RT Article
T1 Texas sheriffs’ perceptions on firearm regulations and mass shootings
JF International journal of police science & management
VO 23
IS 3
SP 222
OP 230
A1 Meitl, Michele Bisaccia
A2 Wellman, Ashley
A2 Kinkaid, Patrick
LA English
YR 2021
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1770925252
AB Criminal justice research often focuses exclusively on municipal police departments. Sheriffs’ departments are largely ignored in this research despite this population’s reach and role. There are nearly 3,000 sheriffs’ offices around the United States and they often serve as the only law enforcement body in rural areas. This study sought to address the scarcity of this research and focused on Texas sheriffs’ views regarding firearm regulations and the causes of mass shootings. An 18-question instrument created in consult with the Texas Narcotic Officers Association was sent to each sheriff in the 254 counties of Texas to assess their perceptions regarding solutions to mass shootings, disqualification criteria for gun ownership, and civilian access to certain types of firearms and ammunition. Responding sheriffs, as a whole, were reluctant to limit access to guns and ammunition as a general matter, but strongly agreed that certain discrete populations should have limited or no access to firearms. Policy implications are discussed.
K1 Law Enforcement
K1 Policy
K1 Sheriffs
K1 MASS shootings
K1 Firearm regulation
DO 10.1177/14613557211004621