Statistics published by the various states give some indication of what type, and how many people acquire permits to carry concealed weapons. Some recent indicative statistics:
* Permit-holders are predominantly male:
o 85% male vs. 15% female in Florida, October 2004
o Over 50,000 women are licensed in Florida as of 2005
* The number of permit-holders is growing:
o Michigan for example reports 30,000 applications July 2003-June 2004; other states vary but this is representative.
* The number of permit-holders is significant:
o Florida has issued over 800,000 permits since adopting the law, and had 289,644 currently-licensed permit holders as of October 2004.
o State Police Reports show similar numbers: New York 530,000 (1997), Pennsylvania 575,000 (1998), Texas 235,000 (1999).
* Distribution by age is generally proportionate to the adult population:
o Florida reports 26% are in the 21-35 age group, 36% are 36-50, 27% are 51-65, and 11% over age 66.
* The number of revocations of permits is very small:
o North Carolina reports 0.2% of their 263,102 holders had their license revoked in the 10 years since they have adopted the law — a lower proportion than the crime rate among North Carolina police officers. Revocation of license is for any criminal conviction, and need not involve an illegal firearm usage. Revocations typically arise from DUI.
o Of the 14,000 licenses issued in Oregon, only 4 individuals (0.03%) were convicted of criminal (though not necessarily violent) use or possession of a firearm
