| n July 2014, the State of Idaho Legislature, after several failed attempts in earlier years, successfully passed Idaho Senate Bill 1254 which allowed for the possession of weapons on Idaho public college campuses by individuals with enhanced concealed carry permits.The Idaho State of Board of Education and the boards of trustees from each of the Idaho community colleges unanimously opposed the law, but were left with no option but to change their policies and adapt their processes upon its passage. While most of the previous discussion centered on an often emotional and volatile debate regarding whether the college campuses would be more or less safe, very little attention was initially given to the impact on the policy-making and operational processing of a new reality. The legalization of weapons on the Idaho college campuses impacted campus safety in ways that most of the stakeholders had never experienced.This multiple case study provideda rich view of the impacts on campus safety at each of the four Idaho community college campuses. Through a collectionof data obtained by interviews with key stakeholders, detailed observations on each of the campuses,and a thorough review of the key documents,this study exploredthe impact on the policy, processes, recruitment, retention, and perception of safety following the passage of the new state law. An analysis of the data from each of the campuses resultedin identification of themes that were compared across the four colleges and generates conclusions that will inform future policy and process making. The primary researcher wasan active participant observer in the study and addedhis informed perspective to the process and results.
xivThe conclusions of this study suggest that policy makers more genuinely consider the views of stakeholders in future decisions, that key campus stakeholders improve and expand campus safety training, and that primary attention be given to providing additional support for mental health services. The researchfindings suggest that the change in law and policy hadlittle impact on the perception of campus safety and campus crime statistics demonstratedlittle change in campus crime rates. The study will serve as a springboard for additional research on other aspects of campus safety as the higher education environment responds to new laws and a changing landscape.Key Words:weapons, concealed carry, campus safety, community college |