Hawaii firearms registrations have increased 72% since 2000 – but gun-related violence has dropped

A 2012 report from the Attorney General Crime Prevention and Justice Assistance Divsion shows that there’s actually a reverse correlation in Hawaii between firearms registration and gun-related violence.

Paul Perrone, Chief of Research & Statistics, writes:

Given the tremendous increases in statewide firearm registration activity throughout the 2000-2012 period, and in particular the major increases reported for the post-2008 period, it is understandable that some readers might at first glance be alarmed, fearing that these increases have necessarily resulted in commensurate increases in firearm-related violent crime trends. However, as shown in the following figures, such has not been the case.

[...] While firearm registration activity has increased dramatically, the trend for firearm-related violent crimes has remained fairly stable within a narrow range, and decreased substantially during the same period (2008-2012*) during which registration activity increased the most sharply.

Perrone told the Independent that even though we have a comparatively stringent background check, including checks for mental illness, we have a relatively low denial rate.

“It’s the squeakiest clean of our citizens which are applying for firearms permits,” Perrone said.