Permitting Policies and Benefits of Concealed Carry Paper Example

Introduction

In the wake of mass violence, arguments over the right to bear arms and the society requirement to control guns have been at the highest peak. The mass shootings and mutual killings of people in the cities have not only brought shock, but also intense disappointment and sorrow towards the safeness of individuals in the city. Even though every state in the union has a way of regulating concealed carry, a report given from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) showed a significant decrease in crime for states with legalized concealed carry. Also, it found that the rate of murder reduced by 8%, aggravated assaults decreased by 7%, rape cases dropped by 5% and robbery cases decreased by 3% (Lott 37). While concealed carry remains one of the sensitive yet a controversial topic today, legalizing it makes the society safer.

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Permitting Policies for Concealed Carry

Second Amendment

Since 2013, almost all 50 states have permitted carrying a concealed handgun in public with Illinois being the last state to enact the legislation for concealed carry. While some states require gun owners to have permits, others do not as they have 'unrestricted carry.' Proponents of concealed carry claim that people who are armed are less likely to be attacked by criminals. Second Amendment support this by claiming that every individual has the right to keep and bear arms. Also, it argues that most people carrying concealed guns are law-abiding and doesn't misuse their firearms. Additionally, Amendment 2 of the constitution states that "A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" (Shapira, Jensen, and Lin 9). Therefore the second amendment should not be taken away from any citizens including students stepping onto a college campus since the safety of individuals starts by allowing concealed weapons.

May-issue Jurisdiction

This is a law that gives permit of carrying a concealed handgun but the granting of such permits is usually at the discretion of local authorities. The law requires the applicants to affirm reasons (e.g., having been stalked in the past) for requiring to carry the concealed handgun and to issue or not issue a permit of the gun at the prudence of the issuing authority (Grossman and Lee 201). May issue can also be a restrictive regime for gun control that enables the issuing authority considerable latitude of denying an application. Often, self-defense in and of itself cannot satisfy the requirement of 'good cause' for the authorities to issue the weapon. Sometimes the law may need the holder of the permit to give justification for the continued need for a concealed carry permit upon renewal and the renewal of the expiring permit may be denied if there is no sufficient proof for 'good cause.' Also, a permit can get revoked even after it has been issued if the issuing authority at its discretion realizes that the 'good cause' used to ascertain the permit application does no longer exist. However, permit renewal can be automatic as long as the permit holder has completed any needed safety training of firearms and has filed the renewal application prior to permitting expires. Based on the suitability of the applicant such as moral character, may-issue jurisdictions allow the issuing authorities to grant the concealed carry to the applicant so long as the applicant has submitted evidence (e.g., credit history, resume, reference letters, etc.) that shows he/she is a suitable character to be issued the permit.

Shall-issue Jurisdiction

This law requires a license in carrying a concealed weapon but its granting is only subject in meeting a determinate criterion that is laid out in the law. Unlike May-issue, shall-issue has no discretion of the authority when granting the license and the applicant is not usually required to demonstrate the 'good cause' unless there is some disqualifying factor of the applicant like convicting a felony (Durlauf et al. 58). Depending on the jurisdiction of the state, the license has some requirements which must be met and include residency, fingerprints of the applicant, minimum age, instant computerized background check, proficiency in practical handling of the concealed handgun, etc. Although Connecticut law affirms that carrying a concealed weapon license be granted based on may-issue, the state's courts have granted permission to the issuing authorities on granting the concealed weapon license on basis of shall-issue. Unlike may-issue jurisdiction where the Connecticut law does not have a requirement for the applicant, this procedure is applicable only to applicants that meet all the statutory qualifications with a necessary and proper reason for acquiring a license. There is no discretion by the issuing authority to deny permits to applicants who have presented a properly-completed application, passed a background check, finished any needed training and are beyond the qualification criteria specified by law.

Shall-issue with restricted prudence is a matter of shall-issue licensing that border between pure shall-issue and may issue policy (Hemenway and Hicks 326). Here there is a limited degree of discretion by the issuing authority in denying applicants carry permit of a concealed weapon based on either suitability of the applicant or reason for requesting a permit, even after the applicant has finished any needed training and passed a background check. To states with such practices of licensing, it is important that the issuing authority demonstrate substantiating evidence showing the applicant was either not suitable or was lacking the correct need for the permit. In such states, most denials are classically reversed upon appeal so long as the applicant has passed a background check and has fulfilled any training required for the permit. Automatic renewal of the permit of the concealed handgun is allowed in some shall-issue jurisdiction provided the permit holder files the renewal application before the permit expires. Other shall-issue jurisdiction may need the permit holder to finish a firearms safety of refresher training and to go through a criminal background check prior to applying for renewal. Periodically, the jurisdiction may run the ID of the permit holder through the background check system of the NICS or in case the permit holder is arrested for certain offenses; the judge may suspend its renewal.

Benefits of Carrying Concealed Carry

Irrespective of various debates among the policymakers and the public, May-issue, and Shall-issue has made it easier for citizens to acquire a concealed carry permit for various motivating factors. One of them is that carrying a concealed weapon helps in deterring crime. Most of the states that enforced shall-issue jurisdiction, showed the ability of the weapons to deter crime. Recently, there has been a high rise in crimes in almost every state. However, after enforcing shall-issue jurisdiction, there was a slight dive on murders, assaults, and robbery as well as crimes decreasing by 8.5% (Grossman and Lee 201). Survivalists not only deter murders and robbery but also are able to protect themselves with their loved ones and hence preventing mass shootings. Often, attackers fill confident to bust in places where there are full of people and dash where there is cash registry. They wave recklessly their guns thinking that no one can stop them and by the moment police arrive, they are nowhere to be found. However, they can't act the same knowing that the people around are also armed and can retaliate any time. A study conducted showed that they will also fear before taking out their weapons and threatening people. Therefore, concealed carry deter crimes and discourages potential criminals from stealing, vandalizing, devastating and even hurting innocent lives of individuals in the public.

Concealed carry increases a feeling of security as it put any survivalist at ease. Gun-toting criminals have had an upper hand and most individuals have had enough of it. Having concealed weapons, most citizens will be defending and protecting themselves particularly at night and when in areas that are prone to crimes such as convenience stores. Also, women will feel confident when walking in every corner of the streets and they can as well protect their homes including their children and family. A report given showed that 60% of women with a license to carry a weapon usually feel safer when they have the concealed weapon than when without (Vernick and Hepburn 394). In instances where individuals cannot depend on police for prompt safety and protection, firearms will be an excellent substitute for defend. However, having a concealed weapon doesn't necessarily mean one has to fire it. Rather it makes one feel protected and confident while maneuvering through the daily activities. This, therefore, shows that concealed handguns are the best sense of security and safety.

Concealed weapons hinder public shooting sprees. Recently, there has been a rise in rash shootings in the US which have been spreading faster than before. Most schools especially in colleges and in universities have been reported to experience mass shootings in the recent few months (Nagin 18). Everyone is on the edge and can be a collateral victim of such instances despite being not the direct target of the shooter. This is because mass shooters are usually unstable and can react to a stimulus which most individuals hardly notice. However, if such schools together with the survivalists are properly trained, equipped and armed, it could have been easy to handle such situations carefully thus preventing mass shootings. If attackers are aware that others have a concealed weapon, their chances of them starting shooting decreases randomly. Therefore, an open concealed carry discourages the attackers from going berserk.

Concealed carry makes one feel less confrontational and more law-abiding. They make one feel more accountable for not only their own lives but also for others. Also, they make one at ease with a distinct take on attitude since they give one power of defending and realizing no one can harm them easily. A study conducted showed that carriers of the gun are less confrontational and they are likely to abide by the law. Such carriers become more confident while walking out there and can be able to face any aggressive individual. While most opposes of concealed carry feel that more guns equal the high number of violence, proponents maintain that most of the adults that legally have the concealed carry rarely misuse their weapons. Also, they are less likely to be charged with cases of committing an offense and less likely to be arrested compared to those who do not carry a concealed carry. Criminologists Andrus carried out a study which showed that assaults victims that were using a firearm for their protection were less likely to be assaulted or injured than those that used other alternative methods of safety (129). This was supported by the Journal of Criminal Law an Criminology which affirmed that a criminal is likely to retreat more than half the time when the victim draws a concealed weapon (Hamill 219) Therefore, legalizing concealed carry gives almost all citizens an opportunity of protecting themselves from anything that may threaten not only their safety but also to any innocent bystanders.

While opponents of concealed weapons dispute that increased ownership of concealed guns leads to more crimes and unintended injuries, their contents are supported by No-issue jurisdiction. No-issue jurisdiction has restricted limitations which do not allow any private individual to carry or own a concealed weapon in public. This law permits concealed carry to only the "active and retired law enforcement officials, armed security personnel that are on duty and are in uniform,...