The recent rash of crimes here in College Park has had me thinking about crime control. What ways are there to prevent crime? More police? That idea does have one drawback: money. Police officers are expensive, and in this economy cost, is a crucial factor in any policymaking.
The answer is exceedingly simple: firearms. I’m not talking about a posse of vigilantes riding in on horseback, guns-a-blazing; I am talking about a concealed carry weapons permit program. There is a stigma in this state about guns, but if one takes a second to do some research, he or she can see quickly that a responsible CCW program can significantly cut down crime. I urge everyone to look at the website concealedcampus.org. This is a national group whose goal is to allow licensed CCW holders to be allowed to carry their guns on college campuses. We are not talking about freshmen at fraternity parties having guns. Here in this state, it is nearly impossible to get a carry permit. You must first go through a background check, which is logical since we don’t want to issue permits to people who have a criminal background. But you must also provide a reason, such as having a business that handles cash, being a former police or correctional officer or having documented threats against you. This provision excludes the vast majority of the population.
This is what I take issue with. Why must you have a cash business in order to legally carry a concealed weapon? Especially with such large crime problems in cities like Baltimore, one would think legislators would be looking for ways to reduce crime without spending too much money. The answer is lowering the requirements of the carry permit. States with looser carry permit laws have about 1 percent of the population legally carrying a concealed weapon. On average, after the laws went into effect murder rates dropped by 8 percent, rapes by 5 percent and aggravated assaults by 7 percent. There is no other policy that is this cost-effective.
One common argument against the CCW permit is that it would lead to more shootings. The above facts disprove this. Consider the state of Florida. Florida has issued more carry permits than any other state: 1.33 million as of 2008. During that same time period, only 0.01 percent of those permits were revoked due to gun crimes. Also consider that in cases where a person draws a gun for self-defense, it is rare that any shots are actually fired. Look at police officers as an example. Every day, many officers draw their guns while on duty but few ever have to pull the trigger. The sight of a gun is typically enough to prevent or stop a violent act or crime.
With all this data, why doesn’t the state legislature ease carry permit restrictions? One common argument is that “we have to protect children.” Did you know that more children are killed every year by drowning in swimming pools and bathtubs than firearms? Perhaps the state should consider implementing a permit program for swimming pools. Guns do not kill people; the person pulling the trigger does. I, and many of my friends back home, grew up with firearms in the house. We are all still alive. Saying guns kill people is like saying spoons make people fat. I am not recommending that we allow anyone who wants to carry a gun. Each person should undergo a thorough background check, but if a law-abiding citizen wants the ability to protect himself or herself, what is the problem?
Ryan Goff is a sophomore mechanical engineering major. He can be reached at rgoff1@umd.edu.
