Guns on Campus: The Impact of Campus Carry on Student Behavior and Emotions

Authors

Inara Ramazanova, Oakland University
Terressa Benz, Oakland University
Joseph DeAngelis, University of Idaho

Abstract

Most research on campus carry uses a quantitative approach to measure attitudes towards campus carry policies, existing or pending. Using focus group data, this paper examines self-reported impacts on behavior and emotional responses to a three-year-old campus carry law at one university in the rural west. We explore whether guns on campus impacted student-reported behavior in the classroom or on campus. Student responses were entered into qualitative analysis software, where data was categorized according to themes. The two most prominent themes were that students reported no impact on their behavior on campus while also expressing anxiety over the lack of training for concealed carry users, mental health issues among members of the campus community, and accidental shootings. The student’s responses reveal contradictions and nuances to their reported lack of behavioral change regarding latent anxieties while on campus. This research builds upon existing research on the impact of campus carry laws by going beyond quantification and adding a more in-depth look into the lived experiences of students on campuses that allow concealed firearms.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Ramazanova, Inara; Benz, Terressa; and DeAngelis, Joseph (2024) "Guns on Campus: The Impact of Campus Carry on Student Behavior and Emotions," Qualitative Criminology (QC): Vol. 13: No. 1, Article 3.
Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/qc/vol13/iss1/3