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Mass Shootings in Schools: The Worst Possible Case for Gun Control

Florida State University

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: gkleck{at}fsu.edu.

	Abstract

The most frequent policy lesson drawn following the Columbine school shootings was the need for more gun controls. Review of the details of both Columbine and other contemporary school shootings indicates, however, that the specific gun control measures proposed in their aftermath were largely irrelevant and almost certainly could not have prevented the incidents or reduced their death tolls. These measures included restrictions on gun shows, child access prevention laws mandating locking up guns, and bans on assault weapons. Ironically, exploitation of school shootings for the advocacy of irrelevant gun controls may have obscured the genuine merits of various gun control measures for reducing "ordinary" gun violence. Thus, mass school shootings provided the worst possible basis for supporting gun control.

First published on March 4, 2009, doi:10.1177/0002764209332557

American Behavioral Scientist 2009;52:1447.

A more recent version of this article appeared on June 1, 2009


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