SURVEY OF ARSON AND ARSON RESPONSE CAPABILITIES IN SELECTED JURISDICTIONS

• NCJ Number: 55792
• Author(s): S H WEBSTER; K E MATHEWS
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 46 pages
• Contract Number(s): J-LEAA-013-78
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Abt Associates, Inc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A SURVEY OF ALL FIRE DEPARTMENTS FOR CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OF 50,000 OR MORE COLLECTED DATA ON ARSON INCIDENCE, THE DISPOSITION OF ARSON CASES, THE NUMBER OF ARSON UNIT PERSONNEL, AND SUPPORT SYSTEM USES.

Abstract

QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO 435 FIRE CHIEFS, AND 174 WERE COMPLETED AND RETURNED. THE SURVEY, COMMISSIONED BY LEAA'S NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE, COVERED FOUR ASPECTS OF ARSON-RELATED ACTIVITY: THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM AND MAGNITUDE OF EFFORT APPLIED IN JURISDICTIONS; DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATION, PERSONNEL RESOURCES, EQUIPMENT, PROGRAM OPERATIONS, TRAINING, AND PREVENTION TECHNIQUES; USE OF SUPPORT SYSTEMS SUCH AS DATA PROCESSING PROGRAMS, TASK FORCES, THE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT, AND OUTSIDE INVESTIGATIVE RESOURCES; AND RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING FUTURE LEGISLATION AND FUNDING PRIORITIES. THE RESPONSES INDICATE THAT MANY CITIES, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH HIGH ARSON RATES, HAVE IMPLEMENTED TASK FORCES TO COORDINATE CITY RESOURCES AGAINST ARSON, THAT CITIES WITH DECLINING POPULATIONS HAVE MORE BUILDING AND ARSON FIRES, AND THAT ARSON FIRES PER CAPITA HAVE ALMOST DOUBLED BETWEEN 1971 AND 1977. THE SURVEY ALSO REVEALS THAT MOTIVES FOR ARSON FIRES ARE VANDALISM (42 PERCENT), REVENGE (23 PERCENT), PYROMANIA (14 PERCENT), MONETARY PROFIT (14 PERCENT), AND CRIME COVER (7 PERCENT). ACCORDING TO THE RESPONSE DATA, 18.5 PERCENT OF FIRES CLASSIFIED AS INCENDIARY WERE CLEARED BY ARREST, FIRE DEPARTMENTS ASSIGN ONLY ONE STAFF MEMBER TO THEIR ARSON UNIT FOR EVERY $2.5 MILLION IN THE BUDGET, AND 58 PERCENT OF ALL CITIES THAT HAVE INSTITUTED ARSON TASK FORCES ARE PLEASED WITH THE RESULT. FIRE CHIEFS SUGGESTED THAT ARSON BE MADE A PART I UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS INDEX CRIME, THAT THE MODEL ARSON CODE BE REVISED AND STRENGTHENED, AND THAT INSURANCE LAW OR PRACTICE BE RESTRUCTURED TO MAKE COMPANIES MORE RESPONSIBLE IN WRITING POLICIES, SETTLING, SHARING INFORMATION, AND SETTING THE MAXIMUM VALUE OF INSURANCE. OTHER SURVEY FINDINGS, TABULAR DATA, AND THE QUESTIONNAIRE ARE PROVIDED.