Not only that, but after the CHL law was passed with a lot of attendant publicity (much of it negative), but before it became law, there was a notable decline in the rate of violent crimes against citizens in Florida in some cities.Florida has long had "pockets of sanity". Before there was a CHL law there, the police in Orlando gave classes to women on the use of a handgun. This was in the late 1960s. There was reasonably favorable publicity in the newspaper, and the incident rate of rape declined in notable fashion.
Even though the predictions by the anti gun people all over the country that the Florida law would result in mayhem and a return to the "wild west" proved wrong, the same argument have been raised elsewhere, and they continue to be proven wrong everywhere else.
Missouri laws (concealed carry and use of force) are modeled very closely after the Florida laws. For those traveling to MO, here are some of the salient differences to be aware of:
- The common law duty to retreat has not been eliminated by statute in MO except within an occupied domicile or atomobile;
- There is no specific requirement in the code for a citizen to be acting under under direction of a police officer to be allowed to use force to overcome resistance to a citizen's arrest in Missouri;
- Open carry is permitted in some areas by CCW permittees or by others who are hunting lawfully;
- Though it is unwritten, there seems to be a lot less emphasis on criminal prosecution for "printing."
Lawful incidents of self defense are reported with some frequency, but most involve burglaries. The only really unfortunate incident I know of that has made the news involved a man who carried legally but who followed thieves, drew his weapon, and fired at them as they fled. He was arrested and prosecuted. There are no follow-up news reports on most incidents.
Regarding "pockets of sanity", while many citizens and the media in the most populated areas still complain about the veto override that gave us the right to carry some years ago, several alderpersons in the state's largest city, which ranks third in nation in the rate of violent crime, have urged their constituents to obtain permits and carry firearms for protection. I call that sanity.