GunFacts Hasn’t Any (9)
Pages 3-4 of NoFacts:
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). 13
This “myth” is concerned with a 1998 Violence Policy Center study that demonstrated two points: 1. Texas Concealed Handgun License Holders Arrested for Crimes That Include Murder, Kidnapping, Sexual Assault, Weapon, and Drug Charges; and 2.) Texas Concealed Handgun License Holders Arrested for Weapon Offenses at Rate More Than Twice That of State’s General Population Aged 21 Years and Older.
Author attempts to conflate the two findings and fails miserably. Author cites “13 “Basis For Revocation Or Suspension Of Texas Concealed “, Texas Department of Public Safety, December 1, 1998.” Cite makes no sense whatsoever; Texas DPS numbers show out of 946 crimes by TX CCW permit holders, 263 were felony arrests, including: six charges of murder or attempted murder involving at least four deaths; two charges of kidnapping; 18 charges of sexual assault; 66 charges of assault, including 48 cases of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; and, 42 weapon-related charges. Six-hundred eighty-three were misdemeanor arrests, including: 194 weapon-related charges and 215 instances of driving while intoxicated.
Fact: The VPC “study” only includes arrests, not convictions.
No cite is provided but the VPC study does say “arrests.” So does the author’s “myth.”
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.
Again, no cite.
Fact: Compared to the entire population, Texas CCW holders are about 7.6 times less likely to be arrested of a violent crime.14 The numbers breakdown as follows:
• 214,000 CCW holders15
• 526 (0.2%) felony arrests of CCW holders that have been adjudicated
• 100 (0.05%) felony convictions
Author cites “14 Texas Department of Corrections data, 1996-2000, compiled by the Texas State Rifle Association, www.tsra.com/arrests.htm.”
Link no longer works, but thanks to the Wayback Machine, we find a ’study’ by William Sturdevant was removed in early 2006. Mr. Sturdevant provides no cites.
Fact: A different study concludes that the four year violent crime arrest rate for CCW holders is128 per 100,000. For the general population, it is 710 per 100,000. In other words, CCW holders are 5.5 times less likely to commit a violent crime.16
Author cites Mr. Sturdevant’s ’study’ which contains no references, footnotes, or cites.
