The document discusses arson, including the three elements required for a crime of arson, various motives for setting fires, and indicators that can help determine if a fire was intentionally set. Case studies and figures are provided to illustrate investigation techniques.

1. Arson
Chapter 16
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

2. Objectives
• Describe the three elements of arson
• Describe the necessity of proving motive
• Describe and give examples of the different
types of motives
• Describe various techniques that could be arson
indicators
• Describe characteristics that may indicate that
the fire was intentionally set
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

3. Case Study
• Homeowner leaves for 12 hour drive to vacation
home on Sunday
– Arranges for neighbor to check the house on Tuesday
• Power fails at home on Sunday night
• Considerate neighbor checks house early
Monday when power comes back on
– Finds small fire in basement and extinguishes with
water buckets
– Discovers arson set-up with timer: used soldering iron
to ignite combustibles stacked on table
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

4. Case Study (cont’d.)
Figure 16-1 The
electrical timer
allows for a time
delay of just under
24 hours.
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

5. Introduction
• Under most circumstances, the fire officer is not
the one to complete the investigation on an
incendiary or intentionally set fire
– Assigned investigator could be someone who works
for the fire department or the police department
– Initial investigation may be started by the fire officer
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

6. Impact on the Community
• Criminal act of arson has an impact on each
and every person in the community
– Insurance payment is predicated on the anticipated
losses
– More direct impact in your community is the potential
for injury or loss of life
– Often, arson is directed at older structures that may
seem of less value
• However, these may be irreplaceable pieces of a
community’s history
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

7. Arson: The Crime
• To have the crime of arson there must be a
corpus delicti (body of the crime)
– If nothing was damaged, there was no crime of arson
• Three elements to the crime of arson
– There must be clear evidence that something burned
– The burning had to have been an intentional act by
the perpetrator
– There must have been malice in the setting
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

8. Arson versus Incendiary
• For years, arson has been a crime against
property
– Now it is also recognized as a crime against people
• As a general term, an incendiary fire is one that
is intentionally and willfully set
• The decision as to which term is used should be
set in a department policy with the proper
terminology
– This document must be approved by your jurisdiction
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

9. Motives
• In many states, it is not necessary to have a
motive to get a conviction
– Motive can be a vital part of the prosecution’s case in
court
– Juries want to know why the defendant committed the
crime
• Classification of pyromania has changed
– Use of pyromania as a motive is an oversimplification
of a more complex issue
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

10. Vandalism
• Usually associated with juveniles and
adolescents
– Also with gangs
• Usually, but not always, done in groups
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

11. Excitement
• People who are bored and want the thrill
• Sometimes even stay around to help the
firefighters
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

12. Revenge
• Person
– When the revenge is aimed at a person, it is more
obvious
• May be vandalism of personal property
– Interviews are key to discovering the motive
– Checking into relationships may be revealing
• Group
– Perceived injustice against a group can cause
perpetrator to lashes at something representative
• Churches and synagogues are common targets
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

13. Concealment of a Crime
• Criminal will seek to cover up the crime just
committed
– Some criminals turn to arson in the hopes of
destroying the crime scene
• Almost any serious crime can result in the
perpetrator setting a fire for concealment
– Before DNA analysis, this worked for murder
– Other crimes include burglary, robbery that leads to
murder, fraud, and embezzlement
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

14. Profit
• Sometimes obvious and sometimes not so
obvious
– Business on hard times
– Vehicle owner wanting to get out from under a high
vehicle payment
– Crime of extortion is committed where a business is
threatened with a fire
– Some types of fraud can be obscure at first
• Burning neighbor’s property to get access to a scenic
view
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

15. Profit (cont’d.)
• Insurance fraud
– For every type of insurance policy, there is a way to
commit fraud
• Major companies have special investigative units
• Insurance investigator may cooperate with government
investigator, but cannot conspire against the accused
– Insurance policy
• After a fire, the insurance company requires a written
proof of loss
• The insured must present themselves for an
examination under oath
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

16. Extremism
• Terrorism is the best example of this type of fire
setter
• This type of attempt at social change has been
around since recorded history
• Extremists are willing to use whatever means
necessary to force their ideals upon others
• The United States has its own share of home
grown extremism in various organizations
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

17. Opportunity
Figure 16-3 An
analog clock located
on the kitchen
oven. A check
with the occupants
is necessary to
ascertain whether it
was accurate or set
for the correct time.
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

18. Incendiary: Arson Indicators
• World of fire investigation is not black and white
– Culmination of all the facts eventually gives an
accurate hypothesis
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

19. Location and Timing of the Fire
• Arsonist wants the fire to burn as long as
possible before being discovered
– After midnight and in the early morning hours
• The location on the property where the fire is set
is also a key giveaway
– Has to be a location that will allow the fire to spread
– Fire may be set in the area with the most volatile fuel
– Multiple set fires are an obvious giveaway
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

20. Fuel, Trailers, and Ignition Source
Figure 16-4 An
ignitable liquid
pour down a set of
steps. The separate
char on the left side
of the lowest step is
from a cardboard
box that was left on
the steps.
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

21. Challenge the Unusual
Figure 16-7 Burn
pattern on the wall
where a pot of
gasoline ignited.
Notice the V pattern
from the smoke
and the inverted
V from the flames
that burned the wall
clean.
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

22. Contents
Figure 16-10 Empty
cabinets in an
occupied home is
suspicious. The
fact that all the
doors were left open
prior to the fire
may suggest that
the cabinets were
emptied prior to the
fire.
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

23. Sifting a Scene
Figure 16-15 Sifting
a scene: two
investigators handling
the screen, while a
third shovels in the
debris. The fourth
person documents,
photographs, and
packages any
evidence found.
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning

24. Summary
• There are three elements to the crime of arson
– First, something must have burned
– Second, the burning must have been intentional
– Third, the element of malice must be present
• Motives for setting the fire are far ranging
– Vandalism, excitement, revenge, crime concealment,
profit, and extremist
• Many indicators give various clues as to how
the fire was started or why the fire occurred
© 2009 Delmar, Cengage Learning