Top Three Rated “Safe States” are Constitutional Carry States

Constitutional Carry
Constitutional Carry

U.S.A.-(Ammoland.com)- US News and World Report rates the states for public safety. The rating takes both property crime and violent crime into account. The ratings use the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) data from 2017 for the article this year, as the latest data available.

The top three states for public safety this year are Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. All three are Constitutional Carry states, which means no permit is required to carry a loaded handgun in most public places, openly, or concealed. That was the state of the law in the nation when the Constitution was ratified on 4 March, 1789. Constitutional carry existed in all states for the first four decades of the Republic. Then states and the courts started chipping away at the Second Amendment.

Vermont has always been a Constitutional Carry state. No permit has been required to carry handguns there since the Constitution was ratified.

Maine became a Constitutional Carry state in 2015. At the time, those opposed claimed that Constitutional Carry would increase street violence. From pressherald.com:

Tom Franklin, president of Maine Citizens Against Handgun Violence, predicted that passage will lead to more street violence and deaths. The group works to prevent gun violence through gun safety and education.

“I believe this bill reflects the current state of dysfunction in Augusta,” Franklin said Monday night during a telephone interview. “It does not reflect the wishes of Maine people.”

He said his group is deeply concerned about allowing people to carry handguns without a permit.

It hasn’t happened. Maine followed the same script as has happened in other states that restore Constitutional Carry. Mostly, nothing but a restoration of personal freedom.

New Hampshire restored Constitutional Carry in 2017.  Opponents said the law would result in dead kids. From nhpr.org:

Although those in favor of the legislation argued the bill would not be a safety hazard, Rep. Wayne Burton of Durham told his colleagues it was too risky.

“I think a few inconvenient people is far less important that 12 dead kids,” Burton said Wednesday.

It did not happen. New Hampshire continued to be a very safe state.

Of the top ten states on the US News and World Report list, five of them are in Constitutional Carry states. Those states inculde Idaho and Wyoming. They are shown in bold print.  The top ten are:

  1.  Maine
  2.  Vermont
  3.  New Hampshire
  4.  New Jersey
  5.  Idaho
  6.  Virginia
  7.  Rhode Island
  8.  Connecticut
  9.  Wyoming
  10.  Massachusetts

New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts are “may issue” states. Carry permits are issued in those states at the discretion of the authorities. Virginia and Connecticut are “shall issue” states.  Idaho restored Constitutional Carry in 2016. Opponents said it would endanger the public and law enforcement officers. From freebeacon.com:

“If signed into law, SB 1389 would dismantle our current system and put Idahoans at risk, including law enforcement officers who risk their safety to protect us,” Sharp said. “Moms across Idaho will continue to fight against this bill and to advocate for safer gun laws—our families’ lives depend on it.”

Idaho followed the same script as New Hampshire. Nothing much happened. That has been the story across the United States as 13 states joined Vermont as Constitutional Carry States. The right to keep and bear arms is restored back to what it was at the nation’s founding. People who are not prohibited from owning arms can carry them most places without worrying about being arrested, fined, and jailed.

Other than an increase in personal freedom, greater respect for the Constitution and the rule of law, very little happens.

According to this poll, about 20% of United States registered voters oppose any limits on government power. The Second Amendment is all about limits on the power of government.

The history of Constitutional Carry shows there is nothing to fear from restoring Second Amendment rights to what they were when the Second Amendment was ratified.


About Dean Weingarten:

Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of constitutional carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and recently retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.

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Will Flatt

The top 4 major cities with strict gun control account for the vast majority of violent crimes & homicides in particular. Places like New Orleans, Baltimore, St. Louis, Chicago. All Demorat run sh!tholes. Even my hometown of Gary, Indiana – Demorat run since 1968.

Wild Bill

@wjd, I am guessing that all of that is coming to every big city, every medium size town, and even every village in the US. Leave them, make a place in the country that your kids and grandkids can escape to. Survivors get out early. If ya don’t get our early ya won’t be a survivor.

Will Flatt

Yep, I’m waaaay out in the middle of nowhere special.

Wild Bill

@wjd, good job!

Wild Bill

@WF, When the SHF, call the propane company and have them send out the truck. Tell them there is $100 in it for the driver if he can get there in an hour. Then keep the truck and the driver. Transbelum energy supply problem solved!

Will Flatt

Why, pray tell, would I detain the driver?? I mean, unless the driver is a cute lady between the age of 30-40?

Wild Bill

The driver would be another able body to help with defense. You would have to offer him, and his family, refuge. Or you would have to shoot him. Hypothetically, of course.

Will Flatt

The time to make strategic relationships is before SHTF, imho.

Wild Bill

@WF, Yes, where possible, but I don’t think that the propane company would partner with me if I told them that on SHF Day, I am going to “buy” a load of propane and their truck, with a personal check!

Will Flatt

LOL not when you put it like that!!

Ansel Hazen

Lol. wb why risk having a grumpy truck driver hanging about? Just drive to the propane company with a few neighbors and take the truck home yourself.

Wild Bill

@AH, Maybe I’ll drop of old grumpy driver and pick up young, blondy propane clerk… oh yes, and more propane!

Ansel Hazen

WB, if you’re sitting pretty with a big ol load of propane you’re gonna have to fight the ladies off!

Silver Fox

If you leave they will replace you with an illegal alien hater from another sheite hole place then send them after you. Stay put. Harden your place and fight for every inch! MAGA!

Quatermain

New Jersey is safer than Idaho? Someone has lost their mind and all sense of objectivity.

Ansel Hazen

US News and World Report is owned by Mortimer Zuckerman. Reading his bio on Wikipedia has me thinking he’s more than a bit squishy which could account for articles in that magazine having some form of hidden agenda.

Vern

The biggest enemy of those on the left is in fact, the Constitution of the United States of America.

Green Mtn. Boy

Speaking of Maine,the most recent numbers are in and Leftists Said Maine’s Permitless Carry Law Would Cause Chaos. Now It’s the Safest State in US followed by Vermont and New Hampshire all of which have Constitutional carry. Leftists Said Maine’s Permitless Carry Law Would Cause Chaos. Now It’s the Safest State in US https://www.westernjournal.com/leftists-said-maines-permitless-carry-law-cause-chaos-now-safest-state-us/ Just as the news article above relates, gun control supporters argue that the gun control laws they promote make the public safer. They argue laws supporting private citizen use and ownership endangers the public. Consider this violent crime data from 2016-2017, the last full year for… Read more »

Idaho Bob

Several years ago, in the State of Idaho, a law was passed that allowed concealed permit holders to carry on college campuses. The world nearly came to an end and every college student was going to be in grave danger, or so we were told. To my knowledge, there hasn’t been a single issue on a campus in the State of Idaho and no teachers or students have died. Once again, the gun grabbing haters sounded a false alarm. Their favorite tactic is to attack the emotions of people by projecting their own fears onto everyone else. They will lie… Read more »

VAPatriot

Good to see my state of Virginia on there, however, I personally want to push for Constitutional Carry, but we have too many Dems in the state government and our “Blackface” governor is catering to every liberal idea. Also, surprised to see New Jersey on the list.

Frank

There are 16 states with constitutional carry and Arizona was one of the first that didn’t already have it from the original signing. The only reason you get a CC permit is for carrying in other states that honor it.

Ej harbet

Missouri would top that list if not for st louis and kcmo both democrap controlled since washington got wood teeth

MB

The only place harder to get a carry permit than Rhode Island is New Jersey, Rhode Island allows local cities and towns to issue permits in lieu of the state Attorney General impossible to obtain one, but city permits are limited in scope and not valid outside the state. Also R.I. does not honor any other state’s permits, but many other states honor R.I. permits. F’ed up since Article I, § 22 of the Constitution of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations provides that “[t]he right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

CaptainKerosene

Don’t forget Hawaii!

MB

You are right, the good thing there are a couple of thousand miles between Hawaii and the mainland, so the risk of contamination is limited to the left coast. Maybe swap Hawaii, N.J and Kommiefornia for Greenland. and a few billion dollars…

tetejaun

Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire, oddly enough, are states that enjoy electing communists to office. I wonder if ANYONE in those states ever realizes “Independent” means communist?

tomcat

Proof positive is the Bern. He has won election after election in Vermont.

Bill

I’m surprised to see New Jersey rated as such a safe place. The larger cities in that state are pretty famous for their high crime statistics. There must surely be something to question, here.

JPM

Why was Arizona left off the list? As a resident I can carry open or concealed throughout the state with few restrictions (Federal buildings, schools, etc.).

Bill

Good info to have! Thanks!

tomcat

U.S. News is just as bad as the MSM when it comes to telling the story straight. New Jersey is number four, in whose dream is that? Don’t waste your money by buying this rag, either.

CaptainKerosene

Constitutional Carry is right and proper.
But each citizen owes themselves and everybody the knowledge of the Use of Force laws.
The entertainment and news media avoid actually showing what the law actually is in each sate.
Being able to legally carry a loaded gun does not keep you out a prison if the Use of Force laws are violated.
Every state publishes their laws on the Internet. A simple search will find your laws in seconds.
Search for “concealed carry” and/or “use of force” or self-defense.

MisterD

Though Arizona does not call it Constitutional Carry, their Right to Carry Laws are the same.
You may apply for a Concealed Carry Permit if you wish to possess it for the reciprocity in other states, but you do not need a permit to carry concealed or openly. The laws here have been this way for a long time. I have lived here since April of 2017.

KenW

Well the very fact that New Jersey is rated number 4, leads me to believe that constitutional carry has less to do with what makes a state safe then preceived by Weingarten. New jersey is rated #4 and you’re probability of getting any permit there is none.

Laddyboy

Maryland is a “may – NOT – issue” State. Most of the people who make the laws for Maryland are DemocRATic National Communist/muslem party members.
Almost all of the LEGAL LAW ABIDING American Citizens who apply for a carry permit – which is unconstitutional – get DENIED!
1) You must be defending a banks’ money.
2) You must own a business – with MANY restrictions,

cmeek223

1. Using US N&R as a respectable source especially one of their “top ten lists” will never be respected in any serious conversation, especially in academia. This is of course only if you want to be taken seriously by people who actually use their brain cells. Evident by the commentary here at least some users don’t know the different between right and left. 2. Here’s an actual study and one that modeled RTC states to actually be more dangerous: Stanford Law School Professor John Donohue found that states that adopted right-to-carry laws have experienced a 13 to 15 percent increase… Read more »