INTERNATIONAL POLICY ANALYSIS Killing Myths and Saving Lives Latin American Perspectives on Small Arms and Disarmament Campaigns ANTONIO RANGEL BANDEIRA September 2012 n The lack of reliable information encourages the continued existence of anachronistic ideas on the possession of firearms. This dichotomy between scientific knowledge and popular perceptions of the use and control of firearms results in inappropriate public policies being developed to tackle the phenomenon, given that these policies are based on inaccurate myths. These include the following: n It is believed that carrying a gun is a means of protection that reduces risks for hold­ers of guns. However, research shows that carrying a gun increases the likelihood of the holder being killed, as guns have an essentially violent nature, which can lead to an untimely end in the case of dispute resolution and to exposure to risk situations. n It is argued that banning firearms leaves those who use them legally without protec­tion, while it also favors criminals, given that it promotes a black market. However, as most firearms are made by lawful manufacturers, control experiments have proven to be successful in reducing trade. These control policies make it difficult for crimi­nals to obtain firearms. n Major firearms manufacturer spread the idea that regulation and disarmament poli­cies are promoted by states that want to subjugate their citizens. However, in the context of the legitimate monopoly on violence, it can be proven that democratic states seek to disarm their populations in order to improve the efficiency of their institutions and guarantee the freedom and security of their citizens.