A review by Louis Klarevas, PhD, associate lecturer at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and one of the report’s co-authors, examined the 111 high-fatality mass shootings – defined as 6 or more murder victims – that occurred in the U.S. since 1966 and found that only 13 had taken place in a truly gun-free zone. “Interestingly, not only do the vast majority of high-fatality mass shootings not occur in ‘gun free zones,’” says Klarevas, “there is also little evidence that mass shooting perpetrators seek out ‘gun-free zones’ for their attacks.” The report notes that Dr. Klarevas’s research indicates fatalities from mass shootings increased slightly on average after states adopted right-to-carry laws. “Rather than deter gun violence, the most recent and most rigorous research on right-to-carry laws suggests that the laws are associated with increased violence with guns,” says report co-author John Donohue, PhD, JD, law professor at Stanford University. The report authors summarize research on the civilian use of guns, the impact of right-to-carry (RTC) laws on violent crime and mass shootings, patterns in public mass shootings, and relevant factors related to the college campus environment to determine the potential benefits and risks of allowing civilian gun carrying on college campuses. The report also looked at the impact, if any, that legally armed citizens had on mass shootings. An FBI study that examined 160 active shootings in the U.S. found only one incident that involved an armed civilian intervening to end an attack in progress.
As for the college campus environments, the report notes that fights, suicide attempts, and reckless behavior – all of which are more lethal when a firearm is present – are far more common among college students in general than are opportunities for armed students to stop rampage shootings. “Taken together, it’s evident that many of the arguments used to support laws expanding civilian gun carrying are not backed by the solid research evidence,” says Webster. “And when you next consider factors and challenges specific to the college environment, you see that the college campus environment is particularly ill-suited for civilian gun possession.” The authors identified several factors unique to the topics of public safety and gun carrying on college campuses, including: brain and cognitive development in adolescence and emerging adulthood, onset of mental illness and youth suicide in teens and young adults, and alcohol on college campuses. These factors help explain why college students are particularly prone to violence directed at others and oneself. “Increasing gun availability in campus environments could make these common acts of aggression or self-harm more deadly,” says Webster. “While the net effect of right-to-carry policies have negatively impacted public safety broadly, the effects are likely to be far more deleterious when extended to college campuses. Allowing students to carry firearms on college campuses would likely compromise the lives and safety of innocent students, faculty and staff.” A copy of the report is available at www.jhsph.edu/gunpolicy “Firearms on College Campuses: Research Evidence and Policy Implications” was written by Dr. Daniel Webster, ScD, MPH (JHBSPH), John Donohue III, PhD, JD (Stanford University), Louis Klarevas, PhD (University of Mass, Boston), Cassandra Crifasi, PhD, MPH (JHBSPH), Jon Vernick, JD, MPH, (JHBSPH) David Jernigan, PhD, (JHBSPH), Holly Wilcox (Johns Hopkins School of Nursing), Sara Johnson, PhD, MPH (JHBSPH) Sheldon Greenberg, PhD (JHBSPH) and Emma McGinty, PhD (JHBPSH).