ARSON PREVENTION - WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

• NCJ Number: 58429
• Author(s): R R FONTAINE
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 84 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: BLYTHEVILLE AIR FORCE BASE - BACHELOR OF ARTS RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Annotation

THIS STUDY PROPOSES THE ESTABLISHMENT OF ARSON PREVENTION TASK FORCES SUPPORTED BY PROGRAMS FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS, AWARDS, AND ARSON INVESTIGATION TRAINING.

Abstract

A RESEARCH PROPOSAL POSITS THAT A NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL SMALLER ARSON PREVENTION PROGRAMS CAN BE COMBINED TO CREATE A MODEL ARSON PREVENTION PROGRAM HAVING A GOAL OF REDUCING ARSON BY 15 PERCENT. THIS MODEL PROGRAM ALSO HAS THE GOALS OF BEING FEASIBLE AND COST-EFFECTIVE TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THE PROPOSAL CONTAINS A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF REFERENCES TO BE USED IN THE ACTUAL RESEARCH STUDY, ALONG WITH A STATEMENT OF PROCEDURES, A LIST OF PERSONS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND FACILITIES TO BE USED TO SUPPORT A LITERATURE SEARCH WITH INTERVIEWS AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION, AND A BUDGET FOR THE STUDY. SECOND, THE ACTUAL STUDY PRESENTS, AS A SENIOR THESIS, A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE INCLUDING THE MOTIVES FOR ARSON, THE COSTS IN LIVES, PROPERTY, AND INVESTIGATION EFFORTS, AND CONVICTIONS, WHICH RUN AS LOW AS 1 PERCENT. THE METHODOLOGY FOR CREATING THE MODEL ARSON PROGRAM CONSISTED OF EXTRACTING ALL THE VALID STATISTICS PUBLISHED IN THE LITERATURE SHOWING THAT AN ARSON PREVENTION PROGRAM IS WORKING TO DECREASE ARSON BY 15 PERCENT, SURVEYING TEN STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES FOR THE SAME TYPE OF INFORMATION, YIELDING THREE AGENCIES WITH THREE PROGRAMS THAT EFFECTIVELY REDUCED ARSON, AND CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS WITH KEY PERSONNEL IN POSITIONS DEALING WITH ARSON, THOUGH NOT NECESSARILY ARSON PREVENTION. EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS AND SECURITY DEVICES WERE REJECTED AS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR SMALL COMMUNITIES. OTHER PROGRAMS WERE COMBINED INTO THE MODEL ARSON PREVENTION PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM STARTS WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ARSON TASK FORCE COMPRISING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS WHICH HAVE AN INTEREST IN REDUCING ARSON. THE FORMATION OF THIS TASK FORCE SHOULD COINCIDE WITH A PUBLIC AWARENESS PROGRAM LED BY A PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR. A PROGRAM OF EDUCATION FOR ARSON INVESTIGATORS SHOULD BE INITIATED ON AT LEAST THE COUNTY LEVEL. THE FINAL PART IS THE USE OF SURVEILLANCE UNITS USING EXISTING FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL AND VEHICLES. EACH PART OF THE STUDY HAS ITS OWN ABSTRACT AND INTRODUCTION, AND APPENDIXES, GRAPHS, TABLES, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (TWB)