Board 91: Conceal Carry of Handguns and Students’ Risk Perception at a University Setting

With the growing number of states that have enacted legislation permitting the concealed carrying of handguns on university campuses, there has been an ongoing and robust debate surrounding the new laws, particularly among students, faculty, campus police, and administrators in universities around the country. Since the enactment of Arkansas Act 562, permitting the concealed carrying of handguns on university campuses, little research has been conducted to investigate students’ perceptions of risk associated with the new law. Therefore, the purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to investigate whether engineering students’ perceptions of risk of an active shooter event occurring on campus and their stated intention to obtain a concealed-carry license differ from other students on campus, and (2) to determine what factors predict students’ stated intention to obtain a concealed-carry license. The investigator employed a survey of undergraduate engineering and education students (N = 89) in a four-year public university in Arkansas. The result of this study found that engineering students’ desire to obtain a license was not different from other students on campus, despite differences such as political affiliation and gender. Further, engineering students’ perception of risk of an active shooter event occurring on campus was less than other students. Finally, there were two significant predictors that contributed to both engineering and education students’ desire to obtain a concealed carry license: (1) students’ perceived need to defend themselves and others; and (2) students’ perception of crime generally. These results suggest that culture influences students’ attitudes and associated perceptions of risk about the concealed carrying of handguns on campus and gun laws generally. A literature review, theoretical framework, and scientific implications are also discussed.