The data published by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) covers convictions for a number of offenses under state code, including robbery, weapons violations, “offenses against the person” like kidnapping or assault, and violations related to the state’s LTC program.
Under the state’s government code, the data from DPS on the conviction rates of LTC holders is “drawn and reported annually from the Department of Public Safety computerized criminal history file on persons 21 years of age and older.”
The total actual convictions of LTC holders is likely slightly higher than the reported number since in some cases, such as with military members, individuals between 18 and 21 years old are eligible for an LTC, but they are not included in the report.
Additionally, people who hold firearm licenses from other states could be convicted for a crime in Texas but would not be listed as an LTC holder in the DPS report.
Of the 26,304 total convictions in the DPS report, 114 — or. 0.43 percent — were convictions of LTC holders.
Assault causing bodily injury against a family member represents the largest number of convictions for both the general public and LTC holders with 8,232 and 17 convictions, respectively.
Many of the listed convictions did not include any convictions of LTC holders.
For example, there were 770 convictions of robbery, 443 convictions of assault on a public servant, and 102 convictions of aggravated assault with a weapon against a dating partner, household member, or family member — but none of those convictions were of reported LTC holders.
The LTC holder conviction rates for other offenses, even those related to weapons, are similarly low.
Of the 1,441 convictions of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, only LTC holders accounted for only four.
Convictions of deadly conduct totaled 427, with the convictions for LTC holders at 12 — about 2.8 percent.
There were 1,147 convictions for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, though none were of LTC holders since convicted felons are prohibited from obtaining an LTC.
The full report can be found below.
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Daniel Friend
Daniel Friend is the Marketing and Media Manager for The Texan. After graduating with a double-major in Political Science and Humanities, he wrote for The Texan as a reporter through June 2022. In his spare time, you're likely to find him working on The Testimony of Calvin Lewis, an Abolition of Man-inspired novel and theatrical podcast.