Your Aug. 18 editorial on the University of Chicago study’s finding that citizens carrying concealed weapons reduce crime mentions several concerns with the study’s conclusions. But you didn’t mention the effects of the concealed-carry laws over time.
I would expect that, sooner or later, the number of simple robberies will decrease and the number of armed robberies–and probably shootings–will increase in those states with concealed-carry laws. More criminals will arm themselves out of fear that the people they rob will be armed too (the whole idea behind the concealed-carry laws).
Thus many robbers will try to “get the drop” on their intended victims by drawing their guns first. Hence, more armed robberies and probably more shootings as nervous robbers and frightened victims confront each other. It seems to me that concealed-carry laws will only raise the arms race between the citizen and the criminal to a higher, more dangerous level, thereby fulfilling your prophecy “more guns equal more gun violence.”
