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Target Arson |
"Arson is like a disease that permeates our cities. Until we
can find a cure, the disease will continue to spread. Increased
knowledge in the investigation field will help to cut down on
the number of arsons. To educate the people could be the cure
that may eliminate the disease forever."
Judith E. Maydew, President
International Association of Arson Investigators
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ARSON
FACTS FOR ARSON AWARENESS WEEK
- Arson is the second leading cause of
death by fire in the United States–topped only by
smoking–and the main cause of property damage due to fires.
- Arsonists killed an estimated 500
Americans in 1997 and inflicted direct property damage
totaling more than $2 billion.
- One of every four fires, some
500,000ûthat occur in the U.S. each year are arson.
- Arsonists often escape punishment.
Only 19 percent of arson offenses lead to arrest in 1997,
and only 2 percent of those arrested are convicted.
- In 1997, the last year for which full
data is available, those 20 years of age and under accounted
for 50 percent of all arson fires in the United States. Of
that total 39.9 percent were under the age of 15.
- Each year, more than 90 percent of
all civilian deaths in incendiary and suspicious structure
fires typically occur in residential properties, principally
homes.
- There appears to be a growing link
between arson and illegal drug activity. Preliminary results
of a new study by the National Fire Protection Association
suggest that between one-fifth to one-fourth (20-25 percent)
of reported arson cases in major American cities are
drug-related.
SOURCE:
National Fire Protection Association’s "1997 U.S. Arson Trends
and Patterns" and the FBI Uniform Crime Report dated November,
1998.
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