Arson Investigation

Arson, or the deliberate setting of fire, is a crime that is difficult to prove or detect. Even when arson is confirmed, it can be difficult to prosecute the offender unless there is an admission by the suspect, reliable eyewitness testimony, and such testimony is accompanied by consistent physical evidence. The arsonist will usually commit the crime without witnesses and will often go to great lengths to conceal the cause of fire. Determination of arson is further complicated by the very nature of fire, which tends to consume the physical evidence of its cause, as would be the desire of the arsonist. But often the fire investigator is interested only in classifying a fire as accidental, intentional, or undetermined.

This section covers the tools used to help determine whether arson should be considered as a possible fire cause, and presents useful techniques for identifying and reducing arson.

Sections will cover:

• Scope of Problem
• Motivation
• Physical Evidence
• Risk Factors
• Consistency of Evidence