Status Quo? Student perceptions of gun legislation

• In Event: Public Opinion about Criminal Justice Policy

Abstract

The use of firearms and the subsequent debate has garnered much attention with the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. The debate itself, however, dates to the forming of the Constitution and the Second Amendment which affords the right to bear arms. With the recent shootings in contemporary America, the debate has shifted towards stricter gun control laws and legislation. The public perception of these tragic events often leads to a moral panic which, in turn, leads to political pressure to change existing laws (Schildkraut, Elsass, & Stafford, 2015). Measuring public perceptions of such laws is well represented in the literature. The present study will expand on the literature by offering an analysis of student perceptions from two universities: one located in the Mid-Atlantic and the other located in the North-Central region of the country.

Authors

• Richard Wentling, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

• Nathan Kruis, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

• Mark H. Heirigs, Iowa State University

• Glen Ishoy, Indiana University of Pennsylvania