NCJ Number
65242
Date Published
1979
Length
0 pages
Annotation
THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN AN ARSON INVESTIGATION ARE DETAILED IN THIS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM WITH SLIDES, A SOUND TAPE, AND A SLIDE PROGRAM NARRATION MANUAL COVERING ARSON EVIDENCE AND LABORATORY WORK.
Abstract
ARSON CRIMES HAVE INCREASED 377 PERCENT SINCE 1964 AND PROPERTY LOSS IS ESTIMATED AT BETWEEN $500 MILLION TO OVER $1 BILLION YEARLY. PROBABLY BETWEEN 22 AND 50 PERCENT OF ALL FIRES ARE INTENTIONALLY SET, AND THESE INTENTIONALLY SET FIRES CAUSE MORE DEATHS EACH YEAR THAN ALL NATURAL DISASTERS COMBINED. THIS PROGRAM DESCRIBES THE MOTIVES FOR ARSON, RANGING FROM THE MOST FREQUENT--SPITE, REVENGE, OR JEALOUSY-- TO THE LESS FREQUENT SETTING OF ARSON FIRES BY PERSONS WITH MENTAL DISTURBANCES. THE PROGRAM OUTLINES ESSENTIAL STEPS IN ARSON INVESTIGATION, INCLUDING OBSERVATION OF THE FIRE SCENE FROM A DISTANCE FIRST; THE SEARCH FOR CHEMICAL, MECHANICAL, OR ELECTRICAL MEANS OF STARTING FIRES; AND THE DETECTION OF FACTORS SUGGESTING ARSON, SUCH AS FLAMABLE LIQUID ACCELERANTS, BURN TRAILS AND VERTICAL BURN HOLES, SPALLED CONCRETE, COLORED ASH, FLUORESCENCE, AND ACID BURNS. IN ADDITION, MISSING EVIDENCE, SUCH AS OBJECTS OF VALUE OR BUSINESS RECORDS, POINT TO POSSIBLE ARSON. STEPS IN ACQUIRING CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE OF ARSON ARE ALSO OUTLINED, AND THE KINDS OF LABORATORY ANALYSIS--CHROMATOGRAPHY AND INFRARED SPECTROPHOTOMETRY--USED FOR ANALYZING EVIDENCE ARE DETAILED. LISTS DESCRIBE THE CONTENTS OF A FIRE INVESTIGATION TOOLKIT, A CHECKLIST FOR AN INITIAL INVESTIGATION, PROCEDURES FOR SECURING EVIDENCE FOR LABORATORY ANALYSIS, AND ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FREQUENTLY ASKED ABOUT ARSON; A READER SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE IS INCLUDED. (AOP)