NCJ Number
111906
Date Published
1985
Length
0 pages
Annotation
Firefighters and other individuals involved in the Firehawk Program implemented by Prince Georges County, Md., to address juvenile arson talk about the program's philosohpy, operations, and effectiveness.
Abstract
Statistics on arson note that 2 out of 5 fires nationwide are started by children. The Fire Chief of Prince Georges County explains why he chose the Firehawk model, emphasizing that there have been no repeat offenders among juveniles enrolled in the program after 1 year of operation. According to a psychologist, juvenile firesetters are generally 13 to 16 and from one-parent families. They commonly have trouble in school, poor impulse control, and problems with peer relationships. The Firehawk Program matches a firesetter with a firefighter who volunteers his or her time not only to act as a mentor, but also to explain the consequences of a fire and the work of firefighters. The video explains the four components of Firehawk: a mental health consultant to screen and match firesetters and volunteers, a coordinator, a community advisory committee, and the volunteer firefighters.