Juvenile Firesetting: a Research Overview

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention J. Robert Flores, Administrator May 2005 Of fice of Justice Pr ograms • Par tnerships for Safer Communities • www.ojp.usdoj.gov Juvenile Firesetting: A Message From OJJDP A Research Overview In the hands of children, fire can be a destructive force. Each year, fires set by youth claim hundreds of lives and destroy millions of dollars’ worth of Charles T. Putnam and John T. Kirkpatrick property. By understanding how and why juve The consequences of juvenile firesetting following project goals. First, review the niles set fires, professionals and policy- can be tragic and costly. In a typical year, existing research literature on juvenile fire- makers can make informed decisions fires set by children and youth claim the setting behavior and offer a distillation of about how best to address this harmful lives of approximately 300 people and that literature. Second, convene a confer behavior. destroy more than $300 million worth of ence of researchers and fire, justice, and In 2002, the National Association of property. Children are the predominant clinical professionals to provide a forum State Fire Marshals (NASFM) began for constructive discussion about existing victims of these fires, accounting for 85 developing applied research initiatives of every 100 lives lost (U.S. Fire Adminis and future research. Third, deliver a report to help professionals curtail juvenile tration, 1997, 2004). to NASFM in April 2003 outlining pressing firesetting. The project included a areas of new research that would directly review of the research literature, a A thorough understanding of juvenile benefit the professional community. firesetting—including why children and conference of researchers and profes youth set fires—is key to curbing this A Justiceworks research team reviewed sionals involved in preventing juvenile firesetting, and a final report, upon destructive behavior. By examining re the existing social science literature to which this Bulletin is based. search literature on juvenile firesetting identify thematic elements of current fire- and making recommendations for further setting knowledge. In addition, research Drawing on information gathered by research, this Bulletin offers an overview and professional colleagues in the field the NASFM project, Juvenile Fireset of the terms and theoretical formulations were consulted to identify a wide range ting: A Research Overview outlines common to juvenile firesetting studies and of research. A compendium of the research existing research and theories related identifies ways to enhance future research. literature covering approximately the past to juvenile firesetting and identifies limi 30 years was assembled in a 2-month peri tations of the existing research. It also od. The project’s principal investigators recommends strategies for curbing Background reviewed the assembled literature, sorting juvenile firesetting, such as conducting In 2002, the National Association of State out its thematic elements, strengths, and a national juvenile firesetting survey, constructing a firesetting classification Fire Marshals (NASFM) contracted Justice- weaknesses from theoretical and applied system, and identifying and evaluating works at the University of New Hampshire perspectives. promising intervention and treatment to develop a research agenda that would A conference of 14 researchers and pro programs. advance an understanding of the mechan fessionals from the fire, justice, and clini ics and dynamics of child and adolescent Combating a problem as serious and cal communities was held in February firesetting behavior. NASFM expressed persistent as juvenile firesetting re 2003 at the University of New Hampshire particular interest in developing applied quires the aid of the research commu to promote a broad discussion of the research initiatives that would help work nity. Using sound research, the field existing research as it relates to the imme ing professionals address firesetting behav can better understand the dynamics of diate needs of the various professional ior. NASFM charged Justiceworks with the juvenile firesetting, determine the types of juveniles involved, and establish best practices to protect children and families from fires set by youth. Access OJJDP publications online at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ojjdp communities. Conference topics included The clear implication is that firesetting The concept of expressive and instrumen the link between juvenile firesetting be behavior is a greater threat to public safe tal behavior addresses motivations of fire- havior and aggression and the existing ty than fireplay. At the same time, more setting. Expressive firesetting behavior firesetting literature. Discussions focused juveniles may engage in fireplay than in suggests that the behavior is an expres on feedback from the fire, justice, and clin firesetting behavior. (The literature also sion of psychopathology or unresolved ical professionals. The final two sessions makes a distinction between “fire interest” trauma. In contrast, instrumental fire- of the conference were devoted to identi and “fire involvement.” Fire interest sug setting suggests that the fire was set to fying new research directions. Using a gests a generalized preoccupation with achieve an established goal. These terms group technique to ensure participation fire but an absence of direct participation are used more frequently in discussions by all conferees, a set of research ques with fire. In contrast, fire involvement sug of firesetting than fireplay because fire- tions was designated for consideration by gests fire activity that could include both play often involves lesser degrees of in NASFM. fireplay and firesetting.) tent and malice. The distinction between expressive and instrumental firesetting The literature also distinguishes between Finally, Justiceworks helped identify areas behaviors has implications for treatment child and adolescent firesetting. This is an in the field of juvenile firesetting in need of and intervention strategies and reflects important thematic element that defines additional research. The contributions of a general focus on the medical rather current thinking and responses to fireplay conference participants were analyzed and than the criminal models in the firesetting and firesetting behavior. Child firesetting is compared with existing gaps in the empiri literature. Most likely, considerable over restricted to children age 12 or younger. cal literature to identify those areas. lap exists between expressive and instru Adolescent firesetting includes those 13 mental behavior. The juvenile firesetting This Bulletin is the product of the work years old to the age of majority, which literature, however, tends to focus on ex conducted by NASFM and Justiceworks. varies by state. This distinction arises from pressive elements even in instrumental It provides a structure to frame existing the impact of development and maturation firesetting behavior. research and theoretical formulations of on behavior. As children mature, society juvenile firesetting behavior, identifies holds them increasingly responsible for Finally, the literature contains implicit gaps in current knowledge about juvenile their behavior. Responses to delinquent references to external and internal origins firesetting, and proposes a set of empirical behavior among the very young differ of firesetting behavior. External origins questions most crucial to the professional markedly from responses to offenses com include social and cultural influences that communities for researchers to address. mitted by those in their mid-teens. More promote the use of fire by juveniles. Cer over, adults receive different treatment in tain elements of a juvenile’s experiential Firesetting Literature: the criminal justice system than juveniles. world may encourage or otherwise abet Such developmentally based considera fire usage. These elements may involve Terms and Concepts tions may explain why firesetting research family dynamics, peer reinforcement, or Charting new directions in the firesetting is generally oriented toward treatment representations in the media of the use research requires establishing a baseline rather than punishment. Because of their and effects of fire. Such influences may of existing knowledge culled from empiri age, even the most hardened of juveniles encourage constructive and destructive cally based literature. Before doing so, it may be perceived as less culpable for their fire usage, as youth can be taught and en is helpful to define terms and concepts actions and more amenable to treatment couraged to use fire safely or recklessly. that commonly appear in the juvenile fire- than adults. These age-based distinctions Internal origins point to something within setting literature. are implicit in the terms “firesetter” and the firesetter, biochemically, neurological “arsonist.” ly, or psychologically, that compels him A review of the research reveals an ap or her to use fire. The table on page 3 parent distinction between fireplay and The literature suggests that the use of fire illustrates the salient thematic emphases firesetting behavior. Both behaviors may by juveniles may indicate that fire can be in the literature. produce varying degrees of damage and both an instrument of power and serve injury, but they differ in their levels of as a weapon, as opposed to merely

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