Last year, California—a “may-issue” concealed-carry state with some of the strongest gun-control laws in the nation—saw a ban on “large-capacity” magazines and a handgun storage ordinance go into effect. These measures came on the heels of last year’s strengthening of the “Unsafe Handgun Law” and 2014’s Gun Violence Restraining Order measure.
Many in the strongly pro-gun-control state seemed to have expected this legislation to have an impact on rates of violent crime, and as it turns out, it might have—though not quite in the way they were hoping. Crime in Los Angeles, the state’s largest metropolitan area, was up 20 percent in 2015 over the past two years. Gang skirmishes and property crime have also risen. While LA has increased the number of police officers and gang intervention units, officials say $5.5 million more will be needed—much more than what would likely be required if they simply allowed residents to practice armed self-defense.
