The growth of adults holding permits to carry concealed guns has surged 34% in the past four years, and the rush to get one has resulted in long lines as some counties have faced cutbacks due to the coronavirus crisis, according to a new report.
John Lott’s Crime Prevention Research Center revealed that there are 19.48 million permit holders, 820,000 more than in 2019.
He found that women and minorities are leading in the new applications. “Permits for women and minorities continue to increase at a much faster rate than for either men or whites,” he said. That finding parallels reports from gun stores that women and minorities are buying weapons and signing up for concealed carry classes at a brisk pace.
The authority on the issue, Lott said that the growth has slowed recently as states have curbed issuing permits due to cutbacks from the coronavirus crisis.
Cam Edward’s Bearing Arms site said that with requests for the permits surging, and coronavirus mitigation efforts limiting office work, lines and wait times to get one have also increased. He noted that in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, applicants have to wait until March to get a concealed carry license.
More than 9% of the 209 million adults in the United States have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, and the number of people who carry a concealed weapon is likely much higher because several states don’t require a permit.
According to Lott’s report, “Seventeen states no longer provide data on all the people who are legally carrying a concealed handgun because people in those states no longer need a permit to carry.”
Other highlights:
- Alabama has the highest concealed carry rate at 28.5%.
- Indiana is second with 18.7%.
- Five states now have over 1 million permit holders.
- As the number of permits have gone up, violent crime has decreased slightly.
