NCJ Number
11547
Date Published
1972
Length
190 pages
Annotation
STUDY BASED ON A COMPREHENSIVE STATISTICAL DATA BASE OF METROPOLITAN FIRE DEPARTMENT PROBLEMS RELATED TO VIOLENCE.
Abstract
THE DATA COVERING THE PERIOD 1968 THROUGH 1971 WERE GATHERED BY THE USE OF QUESTIONNAIRES, FIELD VISITS, AND A REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE. THE FOLLOWING SIX MAJOR AREAS OF VIOLENCE ARE COVERED - BUILDING FIRES ATTRIBUTED TO ARSON AND SUSPECTED ARSON, FALSE ALARMS, ACTS OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE AGAINST FIRE DEPARTMENTS DURING RIOTS AND CIVIL DISORDERS, ISOLATED ACTS OF HARASSMENT DIRECTED AGAINST FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL, EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES, AND BOMB THREATS AND BOMB INCIDENTS. THE AUTHOR HAS INDICATED THAT THE INTENTION OF THE STUDY WAS NOT TO SUGGEST GENERAL CHANGES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, BUT RATHER TO FIND SPECIFIC NEED FOR CHANGES IN LOCAL, STATE, OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS DEALING WITH PROBLEMS OF VIOLENCE AFFECTING FIRE DEPARTMENTS. THEREFORE, THE STUDY DEALT SPECIFICALLY WITH EACH OF THE AREAS OF VIOLENT BEHAVIOR, ATTEMPTING TO IDENTIFY THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM, EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM, AND POSSIBLE AVENUES FOR ALLEVIATION OF THE EFFECTS OF VIOLENT BEHAVIOR ON FIRE DEPARTMENTS. MR. MOLL CONCLUDES THAT, EXCEPT FOR ARSON, VIOLENCE IS NOT PRESENTLY AN UNMANAGEABLE BURDEN TO FIRE DEPARTMENTS. ALTHOUGH HE FINDS THAT FIRE DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY SUCCESSFUL IN ADAPTING THEIR INTERNAL OPERATIONS TO VIOLENCE PROBLEMS, HE STRONGLY SUGGESTS THAT GREATER INTERSERVICE COOPERATION WITH THE POLICE IS NEEDED. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WHO OVERSEE BOTH POLICE AND FIRE FUNCTIONS ARE URGED TO PROMOTE THIS COOPERATION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED) (SNI ABSTRACT)