shall-issue policy analysis

[novice]

A 1997 policy analysis paper from CATO Institute on concealed carry reform since 1987. Brief history of concealed and open carry laws: Gun control was initiated to control black and abolitionist carry in the south; later in New York the Sullivan Law was modeled on European gun control laws for fear of armed leftist "political dissidents, anarchists, and labor agitators," immigrants or blacks.

While self-justifying and apparently even-handed on the surface, the criteria [under discretionary issue laws] are so broad, undefined, and devoid of any objective standards that they pose no obstacle to granting or withholding licenses in a highly discriminatory, prejudicial, arbitrary, or political manner....A review of how discretionary licensing systems have in fact been administered confounds any attempt to find a coherent or consistent application of the laws.

Concludes:

On the basis of 10 years of experience in 25 states, we may conclude that shall-issue licensing systems work. They accomplish the twin goals of providing a mechanism by which law-abiding citizens can carry the means with which to defend themselves from a violent criminal assault that imminently threatens life or grievous bodily harm and provide the public reasonable assurance that those who receive permits are persons who will act responsibly.

full text here:
http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-284.html

[crjoe]

Well now they have 20 years of data to show it works. When is it going to be that way in all 50 states?