As of 2013, all 50 states allow concealed carry of handguns (concealed carry reciprocity maps), although some states do not require a permit and licensing standards vary greatly from state to state. In the United States, most states are “Shall Issue” states. This means they will grant anyone a permit who meets certain guidelines, such as being at least 21 years old and having no criminal convictions, a history of mental illness or domestic abuse. A handful of other states were “May Issue.” In these other states, such as Maryland, the permit will only be issued if you can demonstrate that you need it. This can be a major obstacle, and these states usually only issue permits to people in the public eye, wealthy individuals with good connections, or business owners who often carry large sums of money (Concealed Carry Reciprocity Maps). While the requirements and standards are different wherever you live, one thing is true: Concealed carry permit holders are rapidly growing. The market has opened up for handgun training, concealed carry courses and smaller, more concealable handguns. When concealed carry began to gain popularity there were two very different schools of thought. Some thought that violent crime would decrease, as criminals would fear the common person who might be armed. Others thought that having people carrying concealed guns around in public would lead to an increase in violent crime with people losing their temper and shooting at each other. When analyzing data and crime trends, it is clear that with this influx of concealed carry permit holders there has not been a corresponding increase in violent crime. Many opponents of concealed carry suggest that an increase in concealed cars......paper medium......was in fact an increase in violent crime. Data has shown this to be false. Furthermore, there is no supporting evidence to show that concealed carry permit holders are committing any significant number of crimes. To obtain a permit, first background checks are performed that weed out anyone with a history of crime, violence and dangerous mental illness. There is also a great deal of legal responsibility that comes with the territory in a self-defense situation. A normal, sane person doesn't want to have to use a gun to defend themselves. There are many serious implications, even if the use is justified, such as civil lawsuits and the psychological impact of the defense itself. Most permit holders understand this and tend to take the approach to be more aware of their surroundings, and avoid confrontations and dangerous situations.