ARSON PATTERNS ANALYSIS UNIT - A SUGGESTED ARSON CONTROL PROGRAM FOR LARGE CITIES, COUNTIES AND STATE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT

• NCJ Number: 60028
• Journal: Fire and Arson Investigator Volume: 29 Issue: 4 Dated: (APRIL-JUNE 1979) Pages: 3-9
• Author(s): W C ALLETTO
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Arson Investigators
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

TO IDENTIFY ARSON PATTERNS AS PART OF AN ARSON CONTROL PROGRAM FOR LARGE CITIES, COUNTIES, AND STATE GOVERNMENTS, THE COMPONENTS OF AN ARSON PATTERNS ANALYSIS UNIT ARE DESCRIBED.

Abstract

ARSON PATTERN ANALYSIS IS A SYSTEM OF EXAMINING FIRES OR EXPLOSION INCIDENTS TO IDENTIFY PATTERNS OR TRENDS. GOALS OF AN ARSON PATTERN ANALYSIS UNIT ARE TO IDENTIFY ARSON PATTERNS OR EVENTS HAVING SIMILAR CHARACTERISTICS AND SUPPLY SUCH INFORMATION TO APPROPRIATE LINE AND STAFF UNITS OF THE FIRE INVESTIGATION DIVISION; TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM OF INFORMATION FOR THE FIELD FIRE INVESTIGATION OPERATION; AND TO USE DAILY, WEEKLY, AND MONTHLY REPORTS ON THE TYPES OF STRUCTURES INVOLVED, LOCATIONS, TIME, POSSIBLE MOTIVES, METHODS USED TO SET THE FIRES, DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, OFFENDER PROFILES, ETC. ARSON ANALYSIS PROGRAMS ARE MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN APPLIED TO THE TYPES OF INCENDIARY FIRES WHERE THERE EXISTS A HIGH PROBABILITY OF RECURRENCE OR REPETITION. IF COORDINATED AND USED PROPERLY, THE ARSON UNIT SHOULD PROVIDE BETTER INFORMATION ON ARSON TRENDS FOR IMPROVED TACTICAL AND STRATEGIC PLANNING AND PERFORMANCE. IT WILL PROVIDE A MEANS OF ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ARSON; IMPROVE FIRE INVESTIGATIVE FUNCTIONS; AND GENERATE NUMEROUS STATISTICAL DOCUMENTS FOR DECISIONMAKING. THE MOST EFFECTIVE METHODS EMPLOYED BY THE ARSON UNIT ARE COMPUTER DATA EXTRACTION AND AN ANALYSIS SYSTEM BY WHICH DATA ANALYSIS TASKS ARE PERFORMED BY THE COMPUTER. THE ARSON UNIT SHOULD BE UNDER THE DIRECT SUPERVISION OF THE CHIEF INVESTIGATOR OF THE FIRE INVESTIGATION DIVISION OR IF JURISDICTION FOR FIRE INVESTIGATIONS LIES WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE CHIEF OF POLICE SHOULD DETERMINE WHICH PERSONNEL HOLD SUPERVISORY POWERS. STAFF MEMBERS SHOULD CONSIST OF PERSONNEL FROM THE FIELD OPERATIONS AND THE FIRE INVESTIGATION DIVISION, ALONG WITH A DATA SYSTEMS ANALYST. AN ARSON FACT SHEET IS PROVIDED. (WJR)