Arsonists in California and New York: a tentative look

William G. Bradshaw; Timothy G. Huff

doi:10.2737/PSW-RN-372

Treesearch

Arsonists in California and New York: a tentative look

Informally Refereed

Authors:

William G. Bradshaw, Timothy G. Huff

Year:

1985

Type:

Research Note

Station:

Pacific Southwest Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2737/PSW-RN-372

Source:

Res. Note PSW-RN-372. Berkeley, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. 5 p

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Abstract

A nonrandom sample of 90 arsonists in California and New York was interviewed for the California Department of Forestry from 1977 to 1979. About two-thirds of them were in prison for arson, and the others were in mental hospitals. The 90 interviewees were mostly unmarried males ranging in age from 17 to 51 years. Survey results show that those who set their first arson fire at a young age tended to set many fires, and had more arson convictions and repeated visits to mental hospitals than those who set their first fire at an older age.

Keywords

arson, incendiarism, fire prevention, law enforcement, fire investigation, California, New York

Citation

Bradshaw, William G.; Huff, Timothy G. 1985. Arsonists in California and New York: a tentative look. Res. Note PSW-RN-372. Berkeley, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station. 5 p.