He found that during the year he tracked them, people who had a permit were no less likely to be victims of violent crime than people who didn’t have one. Stolen guns are sometimes trafficked out of state, but more commonly circulate locally, where they may be used to commit additional offenses. As a result, each concealed-carry permit increased the violent crime rate in the neighborhood by about 2 percent. If fear of crime leads more people to get guns, and some of those guns are then stolen, increasing violence and creating more fear, a vicious cycle could ensue. Fear can also make crime more likely by fraying the social and economic fabric.

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Persons: Stephen Billings, Billings, —, Wesley Skogan Locations: Charlotte, N.C