HELP 2 hours

To: Marco Florida, Florida Senator

From: Student, Policy Advisor

Date: 07/04/2015

RE: Bill to Allow Concealed Weapons on College Campuses should be re-evaluated based on its implications.

In the midst of national disagreement regarding gun control, the introduction of a bill allowing concealed weapons on college campuses should be re-evaluated by the Florida legislature. The United States is familiar with the mass implications that a weapon in the wrong hands can cause. As seen in tragedies like Virginia Tech, guns on college campuses can cause mass casualties. However, with gun-free policies, college campuses all over the US now enjoy more safety than most public spaces.1

Amongst the age group of college students lies the highest rate of mental illness, substance abuse, and suicide in the United States. Flaws in the current background check system still make the purchase of a weapon easy for an individual, like the Virginia Tech Shooter, with the intent to cause great harm.2 Guns on campuses bills require examination of the implications on the quality of education, and safety of college students.

Until recently, most colleges and universities nationwide strictly enforced a gun-free policy to ensure safety and prevent tragedy. However, the Florida community heavily opposes new pro-gun legislation on campus. Gun lobbyists suggest that rather than tightening gun control regulations, lessening restrictions would deter such tragedies. Yet no evidence exists to substantiate such claims, and the law enforcement and university communities oppose such legislation.

Making schools safer and protecting students is the prime concern. Evidence based information is the biggest determinant in assessing the implications of guns on campuses and provide preventative warning:

• 3/4 of mental illness appear by the age of 24.3 (13)

• Less than half of adolescents with mental illness receive treatment.4 (13)

• Akin with the age groups of students on campuses, those aged 16 to 25 are the highest age group likely to suffer from substance abuse, suicide, an mental illness, yet they are the least likely to seek help.5(14)

• Young adults do not have the training needed to deal with a dangerous situation like law enforcement officers.6

• Loopholes in system, and lack of background checks make it easy for guns to fall into the wrong hands. Such an instanced combined with weapon entrance into campuses provides the recipe for mass violence.7

• Guns are the most common method of suicide used by young adults, and the most common location for youth gun suicides are in their residences, which on campus would be dorms.

• Public policy initiatives that restrict access to guns (especially handguns) are associated with a reduction of firearm suicide and suicide overall, especially among youth.9

There is vast opposition of weapons on campus from university students, and staff who report feeling less safe with guns on campus.10 A feared environment could have drastic implications on attendance, enrollment, and the quality of education received by a student if he/she, or the staff, feel like they're in a volatile environment.

Gun lobbyists and the supporters for concealed weapons on campus argue that concealed weapons on campus would make for safer campuses by allowing for self-defense, instilling fear in individuals considering carrying out an attack, and preventing tragedy if a gun owner stops a violent situation. However, intelligence gaps and lack of data support fail to substantiate claims of decrease in crime. Intelligence gaps include failing to address data from FBI statistics of crime increase and a decrease in student population in states with campus carry.11

The costs of allowing concealed weapons on college campuses in already low funded schools could have economic limitations on the educative investment of students. Staff firearm training, and new security systems and equipment would add a heavy economic burden to schools. After campus carry passed in Idaho, 5 universities spent 1.5 million at a time when per student investment by the state legislature has decreased since 2007.12 Additionally, drastic increases on insurance costs would force institutions to invest less on individualized education and more on concealed weapons enhancements.

Guns pose a significant risk at college and university campuses in regards to violence, student suicide, and the psychological environment of such educative institutions. Additionally, the proposed legislation for gun carry on campuses entails economic burdens on the individual education funding of college students. The costs outweigh the risks of campus carry and the security of our nation's schools, and their role in ensuring quality higher education.

Notes

1. Robers, S., Zhang, J., & Truman, J. (2012). Indicators of school crime and safety: 2011 (NCES 2012-002/NCJ 236021). Washington, DC: National Center for

Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, and Bureau of Justice Statistics,

Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved from http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/iscs11.pdf

1. The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, “Colleges/ Universities & Presidents That Have Joined the Campaign,” available at http://keepgunsoffcampus.

org/colleges-and-universities-list/ (last accessed March 2015).

1. U.S. Department of Defense, National Center for Telehealth and Technology,

“Suicide Event Report: Calendar Year 2010 Annual Report,” (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Defense, 2010), 2.

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (CDC, 2012). Injury prevention & control: Data & statistics (WISQARSTM). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/fatal_injury_reports.html

1. “Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) FY 2013 Budget Request Summary,” CDC, http://1.usa.gov/13sPK4Y

1. Bill Dentzer, “2014 concealed weapons law costs Idaho colleges $3.7 million,” Idaho Statesman, February 3, 2015, available at http://www. idahostatesman.com/2015/02/03/3625295_ weapons-law-costs-idahocolleges.html?rh=1.

1. https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2013/preliminarysemiannual-uniform-crime-report-january-june-2013/tables/table-4-

cuts/table_4_offenses_reported_to_law_enforcement_by_state_colorado_through_ida ho_2013.xl

1. The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, “Colleges/ Universities & Presidents That Have Joined the Campaign,” available at http://keepgunsoffcampus. org/colleges-and-universities-list/ (last accessed March 2015).s

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (CDC, 2012). Injury prevention & control: Data & statistics (WISQARSTM). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/fatal_injury_reports.html

1. The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, “Colleges/ Universities & Presidents That Have Joined the Campaign,” available at http://keepgunsoffcampus. org/colleges-and-universities-list/ (last accessed March 2015).s

1. https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2013/preliminarysemiannual-uniform-crime-report-january-june-2013/tables/table-4-

cuts/table_4_offenses_reported_to_law_enforcement_by_state_colorado_through_ida ho_2013.xl

1. Bill Dentzer, “2014 concealed weapons law costs Idaho colleges $3.7 million,” Idaho Statesman, February 3, 2015, available at http://www. idahostatesman.com/2015/02/03/3625295_ weapons-law-costs-idahocolleges.html?rh=1.

Works Cited

Office of the President, Now is the Time: The President’s Plan to Protect Our Children and Our Communities by Reducing Gun Violence, 2010. http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/ files/docs/wh_now_is_the_time_full.pdf.

The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, “Colleges/ Universities & Presidents That Have Joined the Campaign”.

http://keepgunsoffcampus. org/colleges-and-universities-list/

https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2013/preliminary-semiannual uniform-crime-report-january-june-2013/tables/table-4-

cuts/table_4_offenses_reported_to_law_enforcement_by_state_colorado_throug h_idaho_2013.xl

Dentzer, Bill. “2014 concealed weapons law costs Idaho colleges $3.7 million.” Idaho Statesman, February 3, 2015.

http://www. idahostatesman.com/2015/02/03/3625295_ weapons-law-costs idaho-colleges.html?rh=1.

“Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) FY 2013 Budget Request Summary.”

CDC.

http://1.usa.gov/13sPK4Y

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (CDC, 2012). Injury prevention & control:

Data & statistics (WISQARSTM). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/fatal_injury_reports.html

U.S. Department of Defense, National Center for Telehealth and Technology, “Suicide Event Report: Calendar Year 2010 Annual Report.” Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Defense, 2010.

Robers, S., Zhang, J., & Truman, J. (2012). Indicators of school crime and safety: 2011

(NCES 2012-002/NCJ 236021). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, and Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/iscs11.pdf