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Effects Of Arson
Effects Of Arson
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Running head: ARSONISTS AND TYPES OF MOTIVES
Arsonists and Types of Motives
Starr Connaley
American Intercontinental University Abstract
Arson is listed as a property offense. Arson can cause a crucial volume of casualty to a person's life emotionally and economically. Arson investigations are time consuming, challenging and difficult to investigate because it's hard to prove the burden of proof that the fire was deliberately started. In this paper, I will review the elements of proof for an arson fire. I also will describe at least two distinct motives as for why individuals commit arson. The two motives will be under the social and economic category. I will describe the type of background of a person that is likely to commit arson
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Arson is a crime against property (Legal, I.U. (n.d.). The most vital elements needed to prove arson is an indication of a burning and confirmation that a criminal act lead to the fire. The individual implicated for the arson must have intended to burn the structure or building. The conduct must be malicious and not accidental in order to label it as arson. However, malice does not mean ill will. In order to establish malice there has to be brutally careless or premeditated behavior. Motive isn’t an important aspect of …show more content…
Occasionally there is little to no evidence to help in identifying an arsonist. When examining the scene, investigators should look for contributing factors and they should attempt to identify the motive used in the arson. It is essential that investigators have the awareness and technique to obtain leads that can lead to the capture of the arsonists. Only 25% of arsonists have been brought to justice. Even though arson is a frequent crime, it is very hard to reveal a suspect and often arsonists are never brought to justice. Scientific experiments can only do so much. Fires usually burn intensely hot and they spread rapidly, ruining everything near the fire along with evidence. The water from the high-pressured fire hoses can also destroy evidence. With all the investigatory obstacles considered, capturing even 1/4 of these criminals is to be honored. When cruel offenses such as arson are executed, investigators instantly start looking for evidence and potential suspects. At times the sole lead could be valuables that were found to be unaccounted for because it was taken from the scene of the crime. A detective’s first hunch could be to scour pawn shops. Although, probing through pawn tickets or visiting nearby pawn shops can be an endless and time consuming process, but investigators can look over pawn records online in just a matter of seconds utilizing the nation’s biggest online investigation
determine whether or not the motive for the action was to directly incite or produce
71 percent of the people that were at The Station Nightclub Fire, which occurred in West Warwick Rhode Island on February 20, 2003, that either died or was injured. This paper will look at the contributing factors in this shocking number as it pertains to fire prevention. When breaking down a case study, this case being The Station Nightclub Fire, there are three main factors you must look at. Those factors are fire behavior, human behavior, and building behavior.
The first step of a comprehensive incendiary investigation is fire scene investigation. In the Tight Shoe Inc. report this is shown in the background information, property description, type of incident, fire cause, incendiary device description, evidence, photographs, property, and documentary evidence. This step reflects the work done and collected at the fire scene. The next step is assessment of investigative needs which is shown in the Tight Shoe Inc. report under motive and interviewing firefighters and other first responders. This step is usually done on the scene of the fire or right after. The following step is formulation and evaluation of a strategy which is shown in the Tight Shoe Inc. report under prosecution reports, obtaining search warrants and arson laboratory report. The next step of implementation of strategic plan is shown under insurance and potential criminal violations. The final step of the process is presentation of formal investigation is shown under summation of the investigation.
Fire setting often begins with the child being curious as to what happens when you make a fire, but then it becomes a way for the child to deal with stress and anger. It is an act of “speaking out” because the child feels as if no one is listening and wants attention. This characteristic/behaviour could become more dangerous if the child keeps feeling the need to relieve stress/anger through setting fires, because the child will start setting bigger fires and experimenting with fires more.
Arson dogs are proving themselves to be a valuable asset to the arson investigators. Arson dogs are being used more each year by investigators and as well as private companies. Who do investigate for insurance companies. The use of a dog is to help pinpoint the location of where the fire started and what caused it. The dog reduces the number of samples that need to be collected and sent to be tested. This saves time and money. The dogs are trained to scent out a variety of chemicals used in a fire. Such as gas, lighter fluid, charcoal started, diesel. Kerosene, alcohol, brake fluid, paint thinner, and many more.
Arson has been occurring for many years and about 500,000 fires are set intentionally each year. Arson is defined as any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, the property of another or cause physical harm to another. Fire data has been collected since 1977 by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) and the amount of fires has been declining ever since. In the past few decades, there has come about a number of serial arsonists- an offender who sets three or more fires with a cooling-off period between the fires (Douglas, et al, 1992). There are numerous serial arsonists who have been caught, some of which include, Peter Dinsdale, Robert Lee Oyler, Thomas Sweatt, and Paul Keller. While the number of fires across the country have
“Whether a killer acted with the deliberation and premeditation required for first degree murder can only be determined on a case by case basis. The need for deliberation and premeditation does not mean that the perpetrator must contemplate at length or plan far ahead of the murder.”
Throughout recorded history, fires have been known to cause great loss of life, property, and knowledge. The Great Fire of London was easily one of the worst fires mankind has ever seen causing large scale destruction and terror. Samuel Pepys described the fire as “A most malicious bloody flame, as one entire arch of fire of above a mile long… the churches, houses and all on fire and flaming at once, and a horrid noise the flames made.” (Britain Express 1).
Human beings cause most wildfires, directly or indirectly. In the United States lightning, the only truly natural cause is responsible for less than 10% of all such fires. In the West, lightning is the primary cause, with smoking (cigarettes, matches, and such) the second most frequent. Combined they account for 50 to 75% of all wildfires. In the “13 southern states (Virginia to Texas) the primary cause is arson; this combined with smoking and debris burning makes up 75% of all wildfires” (Perry, 1994). The other causes of wildfires are machine use and campfires. Machine use includes railroads, logging, sawmills, and other operations using equip...
Investigating an arson is very difficult because fires tend to destroy evidence and firefighters while fighting the blaze will move things around and destroy even more evidence. Once an investigation is open for an arson, investigators need to find the source of heat and the material ignited in order to determine if it was a set fire. The two most important question investigators will ask is where and how did the fire start? When a fire has multiple starting points that should raise the level of suspicion and dictate if the fire was purposely set. Other preliminary steps to take is for investigators to find ignition devices. These devices can be gasoline, chemicals, matches, or other types of accelerants. Accelerants also known as boosters speeds of the process of a fire by adding to the initial fire for the fire to burn rapidly and increase the intensity. Firefighter and law enforcement can look for melted metals or similar materials. This can mean that accelerants were used because metals usually burn at about 3,000*F. The most important thing for law enforcement and fire fighters when suspecting an arson is to not move and contaminate any physical evidence. The first thing they should secure is any harm or injuries and clear
What are some of the fire anomalies an arson investigator will look for during an investigation?
...r it is arson, an uncontrolled camp fire, or a cigarette butt it doesn’t take much for humans to spark a disaster. Yet there is as well a few set by good old Mother Nature. On top of the effects on the earth as well as humans, there is only one thing we all can do and that is listen to our old pal Smokey the Bear when he says, “only you can prevent wildfire.”
Also, Criminal Investigators can determine how a fire started by using computer analysis devices. Whether or not an accelerant was used in a fire such as: gasoline, kerosene, lighter fluid, or if the fire just accidentally happened.
Arson is “any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, [or] personal property of another” (Bartol & Bartol, 2011. P 463). Arson comes in many forms – juveniles vandalizing property, businesses trying to collect insurance money, and murderers covering up their crimes are just a few of the examples arson investigators deal with. The reasons why arson is committed and the psychology behind arson are as diverse as the crime itself. There is no one perfect psychological profile of an arsonist. Young, old, educated, illiterate, sane, insane, rich and poor all can become arsonists. With such a wide range of suspect characteristics, investigating arson is not an easy job, and it becomes more difficult with the knowledge that much evidence can be destroyed in arson.
Fires in the campus may arise from the irresponsible use of appliances, lighters, unattended candles, faulty wiring and outlets smoking, impaired judgment due to alcohol, arson, overloading and other factors. Some of these are due to ignorance while others are lack of