Restrictions on the possession of firearms while in public places have been gradually weakened or even scrapped through the implementation of new policies in the United States of America. The greatest step in the weakening of these restrictive laws has been occasioned by the move to allow for the concealed carrying of guns to the American colleges by adult students. Over 50 states in the United States of America now permit students to carry firearms on to the campuses and colleges. It is important to note that there are states, which require one to seek for permit before carrying the firearms while others do not have any requirement towards this practice. The truth is that with the permission of concealed carrying of firearms on to the campuses and colleges in the United States, the safety of students has significantly increased.
Reasons concealed carrying of guns is good for the adult students
Various reasons make the move to implement policies that allow the concealed carrying of guns into the American campuses and colleges a much needed and progressive one in terms of the security of the individual learners (De Angelis et al., 2017). It is common knowledge that the modern American society has been reporting many incidents gang shootings in the recent. Therefore, the need for self-defense has risen prompting the move to have adult students permitted to carry concealed guns while in colleges and campuses. The rationale behind this policy is that responsible citizens should get the right to be armed against criminals who do not hesitate to use guns on them. Violent criminals attack even the college and university students. The concealed handgun carriers usually stop feeling like victims and get a sense of confidence regarding their security and safety. This feeling of safety, but not victim, is necessary for the students particularly when going out in the course of the night. Students must feel safe so that they can concentrate on the education. Fear of criminal attacks while studying makes students to lose concentration and fail in campuses and universities. Considering the study done in the year 2001 by the National Opinion Research Center, 59% of individuals who carry firearms with them outside their houses do so because it makes them feel safe and protected (Valdebenito et al., 2017). Florida’s percentage of female concealed gun carriers rose to 23% in the year 2014 from a level of 15% as reported in 2004 (Proffitt & White, 2017). Most of these women noted that the guns made them feel safer than when they do not have them. According to a study, peer-reviewed and published in the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology , a criminal usually retreats 55.5% of the time when the attacked person draws a gun on him or her.
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Moreover, the policy for allowing concealed gun carry is good and needed in the American campuses and colleges because it is enshrined in the Constitution of the United States of America. The right to carry concealed guns is enshrined under the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It is stated under this 2nd Amendment that "a well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed" (Vaughn et al., 2017).
Conclusion
American colleges and universities should implement the policy allowing for the carrying of concealed guns by the adult students. It is needed in order for them to feel safer, protected and confident while undergoing their education. It will enable them to concentrate on learning because of the reduced fear of being victims of crime.
References
De Angelis, J., Benz, T. A., & Gillham, P. (2017). Collective Security, Fear of Crime, and Support for Concealed Firearms on a University Campus in the Western United States. Criminal Justice Review , 42 (1), 77-94.
Proffitt, J. M., & White, J. W. (2017). Preventing Violence or Promulgating Fear? ALEC, the NRA, and Guns on Campus. The NEA Higher Education Journal , 11.
Valdebenito, S., Ttofi, M. M., Eisner, M., & Gaffney, H. (2017). Weapon carrying in and out of school among pure bullies, pure victims and bully-victims: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Aggression and Violent Behavior , 33 , 62-77.
Vaughn, M. G., Salas-Wright, C. P., Boutwell, B. B., DeLisi, M., & Curtis, M. P. (2017). Handgun Carrying Among Youth in the United States: An Analysis of Subtypes. Youth violence and juvenile justice , 15 (1), 21-37.
