Cause & Effect? Chicago Murder Rate Drops After Concealed Carry Enacted In Illinois

05 Apr, 2014 by Dustin Siggins

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It’s far too early to tell if there is a direct relationship, but it’s certainly possible:

In July of 2013, Illinois became the last state in the union to enact a concealed carry law. In January of this year, the state began accepting applications for permits. This week, Chicago police announced that the city’s first quarter murder rate was the lowest since 1958.

Via ABC-affiliate Eye Witness News in the Windy City:

• The first three months of the year saw 6 fewer murders than the same time frame in 2013—a 9 percent drop—and 55 fewer murders than 2012, according to a statement from Chicago Police.

• There were 90 fewer shootings and 119 fewer shooting victims, drops of 26 and 29 percent respectively, according to police statistics.

• Compared to the first quarter of 2012, there have been 222 fewer shootings and 292 fewer shooting victims.: Overall crime is down 25 percent from last year, and police said more than 1,300 illegal guns were recovered in the last three months.

Again, it’s too early to tell if there is a direct relationship between looser gun laws and a much lower murder and overall gun violence rate. Regardless of the reason, this is great news for the people of Chicago, who see far too much violence on a daily basis.

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