The AWB or CCW Laws: Which Has Had More Of An Impact On The Murder Rate?

Gun control advocates argue that laws such as the Assault Weapons Ban caused the murder rate to drop.  The evidence does not seem to support such an assertion.  In fact, the murder rate peaked in 1980 at 10.2 per 100,000 and hit a 4 decade low -- 4.2 per 100,000 -- 6 years after the AWB expired.  There is actually more correlation between the increase in CCW laws and the decrease in the murder and overall crime rates than there is between the AWB and the murder rate.  There is even less correlation between the AWB and the decrease in stranger murders.

Only 35 out of 142 weapons used in mass shootings since 1982 in America have been assault weapons.

In 1986, concerning CCW/CHL laws, there were: 1 UNRESTRICTED, 8 SHALL issue, 26 MAY issue, and 15 NO issue states.

The homicide rate was 8.6 per 100,000 inhabitants and there were an estimated 620.1 violent crimes per 100,000 inhabitants in 1986.

In 2011, concerning CCW/CHL laws, there were: 4 UNRESTRICTED, 37 SHALL Issue, 8 MAY Issue, and 1 NO Issue states.

The homicide rate was 4.7 per 100,000 inhabitants and there were an estimated 386.3 violent crimes per 100,000 inhabitants in 2011.

Who would rather live in 1986 when most people couldn't carry firearms? 

Murder Rate Per 100,000 Inhabitants

1900	1.2		1961	4.8
1901	1.2		1962	4.6
1902	1.2		1963	4.6
1903	1.1		1964	4.9
1904	1.3		1965	5.1
1905	2.1		1966	5.6
1906	3.9		1967	6.2
1907	4.9		1968	6.9
1908	4.8		1969	7.3
1909	4.2		1970	7.9
1910	4.6		1971	8.6
1911	5.5		1972	9.0
1912	5.4		1973	9.4
1913	6.1		1974	9.8
1914	6.2		1975	9.6
1915	5.9		1976	8.7
1916	6.3		1977	8.8
1917	6.9		1978	9.0
1918	6.5		1979	9.8
1919	7.2		1980	10.2
1920	6.8		1981	9.8
1921	8.1		1982	9.1
1922	8.0		1983	8.3
1923	7.8		1984	7.9
1924	8.1		1985	8.0
1925	8.3		1986	8.6
1926	8.4		1987	8.3
1927	8.4		1988	8.4
1928	8.6		1989	8.7
1929	8.4		1990	9.4
1930	8.8		1991	9.8
1931	9.2		1992	9.3
1932	9.0		1993	9.5
1933	9.7		1994	9.0	AWB signed
1934	9.5		1995	8.2
1935	8.3		1996	7.4
1936	8.0		1997	6.8
1937	7.6		1998	6.3
1938	6.8		1999	5.7
1939	6.4		2000	5.5
1940	6.3		2001	5.6
1941	6.0		2002	5.6
1942	5.9		2003	5.7
1943	5.1		2004	5.5	AWB expired
1944	5.0		2005	5.6
1945	5.7		2006	5.7
1946	6.4		2007	5.6
1947	6.1		2008	5.4
1948	5.9		2009	5.0
1949	5.4		2010	4.2
1950	5.3		2011	4.7
1951	4.9		2012
1952	5.2
1953	4.8
1954	4.8
1955	4.5
1956	4.6
1957	4.5
1958	4.5
1959	4.6
1960	5.1

 

A Look At Right-to-Carry Laws:

In 1986:

1 UNRESTRICTED:  Vermont.

8 had SHALL issue:  Alabama, Connecticut Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Washington 

26 had MAY issue:  California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

15 had NO issue:  Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin.

 

In 1987:

1 UNRESTRICTED:  Vermont

9 SHALL Issue:  Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Washington.

24 MAY Issue: California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

16 NO Issue:  Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

In 1990:

1 UNRESTRICTED:  Vermont

15 SHALL Issue:  Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Washington.

20 MAY Issue:  California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

14 NO Issue:   Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin.

In 1994:

1 UNRESTRICTED:  Vermont

20 SHALL Issue:  Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

17 MAY Issue:  California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia.

12 NO Issue:  Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin.

In 1998:

1 UNRESTRICTED:  Vermont

30 SHALL Issue:  Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

17 MAY Issue:  California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.

7 NO Issue:   llinois, Kansas, Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wisconsin.

In 2002:

1 UNRESTRICTED:  Vermont

31 SHALL Issue:  Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

11 MAY Issue:  California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Jersey, New York,  and Rhode Island.

7 NO Issue: Illinois, Kansas, Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wisconsin.

In 2009:

2 UNRESTRICTED:  Alaska and Vermont.

37 SHALL Issue: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

 9 MAY Issue:    California, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York,   and Rhode Island.

2 NO Issue:     Illinois and Wisconsin.

 

In 2011:

4 UNRESTRICTED:  Alaska, Arizona, Vermont, and Wyoming.

37 SHALL Issue:  Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas,Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

8 MAY Issue:   California, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island.

1 NO Issue:  Illinois.  (Illinois' ban has just been struck down by the Appellate Court)

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