TexasCHLforum.com

I was perusing the CHL Conviction Rates information on the DPS website for 2007 (the latest year they have posted). I noticed the following:

Offense: Unlawful Carry Handgun by License Holder
Total Convictions: 15
Convictions by CHL Holder: 9

How can someone be convicted of this if they aren't a CHL holder? I would think the 'Convictions by CHL Holder' and 'Total Convictions' should be the same. After all, if you don't have a CHL, wouldn't it just be "Unlawful Carrying of Weapon"?


Edit: Corrected formatting issues

This has been noticed before, and no one knows why.

I can only guess that the reporting method is flawed.

- Jim

Concealed Handgun License holders are 33% more likely to be convicted of Unlawful Carry Handgun by License Holder than non-license holders.

Hmm... Yes I'm confused as well.

That's like saying "33% more gunshot wounds are inflicted when a gun is involved than when a gun is not involved."

33% more statistics are made up when making up statistics than when not making up statistics.

My guess is plea bargains.

Offenses under 46.035 tend to have the same penalties as equivalent offenses under 46.02 or 46.03. They are either class A misdemeanors or third-degree felonies.

It just doesn't make sense from a prosecutorial point of view to offer a 46.035 plea bargain to someone who does not have a CHL (unless I'm missing something).

- Jim

Kythas wrote:How can someone be convicted of this if they aren't a CHL holder? I would think the 'Convictions by CHL Holder' and 'Total Convictions' should be the same. After all, if you don't have a CHL, wouldn't it just be "Unlawful Carrying of Weapon"?

I'm guessing that someone (probably the court clerk) forgot to check the "CHL" box when filling out whatever form is used to report convictions to DPS (it sounds from the DPS website that it is form CR-43, but I can't seem to find it online).