Skip to content
Apply
Stories

Did violent crime in W.Va. fall after permitless carry was enacted?

People in this story

PolitiFact, November 2021

Did West Virginia’s passage of a permitless open carry law for guns produce a precipitous drop in violent crime in the state? That’s what an image on Facebook said. In 2016, West Virginia lawmakers passed a law that allowed most individuals over the age of 21 to carry a firearm without a permit or safety training. When the law was passed, some critics warned that it would lead to an increase in violent crime.

“Violent crime rate dropped like a rock following West Virginia’s adoption of permitless carry,” said the Sept. 20 post, which was attributed to a group called Clergy in Support of the Second Amendment. An accompanying chart shows violent crime rates for the United States and West Virginia, with a drop for the U.S. but a bigger decline for West Virginia after the law was passed.

Continue reading at PolitiFact.

More Stories

Jared Kushner(left) smiling as Donald Trump (right) speaks.

Jared Kushner Behind the Scenes Role in Donald Trump’s 2024 Run

11.28.2023
Wind turbines off the coast of England.

FAQ: Annual climate negotiations are about to start. Do they matter?

11.27.2023
Photo collage of Boston University (left) and Northeastern University (right) law buildings. A circular image of a pregnant woman's belly lies in the center. Center text reads

Experts to Examine a Controversial Forensic Test That Has Helped Convict Women of Murder

11.28.23
In the News