The Relationship Between Gun Safety, Concealed Carry Legislation, and Firearms Training in Contra Costa County, California

Abstract

On June 23, 2022, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen finding that proper cause restrictions in New York’s concealed carry legislation were unconstitutional and a violation of the Second and Fourteenth Amendments. This ruling effectively eliminated all may-issue states, states in which concealed carry weapons permits were issued at the discretion of a county sheriff or police chief, and instantly turned these states into shall-issue states. With the high rate of indiscriminate gun violence, mass shootings, suicides, and now more individuals with concealed carry weapons (CCW) permits in public settings, finding sensible alternative measures to reduce firearms violence is essential. This study, therefore, explores the relationship between historical and current events, cultural differences, and political affiliation relating to perceptions of gun safety, opinions of concealed carry legislation, and the perceived need for revisions in formal firearms training courses to reduce gun-related injuries and deaths in Contra Costa County, California.