In Hawaii, Gun Ownership Rises as Violent Crime Declines

Cause and effect?

Hawaii firearms registrations shot up more than 70 percent in 2012, while gun violence continued a four-year decline, according to a new state Department of the Attorney General report.

"While there has been a tremendous increase in firearm registration activity in Hawaii since 2000, the annual trends for both the number of firearm-related violent crimes and the proportion of violent crimes involving firearms relative to other weapon types remained stable within a low and narrow range through 2007, and decreased substantially from 2008 through 2012, during which time registration activity increased the most sharply," the Department of the Attorney concluded.

Officials processed a record 21,864 state and county firearm permits in 2012, the report found. One year before, that number was 15,375.