States where permit issuers had limited or no discretion in issuing concealed carry permits had handgun homicide rates that were 11 percent higher compared with states where law enforcement and permit issuers could exercise broad discretion in permitting.

Siegel M., et al. “Easiness of Legal Access to Concealed Firearm Permits and Homicide Rates in the United States”. American Journal of Public Health. (2017). https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2017.304057