Should Guns Be Banned From College Campuses?

Topic: Guns should be banned from college campuses.

General purpose: To address the issue of guns on college campuses and its negative consequences.

Specific purpose: To persuade the audience that carrying weapons on campus leads to an increased risk of violence.

Central idea: If a weapon is easily accessed, the risk of violent crimes increases. Moreover, colleges are not able to guarantee sufficient safety for students and employees.

Main points:

An access to firearms increases the risk of violence on campus.

1. Recent statistics show that shootings on campus are rather common.
2. Since the major social problems within college settings have not been solved yet, they may trigger gun-related crimes.

Supporters of weapon legalization claim that firearms should be allowed for personal protection. However, colleges are not able to ensure students’ and employees’ safety.

1. Not all students are able to use firearms for protection appropriately.
2. Legalizing weapons on campus may encourage students for illegal gun possession.
3. Not all colleges are able to implement necessary security measures.

Introduction

How often do you hear about issues related to guns on campus?

1. I am sure that most of you have seen newspaper headlines about mass shootings or minor incidents in school or college settings.
2. Unfortunately, the problem of guns on college campuses does not receive sufficient attention.

However, gun-related violence on campus is related to the issue of weapon legalization in general, which affects the safety of all of us.

1. Recent statistics and researchers’ opinions prove that the legalization of weapons leads to students’ and employees’ exposure to violence.
2. Today, I would like to tell you why guns should be banned from campuses.

(Transition: Let me start with the connection between guns and violent crimes.)

Body

Easy access to weapons increases the risk of violent crimes.

• Recent statistics show a significant number of weapon-related crimes on campus.

Since 1996, there have been approximately 62 shootings on campuses (Lampron, 2017, p. 26).

• You probably know about the Umpqua Community College shooting that took place in 2015 in Oregon, U.S. The cruel killing of an assistant professor and students is an example of gun-related violence.

In every college setting, there are particular social problems that may trigger gun violence.

1. Depression, suicidal ideation, harassment, and, in certain cases, bullying are not rare in colleges and may provoke the use of firearms (McCabe, 2020).
2. According to McCabe (2020), mentally unstable or bullied students are more likely to commit weapon-related crimes.

(Transition: The idea of carrying guns for the purpose of self-defense has its own disadvantages.)

College cannot guarantee that students’ and employees’ lives and well-being will be protected.

Not all students are familiar with how to use guns for personal protection.

1. Watts (2019) mentions a significant number of accidental shootings and innocent victims.
2. Additional measures, such as enhancing security on campus, are more effective and safe.

Students are not necessarily eligible for carrying guns.

1. Many of them do not have a required firearms certificate, which also increases the risk of an accidental shooting.
2. Supporting weapon permission on campus means encouraging illegal arms possession and other related offenses.

In order to guarantee overall safety, additional security measures are necessary.

1. Not all institutions are equipped with metal detectors to identify students carrying guns.
2. Searching students for a hidden weapon is a way to provide safety; however, not all colleges are able to implement this measure.

Conclusion

1. The legalization of guns on college campuses increases the risk of violent crimes, such as mass shootings.
2. Carrying weapons for personal protection may result in accidental shootings. Moreover, it encourages other offenses, such as illegal arms possession.
3. Colleges should not only pay attention to the problem of gun legalization but also enhance security. Moreover, they need to address the issues of harassment, bullying, and students’ stress and anxiety, since they lead to violence in the first place.

References

Lampron, P. A. (2017). Stuffed in a locker: A case study involving guns on campus. Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, 20(3), 26–36.

McCabe, K.A. (2020). Acts of violence in the school setting: National and international responses. Rowman & Littlefield.

Watts, J.H. (2019). Policing America’s educational systems. CRC Press.