# What is the point of CCW permits?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-ccw-permits/745824>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 11, 2016, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-ccw-permits/745824 "2016-02-11T15:53:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 6

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**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-ccw-permits/745824/101 "2016-03-08T01:36:34Z")

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> [@even\_sven](#):
>
> So CCW laws give prosecutors leverage over criminals arrested for other crimes. And you believe this has no deterrence value at all?

The only people that obey the CCW laws are law abiding people who are actually afraid to go to jail. A street slag who is looking at 40 years for armed robbery, or going back in for 10 years on a PPV isn’t going to blink at an additional 9 months on a misdemeanor charge for CCW.  
The felon in possession charge would be a deterrent if it was actually charged. But as posted before, it’s usually dropped during a plea agreement.

> [@even\_sven](#):
>
> But a street dealer or shoplifter? There’s usually isn’t any need to be carrying a gun.

And yet they do.

Murderers, thieves, rapists, drug dealers. All horrible people. But the worst thing in the world is someone who thinks they know everything yet doesn’t know shit. Some people obviously know more about the actions of street thugs than I do with 34 years on the job in a major metropolitan county.

So please…teach me more. The laughs are priceless.

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**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-ccw-permits/745824/102 "2016-03-08T02:05:32Z")

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> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> I assume you mean by the legal carrying of a concealed weapon.
> 
> There’s been about 100 murders by CCW holders in the past 10 years, a rate lower than the general population, sure, but by no means zero.

Where do you get that number from?

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**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-ccw-permits/745824/103 "2016-03-08T02:26:42Z")

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A street dealer has a very strong incentive to carry, they’re in a bad neighborhood with drugs. They lose those drugs and a much less pleasant person than a cop is going to have some issues to resolve.

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-point-of-ccw-permits/745824/104 "2016-03-08T03:21:22Z")

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> [@drewder](#):
>
> Where do you get that number from?

This thing called “Google”.

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