Table Of ContentGUN VIOLENCE
PREVENTION?
The Politics Behind
Policy Responses to
School Shootings in the
United States
Selina E. M. Kerr
Gun Violence Prevention?
Selina E. M. Kerr
Gun Violence
Prevention?
The Politics Behind Policy Responses to School
Shootings in the United States
Selina E. M. Kerr
Independent Researcher
Glasgow, UK
ISBN 978-3-319-75312-6 ISBN 978-3-319-75313-3 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75313-3
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018934694
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Dedicated with love to my dad.
•
P
reface
At the time of the Dunblane school shooting in 1996, I was a nine-year-
old child living in Scotland. I then became afraid to attend school in case
a shooting occurred. This was exacerbated by my teacher at school prepar-
ing students in the class for a future incident, questioning where they
would hide and how they would seek help. The Dunblane school shooting
was a momentous incident for the United Kingdom, affecting security
policies at schools across the nation and resulting in a ban on private own-
ership of handguns. I was intrigued about how such an atypical event
could have such a momentous impact. The United Kingdom has never
had another school shooting incident. After learning of the numerous
school shootings occurring in the United States, I decided to investigate
policy responses to the most high-profile incidents.
Building upon the work started in my doctoral thesis looking at news
media constructions and policy responses to school shootings in the
United States, this book examines the gun-related policy debates and
actions following three high-profile incidents: Columbine, Virginia Tech
and Sandy Hook. The specific focus is on the role ‘gun violence preven-
tion’ interest groups play in the process alongside other key players like the
news media and the three branches of the US government. Discussed
within this book are the policy proposals and responses centring on
restricting access to guns and types of weapons, alongside the alternative
of recommending expanding gun rights to defend against school shooting
perpetrators. This book will be of interest to researchers working in the
field of US politics, gun violence and mass violence. Students in sociology,
vii
viii PREFACE
social policy and criminology modules are also a key audience for this
book. It is possible that this book could also be used to inform policy work
around gun regulations in the United States.
As a British researcher examining guns in the United States, it has been
particularly interesting to extensively research the history, laws and politics
of another country. Whilst my hope is that this book will offer some insight
into gun violence prevention measures and recommendations, I recognise
that the United States has a different culture and history to the United
Kingdom and my intention is not to advocate that the United States
becomes more like the United Kingdom. Personally, I have a ‘special rela-
tionship’ with the United States and I am compelled to continue to
research it.
I am grateful for all the help I was provided with during the course of
writing this book. I am grateful to Palgrave first of all for the opportunity
to publish work on what I believe is a very important topic. I would like
to extend my gratitude to my research participants for taking part in inter-
views, some of them multiple times. I am also appreciative of my stepfa-
ther, husband and mother for taking the time to proofread drafts of
chapters. I would also like to thank my husband for being there for the
past ten years. I am also grateful for all the other assistance and support I
have received from family and friends. This book is dedicated to my dad.
Glasgow, UK Selina E. M. Kerr
c
ontents
1 I ntroduction 1
2 A Partisan Issue? Policy-Making and Guns
in the United States 31
3 Columbine School Shooting 57
4 Virginia Tech Shooting 73
5 Sandy Hook School Shooting 93
6 Conclusion 111
Appendix 133
Glossary 137
Index 141
ix
L t
ist of abLes
Table 1.1 Total news media content 15
Table 1.2 Feature articles and letters to the editor 16
xi
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Abstract ‘School shootings’ are a form of targeted violence, where perpe-
trators aim to kill as many people as possible within a short period of time.
This chapter explains why school shootings despite being relatively rare
events within the wider spectrum of gun violence have the potential to
give it salience and define the parameters of policy debates. Discussed
thereafter is the importance of the ‘framing’ of gun violence after school
shootings to allow for policy solutions to be formed. Background context
is provided about the three school shooting case studies selected for analy-
sis. A detailed overview of the news media analyses and interviews con-
ducted as part of the research for this book is then documented. A roadmap
to the structure of the book is then provided.
Keywords School shootings • Framing • Case studies • News media •
Policy solutions
Gun Violence PreVention?
Columbine. Virginia Tech. Sandy Hook. These are all infamous terms,
epitomising horror and the tragic loss of life in a school environment.
What one does not immediately associate with these incidents, however,
are radical changes in gun legislation in the United States. As I write this,
the worst mass shooting in the country’s history, the ‘Las Vegas massacre’
at a country music festival, has just taken place, killing 58 and injuring
© The Author(s) 2018 1
S. E. M. Kerr, Gun Violence Prevention?,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75313-3_1
