Chicago is reporting a decline in murders for the 6th straight quarter! The numbers are the lowest reported since 1958. Violent crime is also dropping and authorities believe the reduction in numbers might be related to the state’s legalization of concealed weapons.
Illinois and the City of Chicago made it legal to carry personal concealed handguns last year and the homicide rate has been progressively declining ever since.
Although it may be just happenstance that the murder rates dropped when Chicago allowed citizens to arm themselves, it could be a genuine relationship. There is a theory that the number of guns in society affects the rate of violent crimes; including murders. Certain studies have proven that an increased number of guns in society may cause a decline in violent crime.
On the other hand, in the country of Iceland, violent crime is virtually non-existent and even the police don’t carry guns. A shooting of a policeman in 2013 made worldwide headlines as it is such a rare occurrence. The public has extremely limited access to guns. Maybe the results of the study depend more on the ratio of guns in society; if the bad guys have 50 the good guys need 75.
Reports from the beginning quarter of 2014 showed a significant reduction in homicides every quarter since the state began issuing permits to carry guns. The Superintendent of the Chicago police acknowledged that the city still had a significant crime problem, but he is hopeful that the downward trend will continue.
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