BODY ARMOR BY FELON 36 1 2.7778%

I wouldn't think this would be possible, but I guess they hadn't revoked the CHL holders license BEFORE they convicted them of another felony, then this one.

[seamusTX]

People plead guilty to all kinds of weird stuff to avoid more serious prosecution.

I don't know how a CHL holder could be a felon. They revoke your CHL if you are indicted for a felony. There's a long interval between indictment and conviction.

The possibility that I can think of is that the person had a felony conviction in another state, maybe before the computer era, and then got through the background check by changing his name or falsifying documents.

There are other anomalies in those statistics, like non-CHL holders convicted under PC 46.035.

- Jim

[shp4108]

Thanks all ... I'll review the site suggested, along with the info you provided, and be better prepared for my next discussion.

[galvestonredneck]

At my CHL class, our instructer (a VERY informd man) said holders of CHL had the best record of ANY single groop of people in the state. He added, That includes LEO's!

Galveston Redneck

[WarHawk-AVG]

GUN FACTS 5.0

Myth: People with concealed weapons permits will commit crimes
Fact: The results for the first 30 states that passed “shall-issue� laws for concealed carry permits are similar.
168Fact: The general public is:
• 5.7 times more likely to be arrested for violent offenses than CCW permit holders.
• 13.5 times more likely to be arrested for non-violent offenses than the than CCW permit holders.
Fact: In Texas, the general public is 14 more likely to commit a crime than a CCW permit holder. They are also five times more likely to commit a violent crime.169
Fact: Even gun control organizations agree it is a non-problem, as in Texas – “because there haven't been Wild West shootouts in the streets�.170
Fact: Of 14,000 CCW licensees in Oregon, only 4 (0.03%) were convicted of the criminal (not necessarily violent) use or possession of a firearm
Fact: In Florida, a state that has allowed concealed carry since late 1987, you are twice as likely to be attacked by an 171alligator as by a person with a concealed carry permit.


Myth: Texas CCW holders are arrested 66% more often
Fact: Most arrests cited are not any form of violent crime (includes bounced checks or tax delinquency). 172
Fact: The VPC "study" only includes arrests, not convictions.
Fact: Many of these arrests in this premature VPC "study" came in the early years of Texas CCWs when the law was not understood by most of the law enforcement community or prosecutors.
Fact: Compared to the entire population, Texas CCW holders are about 7.6 times less likely to be arrested for a 173violent crime. The numbers breakdown as follows:
174• 214,000 CCW holders
• 526 (0.2%) felony arrests of CCW holders that have been adjudicated
• 100 (0.05%) felony convictions
Fact: A different study concludes that the four year violent crime arrest rate for CCW holders is 128 per 100,000. For the general population, it is 710 per 100,000. In other words, the general public is 5.5 times more likely to commit a violent crime than a CCW licensee.175

Get it..look it up..it even includes side notes with reports and studies to the contrary

You folks really need to download this and read it...it has some very interesting TRUTHS about gun facts

[The Annoyed Man]

Dude, that's an awesome website, and a superb compendium of facts in arguing RKBA with antis. Thanks for posting it. I've bookmarked the site, and downloaded a PDF copy of the book.

[longhorn_92]

Dude, that's an awesome website, and a superb compendium of facts in arguing RKBA with antis. Thanks for posting it. I've bookmarked the site, and downloaded a PDF copy of the book.

I agree. That is awesome facts. Great to have logical comebacks towards illogical remarks...

[ELB]

shp4108 and others,

You may be interested in the posts on these two gunny blogs. They deal with CHL statistical matters, and debunking the Brady gang propaganda:

http://sailorcurt.blogspot.com/2008/07/ ... -math.html

http://www.lesjones.com/posts/004329.shtml