John R. Lott Jr.

About the author: John R. Lott Jr., the author of More Guns, Less Crime, is the John M. Olin Law and Economics Fellow at the University of Chicago Law School.

Concealed-carry laws allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed handguns. Concealed handguns reduce violent crime by making it easier for citizens to defend themselves. Concealed-carry laws benefit society as a whole, not just the citizens that are armed, because a criminal is less likely to attack if he or she thinks the potential victim could be carrying a gun. Such laws have been shown to significantly reduce the number of murders, rapes, assaults, and robberies. Permitting concealed handguns would not lead to shootings at traffic accidents or greatly increase incidents of accidental shootings as opponents claim. Preventing citizens from carrying guns does not make them...