Analysing Causes: A Checklist

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Issue

Information Sources

1. Profile of Offenders

Are crimes the work of many or a few prolific offenders?

Do offender profiles point to common factors? E.g.

  • Age
  • School Exclusion
  • School Achievement
  • Lack of skills
  • Other offences
  • Organised criminal networks

What evidence is there that arson is related to other forms of offending?

Do offenders live locally or are they travelling to the area to commit crime?
  • Police
  • Fire Service
  • Youth Offending Teams
  • Probation service
  • Social Services
  • Schools
  • Education Authorities

2. Targets

What makes certain types of location and/or premises attractive to arsonists?
  • Police
  • Youth Offending Teams
 
  • Probation Service

3. Physical environment

What features of crime hotspots make them attractive and accessible for arsonists?

Are vehicles subject to arson left in vulnerable locations and/or condition?

What opportunities are there for surveillance?
  • Police
  • Youth Offending Teams
  • Probation Service
  • Fire Service

4. Social environment

Is there an absence of ‘crime preventers’ (people or organisations, either formal or informal who can influence the offender in advance of the event, intervene during the event or react afterwards)?

Is there an environment of ‘crime promoters’ (either knowingly or unwittingly encouraging offending; e.g. peer pressure)?

Do community facilities – routine use of shops, leisure and entertainment facilities; street routine, e.g. traffic, commuters, local services, create opportunities for crime?
  • Police
  • Local Authority Wardens
  • Retailers

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