Not surprisingly, these same chiefs and sheriffs insist that the real solution to crime is to give them more money, more power, and more control over the lives of law-abiding people. Die - People Do , Shields argued that violation of concealed weapon laws should carry a mandatory jail term. Washington State, when it adopted non-discretionary issuance in 1961, also made unlicensed concealed carry into a felony. This is not ideal, but it is a compromise that many gun owners would welcome. Right now, large numbers of Americans are reluctant to travel into big cities at night, for fear of robbery or murder - and that fear is completely reasonable.
Many women are afraid to go for a walk after dark, for fear of being raped.
That fear is also completely reasonable. There are many reasons why our cities have become such dangerous places, and I won't claim that passing a non-discretionary permit law is going to suddenly revitalize urban America. But to the extent that it makes people willing to shop, play, and live in big cities, because they are no longer defenseless against criminal attack, there is a chance of reversing the decay of our urban centers.