Tragic events such as the mass shootings that occurred recently at a college campus in Oregon highlight the need for a shared public consensus regarding the intersections between mental health problems, the use of guns and violent acts. This understanding should be informed by credible and up-to-date information about what we know from scientific evidence as well as ongoing community dialogue about the competing public attitudes and beliefs about the solutions.
Here are some facts from recent research studies about mental health problems and violence, including the use of guns.
We know that youth exposure to violence involving weapons is a risk factor for becoming a future victim and experiencing negative life events. We also know that the large majority of persons with serious mental health problems are never violent. Only 3 percent to 5 percent of violent acts are associated with serious mental illnesses, and most violent acts do not involve guns. However, a recent review of empirical studies tells us that the perpetration of violence and violent victimization are more common among individuals with serious mental health problems. And being a victim of violence or committing suicide are more likely among people with mental health problems than committing violent acts.
For this reason, policies about restricting access to firearms among people with a mental health diagnosis are likely to make a minimal contribution to public safety. On the other hand, experts also tell us that restricting firearm access on the basis of impulsive, angry behaviors is supported by research.
Despite these facts, public perceptions about people with mental illness, violence and the use of firearms are shaped in part by the highly publicized shootings that occur and attract media attention. For example, two years after an incident at the University of South Florida where an individual terrorized off-campus students, USF students reported that they feel less safe in the surrounding community than students on other college campuses; and only 3 percent of students feel “very safe” in the community at night.
As states and communities develop policies intended to address this crisis, there are a number of strategies to consider. We need guidelines on reasonable restrictions on gun access. This includes background checks and other methods to identify persons likely to commit acts of violence. For example, restriction of firearms for individuals with violent misdemeanor convictions and multiple DUI convictions, could be an effective policy to prevent gun violence. Improved identification and access to services for persons with dangerous behaviors may reduce the risks of suicide and violence involving firearms.
Access to care will not increase without the political will to increase funding for appropriate services and supports. We need early identification of at-risk youths, including school-based screenings. As policies are developed, we need to be keep in mind how public policy may affect individuals with mental health problems, as well as how policies affect how the American public views mental illness. The goal is to reduce the stigma associated with seeking or obtaining mental health services.
Finally, we need to promote ongoing community dialogue about how to promote safe communities and reduce deaths related to firearm-related violence. Recognizing that there are widely divergent points of view on issues such as the right to purchase or possess firearms, we must learn how to dialogue about reasonable restrictions on gun access and possession.
A colloquium scheduled for today at the University Area Community Development Corporation will bring national experts and local leaders together to share available information about what the public believes and what science has learned about the risk of gun violence among people with mental health disorders. Sponsored by the USF College of Behavioral and Community Sciences and the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, the “Colloquium on Mental Health, Guns & Violence” is open to university and community members and will provide current research-based information regarding the intersections between mental health problems, the use of guns and violent acts.
We hope this event is the beginning of an ongoing community conversation about how to address these issues. We need to find consensus on strategies that will acknowledge the right to possess firearms, minimize gun violence both in communities and on college campuses, and promote access to mental health services.
USF faculty member Dr. Mary Armstrong is executive director of the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, part of USF’s College of Behavioral & Community Sciences.