Introduction

The cost of arson fires to society has now reached over £1.3 billion a year and it is estimated that arson attacks result in insurance claims of around £550 million per year. In the last ten years, there have been around 1.7 million deliberately started fires, resulting in 22,000 injuries and 1,100 deaths.

In an average week, arson results in:

• 3,500 deliberately started fires (including primary and secondary fires)

• 50 injuries

• 2 deaths

• and a cost to society of at least £25m

The Crime Reduction Strategy launched by the Government last November, sets out the steps to reduce crime and how police, local authorities, crime and disorder reduction partnerships and government departments are working together to set challenging but realistic targets for reducing crime.

Crime Reduction Strategy: http://www.crimereduction.gov.uk/crssummary.htm

This arson toolkit is one of a series of twenty-two, designed to help all those involved in crime reduction and community safety to work as effectively as possible. The toolkit brings together information on the latest developments, some of the latest research findings and promising approaches to reducing arson. It includes tools for identifying problems, developing responses and monitoring progress as well as highlighting practical measures to make communities safer.

This toolkit is intended to help Partnerships reduce the number of arson offences rather than provide help with the investigation of arson. Investigating the origin and cause of major fire is recognised as a joint undertaking. Fire officers, police officers, scenes of crime personnel, forensic scientists and representatives from insurance and other organisations are likely to be involved. In the first instance, further information relating to the criminal investigation of arson can be obtained from the Arson Prevention Bureau at http://www.arsonpreventionbureau.org.uk/

In order to develop and become fully effective this tool kit will need constant interaction from you, the practitioner. The 'Innovations' page is intended to generate comment and the contribution of good practice; this will ensure that it remains relevant and valuable.