Firearm Laws: “Shall Issue” Concealed Weapon Carry Laws

Task Force Finding*

“Shall issue” concealed-weapon carry laws (“shall issue laws”) require the issuing of a concealed-weapon carry permit to all applicants not disqualified by specified criteria. Shall issue laws are usually implemented in place of “may issue” laws, in which the issuing of a concealed weapon carry permit is discretionary (based on criteria such as the perceived need or moral character of the applicant).

Evidence is insufficient to determine the effectiveness of shall issue laws in the prevention of violence. Several available studies are based on a single source of county-level crime data, which has been found to be unreliable for evaluation research. Problems with study execution and inconsistent findings by outcome and state also limit the interpretation of available studies.

*From the following publication:

Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Recommendations to reduce violence through early childhood home visitation, therapeutic foster care, and firearms laws. [PDF - 71KB] Am J Prev Med 2005;28(2S1):6-10.

Review completed: April 2002