THE PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT OF GUN VIOLENCE

Presented by Amy Thompson, Ph.D., CHES, FESG

The mission of the American School Health Association is to transform all schools into places where every student learns and thrives. The American School Health Association envisions healthy students who learn and achieve in safe and healthy environments nurtured by caring adults functioning within coordinated school and community support systems.

92ND ANNUAL CONFERENCEINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

OCTOBER 4-6, 2018

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Amy ThompsonProfessor of Public Health, University of Toledo

Ph.D., CHES, FESG

TODAY’S PRESENTER:

Guns on College Campuses: Public Health &

Policy Implications

Amy Thompson Ph.D., CHES, FESG

Professor of Public Health

The University of Toledo

Objectives

1. Discuss the public health impact of guns in the U.S.

2. Explain the current status of guns on college campuses

3. Identify ways to advocate for gun-free zones on college campuses

4. Discuss ways to assess student threats and at-risk students

Firearms in the U.S.

More than 40% of all U.S. households contain at least one firearm.

1:4 homes has a handgun.

In the U.S. we have more guns per capita than any other industrialized country in the world.

The U.S. in comparison to other industrialized countries, has the some of the least restrictive gun laws.

Did You Know Most States Do Not Have Laws that…….

Ban assault weapons

Ban high capacity ammunition magazines

Restrict child access

Require a minimum age to possess a firearm

Restrict the number of guns or volume of ammunition purchased

Did You Know Most States Do Not Have Laws that…….

• Require safety mechanisms on guns

• Require registration

• Require a background check on all sales

• Prohibit open carrying or concealed carrying (CCW)

• Allow cities to have their own firearm laws

• Allow you to hold gun manufacturers and dealers legally responsible

In some states you have to register this……. but not this

Expanding background checks would only penalize lawful gun owners

No more “gun-free” zones

Supports concealed carry permits from other states

Law-abiding citizens should be allowed to own the firearms of their choice

Mental illness, not access to guns is what drives mass shootings

“Stop and frisk” to reduce gun violence in cities

(www.thetrace.org)

President Trump’s Views on Gun Issues:

The Public Health Impact of Guns

• In the year 2016, there were 38,658 deaths in the United States:

-14,415 firearm homicide victims (37.3%)

-22,938 firearm suicide victims (59.3%)

-495 unintentional firearm injury deaths (1.3%)

-510 legal intervention (1.3%)

-300 undetermined (0.8%)

(CDC Wisquars)

(CDC Wisquars)

Non-fatal Shootings

• In addition to the 38,658 people killed by firearms 84,997 individuals were non-fatally wounded by firearms.

Firearms and Mortality

In a study by Price, Thompson, and Dake (2003) state level data was examined and it was found that firearm prevalence had a significant effect on firearm homicide, suicide, and unintentional injury.

In states where there were higher rates of gun ownership, there were higher rates of firearm related death.

No other Industrialized country in the world has the number of gun deaths that we do in U.S.

Campus Carry

• Concealed carry (also known as carrying a concealed weapon) (CCW) is generally the practice of carrying a weapon in a concealed manner while in public. Many states also permit open carry where guns can be carried openly without the need for a permit

• Every state in the United States, now allows concealed carry for citizens meeting specific requirements, although states vary widely on how the permit systems are administered. For example, four states—Alaska, Arizona, Vermont, and Wyoming—do not require a permit to carry a concealed gun in a public arena.

• It is important to note that there are various training and requirements required by each state to obtain a CCW permit.

Why the Guns on Campus Movement?

Living for 32

The Current State of Guns on Campuses

The overwhelming majority of the 4,400 colleges and universities in the United States prohibit the carrying of concealed weapons (CCW) particularly guns on their campuses.

These gun-free policies have helped to make our post-secondary education institutions some of the safest places in the country.

A 2001 U.S. Department of Education study found that the overall homicide rate at post-secondary education institutions was 0.07 per 100,000 students in 1999.

By comparison, the criminal homicide rate in the United States as a whole was 5.7 per 100,000 persons overall, and 14.1 per 100,000 for persons ages 17 to 29.

A Department of Justice study found that 93% of violent crimes that victimize college students occur off campus.

State Policies Regarding Guns on Campus

COLOR CODING KEY

RED = Concealed guns allowed by law

GREY = Concealed guns allowed by law, but schools limit

locations/who carries

GREEN = Concealed guns on campus prohibited by law

YELLOW = Schools decide weapons policy

ORANGE = Concealed guns allowed only in locked cars in

parking lots

Check your campus for proper signage

Our Research On Firearm and College Campuses

• Price, J., Thompson, A., Dake, J., Payton, E. & Teeple, K. (2016). “Historically Black University Presidents Perceptions Regarding the Carrying of Concealed Handguns on College Campuses”. College Student Journal (50) 1.

• Price, J.H., Thompson, A.J., Khubchandani, J., Dake, J., Payton, E., & Teeple, K. (2014). “University presidents’ perceptions and practices regarding concealed handguns on campus”. Journal of American College Health (62) 7.

• Thompson, A., Price, J., Dake, J., Teeple, K., Bassler, S, Khubchandani, J., Kerr, D., Brookins Fisher, J., Rickard, M., Oden, L., Aduroja, A., Lyde, A., Philips, K., Adeyanju, M., Eggleston, B., Ferng-Kuo, S.F., et. al. (2013). “Student perceptions and practices regarding carrying concealed handguns on university campuses”. Journal of American College Health 61(5): 243-253.

• Thompson, A., Price, J., Dake, J. & Teeple, K. (2012).“Faculty Perceptions Regarding the Carrying of Concealed Handguns on College Campuses”. Journal of Community Health DOI 10.1007/s10900-012-9626-0

• Teeple, K., Thompson, A. & Price, J. (2012). “Armed Campuses: The Current Status Of Concealed Guns On College Campuses”. The Monograph of Eta Sigma Gamma. 29 (2):57-64.

• Thompson A, Price J, Mrdjenovich A, Khubchandani J. (2009). “Reducing Firearm-Related Violence on College Campuses--Police Chiefs' Perceptions and Practices”. Journal of American College Health58:(3):247-254.

• Dowling J. Thompson A, Price J. (2009). “Campus Communities and Firearm Violence: Fighting Crime by Arming our Students and Faculty?” The Monograph of Eta Sigma Gamma 26:(2) 23-27.

• Price J, Mrdjenovich A, Thompson A, Dake J. (2009). “College Counselors’ Perceptions and Practices Regarding Anticipatory Guidance on Firearms”. American Journal of College Health 58:(2) 133-139.

• Payton, E., Khubchandani, J., Thompson, A. & Price J. (2017) “Parents perceptions of guns on school campuses in the US”. Manuscript in press Journal of Community Health.

• Price, J., Payton, E., Khunchandani, J. & Thompson, A. Dake, J. (2015). “Reducing the risks of firearm violence in high schools: Principals perceptions and practices.” Journal of Community Health online first DOI) 10.1007/s10900-015-0087-0.

• Payton, E., Thompson, A., Price, J., Dake, J., & Khunchandani, J. (2014).“Reducing gun violence in secondary schools”. Journal of Community Health 40 (3 ):63-71.

Underlying Arguments of Campus Carry Movement

1. The perception that mass shootings are greatly reduced when there are guns present. “Good Guy with a Gun Stops Bad Guy with a Gun”

2. Mass shootings mostly occur in gun free or gun restricted or “victim zones”.

3. The occurrence and lethality of mass shootings are reduced in CCW jurisdictions (More Guns=Less Crime).

Why Campus Carry is Not a Good Solution

1. College campuses are one of the safest places to be.

2. There are large quantities of alcohol and drugs readily available that can de a dangerous mix when a gun is present.

3. A high percentage of students are adjusting to the “college life” and often experience depression and mental health issues.

4. The high degree of pressure from academic performance could cause acts of violence against faculty and other students.

Why Campus Carry is Not a Good Solution

5. Concealed firearms have the opportunity to be dropped from bags and backpacks leading to unintentional shootings.

6. Students and faculty may not be as free to discuss controversial issues knowing someone may be armed.

7. The likelihood of a CCW permit holder to “save the day” or thwart an active of violence is low compared to the risk of possession.

8. If there is an “active shooter” it can delay response time by law enforcement.

Incidence of Gun Events on College Campus• A recent study by Everytown for Gun

Safety (2016) identified 85 incidents of shootings or undesirable discharges of firearms on college campuses in the U.S. from January 2013 through June 2016.

• Only two of these 85 incidents (2.4%) involved a shooter on a rampage. The most common incidents were interpersonal disputes that escalated into gun violence (45%), premeditated acts of violence against an individual (12%), suicides or murder/suicides (12%), and unintentional shootings or discharges (9%).

Mass Shootings

• Klarevas (2016) examined mass shootings (involving six or more victims murdered) that occurred in the United States from 1966 to through June 2016 his research contradicts the claims that mass shootings happen mostly in gun free zones.

• Only 12% of these shootings took place, in whole or in part, in a truly gun-free zone (no armed security or police or armed civilians) and 5% in a gun-restricting zone (civilian gun possession prohibited).

• Everytown for Gun Safety (2015) conducted a separate study of mass shootings involving four or more fatalities, that included domestic incidents during 2009-2015, found that only 13% occurred in a gun-free or gun-restricting zone.

• Successful civilian uses of guns to stop a mass shooting were incredibly rare. Over 26 years, there have been 4 documented incidents where a rampage shooting was thwarted by an armed civilian. In 5 shootings, the attempted gun user failed to stop the attack and in 3 of these the civilian was shot

Compiling Cases Where Concealed Handgun Permit Holders Have Stopped Mass Public Shootings.

2016; http://crimeresearch.org/2015/04/uber-driver-in-chicago-stops-mass-public-shooting/. Accessed

July 12, 2016.

Academic Freedom and Grading Issues

Identification of At-Risk Students

Identification of Risk Factors

• History of Violence

• Threats

• Intimate partnership violence

• Drug and alcohol abuse

• Missing class and failing grades

• Mental health issues

• Preoccupation with violence

• Withdrawn

• Socially isolated, bullied, or discriminated against

• Disruptive behavior

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ses • Most states do not require universities to allow concealed

carry on campuses, it is important to monitor your state to see if this legislation is being considered.

• Use campus opinion surveys as a starting point.

• Engage the media and student groups.

• Many states also have pro gun control organization as a resource.

• Meet with the president and government affairs office.

• Partner with your state AAUP and higher education coalitions.

• Ask Faculty and Student Senate to pass resolutions in opposition.

• STUDENTS ARE YOUR BEST RESOURCE FOR ADVOCACY!!!

Active Shooter Training

• Two of the more common active shooter programs nationally are the “Run,

Hide, Fight” program and ALICE Training (Alert, Lockdown, Inform,

Counter, Evacuate).

• While these programs have not been adequately evaluated they may be a resource for your university.

Tips for Working with the Topic of Gun Violence and Policy

Be prepared for opposition

You must organize and build partnerships

Use the media

Good to have someone from legal affairs in your team

Know where your policy makers stand on the issue in advance

Conclusions

• Firearms are a leading public health issue and more advocacy needs to occur for prevention and research.

• The best available research contradicts many claims and assumptions that having guns on college campuses make it a safer environment.

• The presence of guns on college campuses can impact academic freedom and the safety that we enjoy on our campuses.

• There needs to be collaborative efforts among faculty, student affairs, law enforcement, counselling and college health staff to identify at-risk students who have potential to access guns.

• Advocacy can be an effective tool to help shape gun related polices on campuses.

• Many campuses have adopted ALICE training or similar curricula as a mechanism to train faculty, staff and students to respond to active shooters.

Closing Thought………………..

“We lose eight children and teenagers to gun violence every day. If a mysterious virus suddenly started killing eight of our children every day, America would mobilize teams of doctors and public health officials. We would move heaven and earth until we found a way to protect our children. But not with gun violence.”

― Elizabeth Warren, A Fighting Chance

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92ND ANNUAL CONFERENCEINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

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