TOLEDO, Ohio — The Center for Justice Research on Wednesday released findings from a study measuring the effects of the state's permit-less concealed carry law a year and a half after Ohio's legislature passed the legislation in June 2022.
The study, conducted in a partnership between the Ohio Attorney General's Office and Bowling Green State University, concluded that crime incidents involving a gun in the state have declined after the law was passed.
Speaking with WTOL 11 Thursday, Ohio AG Dave Yost said the study was created after the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, multiple Ohio mayors and others expressed concerns that permitless concealed carry could increase shootings and put police at risk.
The study analyzed police reports, ShotSpotter data and other factors from June 2021 to June 2023, a year before and after the law took effect.
Their research found that six of the eight major cities in Ohio, including Toledo, Akron and Columbus, all had a decline in the "rates per 1,000 people of crime incidents involving a firearm before and after permitless carry took effect," with Toledo in particular showing an 18.2% decline. Cincinnati and Dayton were the only two cities that showed increased rates.
Yost said the study is not trying to imply that the legalization of permit-less carry is the reason for the decline saying there are likely many factors, but he said what it does prove is that a large increase in crime did not happen.
"The predictions weren't right, we didn't have the Wild West, crime didn't go off the charts, at least gun crime, in fact, went down," Yost said. "I think this study is an important benchmark in showing that the law-abiding Second Amendment folks aren't the problem here."
The attorney general also said the study is only short term and more research should be done in the future, but he said for now it's an indicator to his office that this law isn't an issue they need to worry about.