Arson is the crime that involves setting fires to buildings, vehicles, forest or wild land areas, or peoples’ other properties either intentionally or with deep-seated malice (Swanson et al, 2012, p. 510). A person who engages in such a malicious act is called an arsonist, and their intention is normally to damage property. It is distinguishable from other causes of fire such accidental electric fires on buildings or natural wildfires that erupt in forested areas due natural causes. The main differentiating aspect of arson is that, a person deliberately sets fires on property owned by others to destroy it, or owner property can set fire on their property within a hidden purpose of claiming insurance afterward. To cause fire, an arsonist uses an accelerant like petrol or explosives such as tri-nitro toluene (Flynn, 2013, p.1).
Fire is normally caused by two things; a material that is ignited and a source of heat (Swanson et al, 2012, p.511). These two causes of fire should always linger in the minds of investigators when investigating for any arson crime. The source of heat can be a matchbox whereas a material to be ignited can be combustible liquids or explosives. When investigating for arson, one cannot rule out the likelihood of the fire being accidental. Once the origin point for the fire has been discovered, the investigator is now tasked with first investigating and ruling out the likelihood of the fire being accidental or caused by natural phenomena (Flynn, 2013, p. 1). For spontaneous heating and ignition, there are important causes that can result in spontaneous fires. However, these factors normally operate under numerous conditions. The conditions include high temperatures caused by intense famine in forested lands, electric faults in buildings, and accidental spillage of gasoline in vehicles.
After ruling out the possibility of the fire being accidental, the investigator has to note the burn indicators. These are the effects of partial burning or heat that provide an overview of the rate of development of the fire, the origin points, temperature rates, duration the fire lasted, the time fire occurred, and any suspected presence of combustible liquids (Swanson et al, 2012, p. 513). These burn indicators include the depth of the char, breaking of glass, furniture that has collapsed, and light bulbs that are distorted. The effective interpretation of burnt indicators is principally the means accurate enough to determine the fire’s cause, especially in arson cases.
There are several ignition devices that may be used by arsonists. They include matches, petrol, chemicals, gas, electrical systems, and mechanical means. Matches are usually used by young arsonists; pyromaniacs also have an inclination of favoring matches. Petrol is very popular with many types of arsonists because it is cheap, easily accessible, and extremely spontaneous (Swanson et al, 2012, p. 516). The explosives that have been used set fires include mixtures of potassium nitrate, sulfur, and carbon, and trinitro toluene. Gas is rarely encountered, but the combination of pilot light and gas on stove used found in kitchens in many places of residence is sure possibility of arsonists to use (Swanson, 2012, p. 516). Moreover, wiring systems in buildings such as telephone circuits and doorbells can be used as tools for setting fires. Mechanical devices may include alarm clocks that were once favorite weapons of malicious arsonist.
Several terms are employed to describe several aspects of arson. Plants are the materials placed close to the ignition devices to feed the flame continuously, and trailers essentially spread the fire (Swanson, 2012, p. 519). It is also prudent for investigators of an arson crime to note the missing items because most often they emerge valuable in unraveling arson acts.
Furthermore, arson does not occur just for the sake. Arsonists have clear motives which investigators have to establish. This will set the precedence of the investigation becoming successful. The motives of arsonists are varied; however financial stress is usually the primary cause. A homeowner or a person owning a business may submit to financial stress and decide to set to manufacture an arson fraud. These may desire to remodel the house or relocate their premises and possession of a huge accumulation of products that are slow-moving. Purely fraud schemes may also be the primary motive; whereby redevelopment of tracts of land by federal funds is involved, to achieve building rehabilitation, and real estate scheme of destroying dilapidated housing for families (Swanson et al, 2012, p. 519). Arson n may also be generated by third parties to eliminate business competition, to extract extortion payments, or as means to settle unresolved labor-management grievances. Investigators have to be alert to the presence of particular documents or people as these may serve as evidence of fraud or economic stress in arson for profit cases.
Other causes of arson include revenge or jealousy, vandalism, crime concealment, psychiatric afflictions, heroism seekers, female arsonist, children, and adolescents (Campbell, 2014, p. 1). The revenge arsonists include jilted lovers, disgruntled employees, religious or racial hostile people, and jilted lovers. Criminal set fires to obliterate evidence of murders or burglaries.
Detection of fire- accelerant residues and their recovery is possible because flammable liquids will normally to lowest levels of buildings whereas heat travels from the lowest level to upper sides. Charring on furniture bottoms and shelves will be more pronounced than the charring on the top. Scientific methods are available for investigation of arson acts. Residues fire accelerants can be determined using some portable equipment. The methods used are olfactory determination, chemical color test detection, catalytic combustion detection, flame ionization detection, and Gas-liquid chromatography (Swanson, 2012, p. 526). Moreover, Infrared spectroscopy, and ultraviolet fluorescence are other methods that can be used to determine the kinds of accelerants used by arsonists to set fires.
Conclusion
Arson is a destructive act because it leads to loss of property of immense value (ATF, n.d, p.1). Moreover, important evidence may be lost in cases involving criminal activities such as burglaries and murders when criminals involved set fires on them. Furthermore, arson is only possible with the accessibility of necessary explosives by the arsonists. It is paramount that an investigation in arson cases is structured and in-depth. This is fundamental so as to alienate accidental fires from those set up by arsonists (Flynn, 2013, p.1).Arsonists usually act due to specific motives. Investigators have a wide range of equipment to choose from in the in the detection and recovery of flammable accelerants to avoid fires.
Works Cited
ATF: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. "Arson & Explosives Enforcement." Web. 8 Dec. 2014. <https://www.atf.gov/content/Arson/arson-explosives-enforcement>.
Campbell, Richard. "Intentional Fires." National Fire Protection Association, 1 Apr. 2014. Web. 8 Dec. 2014. <http://www.nfpa.org/research/reports-and-statistics/fire-causes/arson-and-juvenile-firesetting/intentional-fires>.
Flynn, Katherine S. "Arson Investigation." Crime Clues. 26 Jan. 2013. Web. 8 Dec. 2014. <http://crimeandclues.com/2013/01/26/arson-investigation/>.
Swanson, Charles R., Neil C. Chamelin, Leonard Territo, and Robert W. Taylor. "ARSON AND EXPLOSIVES." CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. 11th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print.
