NCJ Number
48882
Date Published
1977
Length
17 pages
Annotation
THIS ANNUAL REPORT ON THE ARSON BUREAU WITHIN THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PROVIDES 1977 DATA ON FIRE SERVICES AND CASUALTIES AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
Abstract
SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE ARSON BUREAU INCLUDE INVESTIGATIVE ASSISTANCE ON FIRES OF KNOWN OR SUSPECTED INCENDIARY ORIGIN, ON BOMBINGS AND EXPLOSIONS OF SUSPECTED CRIMINAL ORIGIN, AND ON FATAL FIRES OF UNDETERMINED ORIGIN AND THE PROVISION OF TRAINING IN FIRE AND ARSON INVESTIGATION. DURING 1977, THE BUREAU RECEIVED 431 REQUESTS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM LOCAL UNITS OF GOVERNMENT, A 15-PERCENT DECREASE FROM 1977. ABOUT 47 PERCENT OF CASES INVESTIGATED WERE INCENDIARY, 37 PERCENT WERE ACCIDENTAL, AND 10 PERCENT WERE UNDETERMINED. THE REMAINING CASES WERE JUVENILE OR PENDING. DAMAGE CAUSED BY FIRES, EXPLOSIONS, AND BOMBINGS OF KNOWN OR PROBABLE INCENDIARY ORIGIN EXCEEDED $4.3 MILLION, WITH THE LOSS DOWN NEARLY $1.5 MILLION FROM 1976. IN TOTAL, 111 ADULT CHARGES AND 28 JUVENILE CHARGES FOR SETTING FIRES WERE MADE. FORTY-EIGHT CASES WERE ADJUDICATED IN 1977. INCREASES WERE OBSERVED DURING THE YEAR IN FRAUD, PYROMANIA, AND VANDALISM FIRES. A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN SPITE/REVENGE FIRES WAS NOTED. THE BUREAU INVESTIGATED 25 FATAL FIRES INVOLVING 40 FATALITIES AND CONDUCTED 31 TRAINING SESSIONS FOR OVER 1,200 STUDENTS. SUPPORTING TABULAR DATA AND FIRE LOSS STATISTICS ARE APPENDED. (DP)