NCJ Number
165741
Date Published
1996
Length
32 pages
Annotation
This study builds upon a previous study by analyzing the Florida Division of Licensing's revocations of licenses for carrying a concealed weapon for the period May 31, 1995, to May 31, 1996.
Abstract
The study is divided into two sections that provide information contained in documents obtained for license holders who challenged their revocations at a public hearing. The first section of this report offers full synopses of the crimes committed after licensure of the 19 license holders who challenged their revocation at a public hearing. This section also contains full synopses of the three non-crime related cases in which the license holder challenged the revocation at a public hearing. Section two profiles selected crimes committed before licensure of the 24 license holders who challenged their revocation at a public hearing. This section also contains a synopsis of the one non-crime related case in which the license holder challenged the revocation at a public hearing. Findings show that in the year-long period surveyed, an additional 159 individuals had their licenses revoked. Almost all revocations were for crimes committed either before or after their concealed weapons license was issued. More than half of the crime-related revocations were for crimes committed after licensure. The 17 revocations over the year-long period due to gun-related crimes committed after licensure was a 1-year jump of 35 percent over the previous 7-year tally. A total of 65 license holders had their concealed weapons licenses revoked for crimes they had committed before having received the license. The findings show that the real-world effects of relaxed concealed weapons laws is to arm criminals and threaten public safety. There is no evidence that these negative effects are offset by license holders' legitimately and properly using their weapons in self-defense.