Guns on College Campuses: Should Concealed Weapons Be Allowed? - Research Paper

Introduction

Numerous mass shootings in learning institutions have provoked the gun discussion with the subject of carrying concealed weapons in colleges being in public. In the past, hidden weapons have been banned in colleges and schools. Guns have been banned because they would be risky in cases of confrontations between students, and they do not guarantee the safety of students and staff in colleges. However, state regulations and institutional rules allow people to have concealed guns in campuses, arguing that they would be essential in preventing crimes such as mass shootings in colleges and would provide safer environments for students (Bartula and Bowen 12). In my opinion, college employees should not be allowed to carry concealed weapons in the campus.

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Allowing college employees to carry hidden guns is an essential way of ensuring a safer learning environment. Carrying hidden weapons could prevent instances of violent crimes that have been witnessed in the past (Bartula and Bowen 15). Crimes such as aggravated assault and rape could be avoided if employees remain armed on campuses. Besides, carrying concealed weapons by employees could be a remedy for mass shootings in the campus. Perpetrators can be discouraged from attacking an institution if armed individuals confront them.

On the other hand, allowing concealed guns by employees in colleges could be risky. First, there could be increased instances of regular clashes among employees and students, which could result in deadly disputes (Patten and James Wada 560). In the event of a conflict, the involved parties can easily engage in public shootouts based on petty disagreements. Also, allowing employees to carry hidden guns in campuses is not a guarantee of their safety (Kyle 645). In reality, it would be hard to identify perpetrators is a mass shooting that occurred since the staff is also armed. Moreover, some employees may be suffering from mental issues, which would make it risky for them to be armed in campuses.

Conclusion

In conclusion, concealed weapons should not be allowed in campus employees because they would not provide a safer learning environment. Also, with many individuals possessing guns in an institution, it would be challenging for police to identify assailants from the innocent people in case a violent shootout occurred in the campus.

Works Cited

Bartula, Aaron, and Kendra Bowen. "University and college officials' perceptions of open carry on a college campus." Justice Policy Journal 12.2 (2015): 1-17. Retrieved from: http://www.cjcj.org/uploads/cjcj/documents/jpj_open_carry_college_campus_-_fall_2015.pdf

Kyle, Michael J. "Perceptions of campus safety policies: Contrasting the views of students with faculty and staff." American journal of criminal justice 42.3 (2017): 644-667. Retrieved from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12103-019-x 6-937

Patten, Ryan, and James C. Wada. "Packing heat: Attitudes regarding concealed weapons on college campuses." American Journal of Criminal Justice 38.4 (2013): 551-569. Retrieved from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12103-012-9191-1