Perceptions and Implications of Campus Carry Laws

• In Event: Policies Regarding Crime on Campus. How Universities and Colleges Respond

Abstract

As of January 1, 2017, eight states allow for individuals to carry guns at public universities and several more are considering new legislation to allow for open or concealed carry on college campuses. As a result of these changing policies, several research studies have surveyed members of college campuses in order to gain a greater understanding of their perceptions related to campus carry laws. Findings from this line of research provide evidence that the majority of faculty, staff, and students are opposed to allowing concealed guns on campuses (Patten et al., 2013).  While past studies have been helpful for shedding light on attitudes towards these policies, little attention has been focused on how these policies influence behaviors of campus members and their safety concerns on campus.  Using data from a sample of faculty, staff, administrators, and students from a large public university in the southeast United States, this current study fills a gap in past research by exploring how victimization, fear of crime on campus, and confidence in campus police are associated with attitudes toward campus carry laws. We also examine academic- and employment-related impacts of the presence of legal guns on campuses.

Authors

• Jennifer McMahon-Howard, Kennesaw State University

• Heidi Scherer, Kennesaw State University

• James T. McCafferty, Kennesaw State University