NCJ Number
59150
Date Published
1977
Length
15 pages
Annotation
SEVERAL SOURCES OF DATA ON ARSON IN ILLINOIS ARE DISCUSSED, INCLUDING DESCRIPTIONS AND SOURCES OF AVAILABLE DATA, AND LIMITATIONS OF SUCH DATA.
Abstract
THESE DATA SOURCES CONCENTRATE ON THE INCIDENTS OF ARSON KNOWN TO THE POLICE, SUSPECTED ARSON INCIDENTS, POLICE AND COURT ACTIONS, CORRECTIONS INFORMATION, AND LOCATION OF INCIDENTS. MOST OF THE STATEWIDE INFORMATION ON ARSON INCIDENTS KNOWN TO THE POLICE CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE ILLINOIS UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS (I-UCR), WHICH CATEGORIZES THE DATA INTO (1) ARSON USING AN EXPLOSIVE DEVICE, (2) ARSON USING AN INCENDIARY DEVICE, (3) POSSESSION OF EXPLOSIVE AND/OR INCENDIARY DEVICES, AND (4) ATTEMPTED ARSON. INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FOR THE ENTIRE STATE, FOR METROPOLITAN AND NONMETROPOLITAN COUNTIES, FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNING REGIONS, FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY JURISDICTIONS, AND FOR STANDARD METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS. A SAMPLE OF STANDARD REPORTS WHICH WOULD INTEREST A PERSON STUDYING ARSON IS PROVIDED, ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL SOURCES FOR SPECIFIC DATA. HOWEVER, NO DATA SOURCE ON ARSON IS COMPLETE OR PERFECTLY ACCURATE SINCE ARSON IS NOT AN INDEX CRIME; IT HAS TO BE COMPILED AS A SPECIAL REQUEST WHICH MAY REQUIRE CONSIDERABLE TIME. SUPPLEMENTAL DATA MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF FIRE PREVENTION ON ARSON AND SUSPECTED ARSON INCIDENTS, FROM THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT, FROM THE COUNTY OR MUNICIPAL COURTS ON THE TRIALS AND CONVICTIONS RESULTING FROM ARSON ARRESTS, OR FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. THE BEST SOURCE OF COURT RELATED INFORMATION ON ARSON CASES FOR ANY ILLINOIS COUNTY IS THE CASE HISTORY REPORT MADE OUT FOR EACH CASE BY THE CRIMINAL DIVISION OF EACH CIRCUIT COURT. IN ADDITION, INFORMATION ON INCARCERATED ARSONISTS IS AVAILABLE FROM THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS' CORRECTIONS INFORMATION SYSTEM. FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE LIMITATIONS OF THESE SOURCES POINTS OUT THE PROBLEMS WHICH EXIST IN COLLECTING AND ORGANIZING DATA ON THE STATEWIDE LEVEL. REFERENCES AND THE NAMES, ADDRESSES, AND/OR PHONE NUMBERS OF LOCAL DATA SOURCES ARE APPENDED. TABULAR DATA ON ARSON OFFENSES ARE INCLUDED. (WJR)