NCJ Number
54715
Date Published
1978
Length
17 pages
Annotation
THE INCIDENCE OF ARSON IN THE UNITED STATES IS EXAMINED, AND THE NEED FOR MORE ADEQUATE POLICE AND FIREFIGHTER TRAINING TO INVESTIGATE THE CRIMINAL NATURE OF ARSON IS STRESSED.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ARSON INCIDENTS, THE FACT THAT ARSON IS STILL ONE OF THE MOST NEGLECTED CRIMES IN THE COUNTRY MAY BE DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY ASSOCIATED WITH DETERMINING WHETHER ARSON IS A POLICE PROBLEM OR THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FIRE DEPARTMENTS. IN 1975, THE ESTIMATED LOSS FROM ARSON WAS $1.4 BILLION, MORE THAN ANY OFFENSE ON THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION INDEX OF SERIOUS CRIMES; THE 1976 FIGURE WAS CLOSE TO $2 BILLION. THE ESTIMATED LOSS FOR 1975 INCLUDED $1.3 BILLION LOST IN INCENDIARY BUILDING FIRES, $80 MILLION IN INCENDIARY MOTOR VEHICLE FIRES, AND $60 MILLION IN INCENDIARY WILD FIRES (FOREST AND WATERSHED AREAS). IN ADDITION TO PROPERTY LOSSES, THERE WERE 1,000 DEATHS THAT INCLUDED 45 FIREFIGHTERS AND 10,000 INJURIES, AND OVER THE DECADE ENDING IN 1975, INCENDIARY BUILDING FIRES INCREASED BY 25 PERCENT. FIRE LOSSES WERE INCURRED BY SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, CHURCHES, STORAGE FACILITIES, OFFICES AND BANKS, RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, RETAIL STORES, APARTMENT BUILDINGS, HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES, INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES, MOBILE HOMES, AND FAMILY DWELLINGS. OF PERSONS ARRESTED FOR ARSON IN 1975, 59 PERCENT WERE UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE, 90 PERCENT WERE MALE, AND 80 PERCENT WERE WHITE. A SUMMARY OF THE ARSON PROBLEM IN WISCONSIN IS PRESENTED. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE PROBLEM OF ARSON ARE IDENTIFIED, INCLUDING THE SHORTAGE OF TRAINED INVESTIGATORS, THE FACT THAT THERE ARE USUALLY NO WITNESSES, INVESTIGATIVE DIFFICULTIES DUE TO DESTRUCTION CAUSED BY FIRE AND ITS EXTINGUISHMENT, CONFUSION ABOUT RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS, AND DIFFICULTIES IN PROSECUTING ARSON CASES. ATTACHMENTS CONTAIN INFORMATION ON ARSON-RELATED PENALTIES AND THE EXTENT OF ARSON IN WISCONSIN. SUPPORTING DATA ARE PROVIDED. (DEP)