The carrying of concealed weapons for protection, specifically handguns, is a widely debated topic. This is especially true on college campuses following highly publicized mass shooting events. Researching students’ projected carrying behavior if legal on campus is important because it sheds light on the extent to which a concealed carry policy would be utilized in the university context, which has implications for public safety as well as student perceptions of safety. The scholarly literature indicates that White, Southern males who own guns are most likely to favor concealed carry policies. Donald Black’s theory of self-help (1983) and the collective security hypothesis (1987) frame this investigation by exploring whether students who feel that local law enforcement is ill equipped to protect them are more likely to say that they would utilize a concealed carry policy on campus as a measure of self-protection. Analyzing survey data from a Midwestern university In the Spring of 2009 with logistic regression, it is clear that the majority of students sampled are not in favor of a policy for carrying concealed firearms onto campus. As expected males and gun owners are significantly more likely to say they would carry concealed if legal. The interaction between gender and trust in law enforcement is also significant, indicating that males are more likely to say they would carry on campus relative to females as their level of confidence in law enforcement decreases. Overall, this research does not support Donald Black’s theory of self-help and the collective security hypothesis. In order to better test the theory of self-help and the collective security hypothesis, additional measures of the key variables are warranted in future research. In addition conducting a survey on projected carrying behavior with a nationally representative sample would aid understanding as to how the broader population of students in The United States would feel and behave if concealed carry were legal on their campus. Further investigation exploring why gender and law enforcement interact in predicting projected carry behavior is warranted.

School and campus shootings are a contemporary problem in the United States. Because of these shootings, colleges have enacted new policies to ensure safety on their campuses, including concealed carry on campus. The State of Tennessee has a unique law in place that allows colleges to create their own policies regarding concealed carry on campus, with the stipulation that only full-time faculty and staff can carry concealed weapons. East Tennessee State University is one campus with this policy. East Tennessee State University students, faculty, and staff were questioned via email survey about their perceptions of safety on campus and opinions regarding the current concealed carry policy. No significant relationship was found between respondents’ perceptions of safety and their level of support for the current policy, although political affiliation, affiliation with ETSU, gun ownership, and possession of a concealed carry permit were significantly related to support of concealed carry on campus.

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This research was intended to investigate the perceptions of firearm policies and the views held by campus security personnel regarding student or teacher carry on campus. The purpose of the interviews was to investigate campus security officer’s perceptions and how they differ based upon individual belief systems. The goal, therefore, was to understand how their perspectives on campus carry could impact interactions with students and faculty. Exploring a representative sample of current firearm policies, both on and off campus, established a framework that exposed the opinions of campus security personnel and gave some insight into the potential impact that might occur from implementing various policies. As a result, the coverage of these materials was pivotal regarding firearm policy and to show how unique perspectives can develop and create a better understanding of campus policing. This was especially true given the dearth of research into violence on campuses and the perspective of individuals that are tasked with the protection of the institutes.

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