D.C. Gun Ban Ruled Unconstitutional

A Federal District Court Judge has ruled that Washington, D.C.'s ban on carrying open and concealed firearms. The case is Palmer v. District of Columbia, D.C. and Cathy Lanier. Predictably, gun rights advocates are happy, and gun control supporters unhappy. If appealed, the case may eventually go to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Criminal justice empirical evidence on whether law abiding citizens (i.e., potential victims) carrying weapons increases, decreases, or has no effect on violent street crime like robbery is mixed. Some (e.g., McDowall, Loftin & Wiersema, 1995; La Valle & Glover, 2012) find that RTC -- right to carry -- increases violent crime including homicide, while others (e.g., Kleck & Gertz, 1995) find that citizens carrying guns deters would-be attackers. The evidence that laws allowing citizens to carry guns will create huge reductions in street crime is weak. (For an excellent review of U.S. gun policies & evidence on effectiveness, read Cook & Ludwig's [2003] book chapter, "Pragmatic gun policy.")

The worry to gun control supporters is, of course, the domino effect: if the precedent is set in D.C., will other municipalities and states follow? In truth, day-to-day life in D.C. probably won't feel much different. Some research shows that in states that allow concealed carry, only small percentages of adults actually apply for permits. Plus some are already carrying, despite not having applied for a permit. 

Gun control and gun rights is a game of inches. Sometimes Team Control is ahead, and other times Team Rights is ahead. Nothing much really changes. 

Sources: 

Cook, P.J. & Ludwig, J. (2003). Pragmatic gun policy. In J. Ludwig & P.J. Cook (Eds.), Evaluating gun policy: Effects on crime & violence (pp.1-37). Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press

Kleck, G. & Gertz, M. (1995) Armed resistance to crime: The prevalence and nature of self-defense with a gun. Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology, 86(1), 150-187

La Valle, J.M. & Glover, T.C. (2012). Revisiting licensed handgun carrying: Personal protection or interpersonal liability? American Journal of Criminal Justice, 37, 580-601.

McDowall, D., Loftin, C. & Wiersema, B. (1995). Easing concealed firearms laws: Effects on homicide in three states. Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology, 86(1), 193-206