Comments on Arson

Abstract

Most psychiatrists have little contact with arsonists. Those who work with juvenile delinquents will have seen some adolescent firesetters, often of limited intelligence with schizoid personality or other behavior disorders. On rare occasions the compulsive firesetter, driven sexually, will engage in repetitive events and be found masturbating at the scene of a fire. Vandalism or revenge fires may be directed at schools, public buildings, and employers. Similarly, psychotic firesetters are caught in the throes of their bizarre practices—burning churches or other symbolic institutions. Many criminals show a history of adolescent firesetting. Nonetheless, psychiatrists see few arsonists. It is unclear if the arsonists seen are typical because so few are actually caught. Thus those caught may be singularly incompetent in one way or another.

Crime scene actions and offender characteristics in arsons

“…In arson most of the evidence is usually destroyed in the fire, and it has been estimated that only 12-20% of arson cases are ever solved (Douglas, Burgess, Burgess, & Ressler, 1992;Perr, 1979) and, at least in the United States, only 3% of arsonists are convicted (Geller, 1992). Such limited information, regarding both crime scene actions and offender characteristics, makes arson especially challenging for both law enforcement agencies and offender profilers.…”