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Most common category of criminal activity
Accounts for 90% of all crimes
Arson
Burglary, Larceny, & Auto Theft
Fraud
Occupational Crime
Syndicated Crime
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Arson: the willful and malicious burning (or attempted burning) of a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle, aircraft, or other personal property
Almost 78,000 incidents of arson yearly
Almost 20,000 people arrested for arson each year
85% male
73% White; 25% African American
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Vandalism: accounts for almost half (49%) of all arsons; often set by juveniles (97%); usually involve more than one juvenile and typically occur within one mile of home
Revenge: accounts for about 14% of all arsons, tend to be set by adult males with criminal history; alcohol often involved
Crime Concealment: accounts for about 7% of all arsons; may also be set within the context of suicide
Insurance Fraud: a professional arsonist may be engaged (25- to 40-year old males with prior arrests for burglary, assault, and public drunkenness)
Intimidation-motivated: generally driven by arsonists’ economic, social, political, or religious agendas (goal may be to extort money, to terrorize, or to sabotage)
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45% of arsonists arrested (1998) were <18
One of the highest juvenile arrest percentages of any crime category
Does not include accidental fire-setting
Motives include: vandalism, revenge, crime concealment, self-injury, gaining peer approval, and fascination with fire
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Juvenile fire setters typically develop into arsonists in three stages
<7; setting fires accidentally / out of curiosity
8-12; manifestation of frustration, impulsivity, aggression (may be symptomatic of CD)
13-18; established a continuing pattern of fire setting aimed at vandalism, revenge, or other aggressive motives
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Fire setters are more likely to engage in more serious antisocial behavior
Youthful repetitive fire setters tend to be socially isolated; possess few social skills, exposed to more family dysfunction; CD
Display more severe behavior disorders, alienation, depression, aggressiveness; experience more neglect and physical abuse at home
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Adult fire setters usually manifest numerous social and behavioral problems: heavy drinking, marital & sexual problems, financial difficulties, occupational problems, and repeat contact with CRJ
Appears to be a strong relation with MD
More likely to suffer from psychosis, major depression, MR, and to be found insane (than were a group pf homicide offenders)
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Relatively rare: only about 1/10 of 1% of arsonists display symptoms of pyromania
Impulse control disorder characterized by a pattern of fire setting for pleasure, gratification, and the release of tension (see DSM-IV-TR pp. 669-671)
Psychological tension (rather than money, politics, anger or revenge) is the motive; the tension is released by the excitement of watching the fire and its aftermath
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Barnett, W., & Spitzer, M. (1994). Pathological fire-setting 1951-1991: A review. Medicine, Science, and the Law, 34, 4-20.
What did you learn?
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Common and costly form of larceny-theft
Comprises more than 15% of all reported larceny-thefts (many incidents unreported)
Adults and juveniles participate in shoplifting about equally
Motives include: peer pressure; need for food, clothing, etc; raise money for living expenses or to support addictions/ habits
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About 5% of shoplifters steal compulsively and senselessly in a pattern associated with kleptomania (see DSM-IV-TR p. 667)
Experience a build-up of tension, experience uncontrollable impulses to steal, & feel pleasure/relief after doing so; depression and guilt often ensue
Some relation to depression in that those who suffer depression will steal when depressed
More common in women than men (80% also suffer depression)