While debating Texas’ new open carry law, supporters of the measure often argued that less than one-third of one percent of those convicted of crimes in the state of Texas have a concealed handgun license.
Using statistics published by the Texas Department of Public Safety to fact-check the claim, a local newspaper has determined that the claim is true.
Texas’ new open carry law took effect Jan. 1. Second Amendment supporters held an open carry rally at the Texas state capitol in Austin, Texas, marking the occasion. (Photo by Erich Schlegel/Getty Images)
Dayton News of Dayton, Texas, determined that of the 50,869 convictions of individuals age 21 or over that year for violent crimes in Texas in 2013, only 158 convicted individuals — or 0.3106 percent — held a concealed handgun license.
Dayton News notes that “these numbers do not reflect convictions for any and all crimes.”
They do not include, for example, convictions for drug crimes, frauds, or traffic offenses. The statistics included in the annual CHL holders conviction reports are limited almost entirely to violent crimes and weapons-related offenses — such as murders, sexual assaults, kidnappings, and terroristic threats — although they do also include convictions for a small number of certain other crimes, such as burglary, consumer product tampering and public lewdness.
Texas’ new open carry law took effect Jan. 1. A Second Amendment supporter joins an open carry rally at the Texas state capitol in Austin, Texas, marking the occasion. (Photo by Erich Schlegel/Getty Images)
Examining statistics for previous years, Dayton News also found that the records routinely show that those who hold a concealed handgun license constitute less than one percent of convictions for violent crimes.
(H/T Dayton News)