Offender Profile: Motivation
A vast amount of material has been written about the possible motivations for arson
and deliberate fire setting. Much of this research (1) is concentrated on the psychological
‘mind-set’ of the arsonist or fire-setter, an example being the many projects carried
out on psychological offender “profiling” of those who have an unnatural fascination
with fire.
There has been substantial research (2) carried out which links deliberate fire-setting
with property crimes such as theft and burglary and with social deprivation in general.
The Arson Scoping Study also identified examples of this type of research at Cleveland
Fire Brigade and Liverpool University (3). Other studies (4) carried out in both the
United States of America and the United Kingdom also suggest that in a number of cases,
fire-setting may be linked with a history of sexual abuse.
Prins, H (1994); Baker AF (1994); Muckley A (1997); Puri et al (1995); Rasanen,
P (1994)
Graham J (1998); Graham J and Bowling B (1995)
Hirschfield, A and Bowers, K (1998)
Jackson, H (1994)
It is clear that there are many possible reasons why someone may start a fire,
and both researchers and academics have proposed a number of classification systems
for arsonists based on the offender’s motive, (for example, Lewis & Yarnell, (1951);
Scott, (1974); Prins (1994); Wood, (1995); Kidd(1996). Depending on the researcher,
the number of available classification categories can range from 3 to about 200 sub-categories.
Unfortunately, this type of analysis does not always lead to the development of effective
strategies to control the problem (other than perhaps to aid in the development of
treatment programmes for the minority of arsonists who have mental health problems).
However, it is important to remember that human intentions are usually mixed and
multiple and there are dangers in classifying an individual into one particular group
(Barker 1994:20).
Although valuable, there are two main shortfalls of the research into motivation
carried out so far. Firstly, the basis of the research has been limited, e.g. only
relating to convicted arsonists, and secondly, there has been no attempt at quantifying
the proportion of deliberate fires attributable to a particular motive.
The Arson Scoping Study (http://www.wsfb.co.uk/arson.pdf) identifies the limitations of the existing research, but
suggests a number of motivation categories that could be used purely for the purposes
of policy intervention.
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Categories of Motivation from the Arson Scoping Study
Motivations are grouped into four broad categories: youth disorder and nuisance;
malicious; psychological; and criminal.
Youth disorder and nuisance: This category includes acts of vandalism and
fires brought on by boredom and thrill seeking.
Malicious: These include arson attacks driven by the motivations of revenge,
racism, and clashes of beliefs/rivalries.
Psychological: This category includes fires started by persons suffering
from mental illness. It also includes fires started by suicidal persons.
Criminal: This includes deliberate fires that are started to conceal another
crime, such as theft, murder etc and those where the perpetrator stands to gain financially.
This last category would include insurance fraud.
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Note: A key recommendation of the Arson Scoping Study was that further research should be undertaken to quantify the proportion of deliberate
fires attributable to a particular motive so that all agencies involved in arson control
could target intervention policies effectively. A research project on motivation
of arsonists has now been commissioned by the Arson Control Forum -
the project is due to be completed late Autumn 2001.
Some local research into the motivation of arsonists has been carried out. The
Northumbria Arson Task Force collated information on all arson attacks on ‘primary’
property and road vehicle fires in the Tyne and Wear Brigade area over a 17 month
period.
Proposed Motives for Primary Property Fires
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Motive
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No. of fires
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Percentage of fires
|
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Youth disorder and nuisance
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82
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80%
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Malicious
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5
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5%
|
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Psychological
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3
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3%
|
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Criminal
|
4
|
4%
|
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Other *
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9
|
9%
|
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Total
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103
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100%
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*Note: Other includes fires caused by curiosity and fire play, as well as those
started by very young children who do not understand the dangers of fire. The information
is based on 103 figures out of a total 267 arson attacks on properties during the
period January 1998 to May 1999.
Whilst this is a small sample size the main motive for arson attacks on properties
appears to be youth disorder and nuisance. Nearly all fires are the direct result
of vandalism. The second most important motive is ‘other’ with the main factor being
children playing with fire out of curiosity rather than malicious intent. Young people
with nothing to do and with time on their hands often play with matches or lighters
– often resulting in the burning of piles of rubbish or other flammable materials
on the street. The reaction and excitement of the fire brigade’s response creates
excitement and may lead to the offence being repeated (Lewis, 1999:17).
The proportion of property arson fires started either for malicious reasons or
psychological or criminal motives is relatively low.
Motivation Case Examples
The following case examples of convicted offenders illustrate some of the diverse
motives behind arson.
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Attempted fraud – Offenders imprisoned for six and seven years
Three members of a family described as Britain’s worst neighbours set fire to their
terrace house only two days after taking out contents and building insurance worth
£100,000. The fire was started with petrol and the house went up ‘like a bomb’. Family
members were seen loading furniture into a van and placing bin liners containing their
belongings in the garden only hours before the fire at their home. The parents and
six of their eight children turned up at the home of a relative they had not seen
for three years as the blaze destroyed their house only streets away. Police were
called in when the man and his wife tried to claim on a contents policy worth £60,000
and a buildings policy worth £40,000. People who had lived next door to the family
at various addresses had complained that the family made their lives a misery by shouting,
swearing and riding motorbikes through neighbours’ properties. The parents were jailed
for seven years and one of the sons was jailed for six years.
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The 12 year old arsonist
Three Year Supervision Order made by the Youth Court
A 12-year-old boy endangered the life of his grandfather because he had not bought
him a birthday present. The boy poured petrol over a door at the sheltered home where
his grandfather lived and struck a match. The door exploded in flames and choking
black smoke filled the rooms in the building. The 63 year-old grandfather, who suffers
from bronchitis, fought the blaze with bowls of water. The boy had a previous conviction
for burglary and a string of police cautions and had been sent to a special children’s
unit, from which he absconded after only days of behavioural therapy. He was sent
to a secure unit for 90 days, after which social workers were to decide his fate.
His parents, who supported the sentence, were ordered to pay £150 costs plus £150
compensation for damage to the flat.
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Psychopath – given a life sentence
A 25 year old man set his girlfriend’s house alight while she slept and she had
to scramble to safety though a window. He had moved in with her six months before
the fire but became depressed and suicidal. He had told her that his grandmother had
died in a fire when he was 13 and that he wanted to die in a similar way. After an
afternoon visiting pubs they returned home and the girl fell asleep. Later the man
lit two fires with turpentine. The man had been jailed for three and a half years
for an attack on another girlfriend’s house in 1998. Medical reports showed his anger
and hostility towards his girlfriend and mother; he had spoken of getting Semtex explosive
to blow up his mother. He was said to be a heavy drinker and drug abuser and to enjoy
violence, wanting to kill people who hurt him. He was staying with his grandmother
at the time of the fatal fire and was hailed as a hero for helping to pull his grandfather
to safety. Police subsequently investigated the death of his grandmother.
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Motivation and Arson in the home
Although many instances of arson in the home are the result of an attack from outside
the family, a significant number of cases occur as a result of people setting fire
to their own homes. This may arise as a result of:
The arsonist may not be one of the family but may be an outsider known to the residents
of the building involved. People set fire to the homes of others for reasons including:
Local disagreements - a neighbour with a grudge for example. The form of attack
may not be subtle - burning paper pushed through the letterbox, flammable liquid introduced
into the property, or a petrol bomb thrown through a window.
Revenge attacks - These may be planned by business partners, or by groups with
a perceived grudge against the target or their business.
Racial attacks –Link to Racist Incidents, Harassment and Crimes Toolkit
Motivation and vehicle arson
There are five main reasons why cars are set alight:
Click to find out more......
Fraudulent arson
Fraudulent arson in the UK is believed to be on the increase. Setting fire to property
of all types and subsequently making a claim is often seen by people as an easy way
to raise cash. Car fires may be planned by the owners of the vehicles and may occur
shortly before the vehicles are reported to the police as having been stolen.
Sometimes forcible entry may be faked buy the owner or an accomplice. On occasions
the car may not be in running order and may have been towed to the scene. Evidence
of this may be found at the scene.
The removal of items of value such as radios, other hi-fi equipment, telephones,
expensive engine parts or alloy wheels may be suspicious.
The risk to the owner is minimal because they do not need to ensure the removal
of fingerprints at the scene.
The destruction of evidence
Many cars are set alight to destroy evidence of their having been stolen or involved
in the commission of crime.
Vandalism
Unattended vehicles at locations such as deprived inner city areas, some railway
stations and car parks with poor security, and some secluded urban or rural locations
may be vulnerable to arson.
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