Arson and Pyromania: Understanding the Need to Start Fires - Term Paper Example

Arson and Pyromania A fire based crime1 investigation is conducted on the understanding of theminds and drives of arsonist and pyromaniacs. An arsonist and pyromaniacs are confusing. Their meanings seem to be close and this is the reason why most people cannot differentiate. However, the two words have many differences underlining them. An arsonist refers to a person who starts a fire with the target of burning someone’s property with the reason of revenge. An arsonist involves himself in the act with a mindset of a criminal whose target is to satisfy his desire of vengeance. Therefore, arson is a crime act of destroying property or building of another person with an aim of revenge. It is also termed as an act of burning property for improper reasons. Research shows that, there is an outbreak of fire hourly per day, amounting to the great loss of millions of dollars annually (OConnor, 2012). A number of arsonists are people who had troubles in their childhood, such as exposure to domestic violence, divorced parents and maybe others lacked parental care because their parents were alcoholic or substance abusers. An arsonist sets fire intentionally of properties and buildings without considering the outcome of his action. The arsonist is almost the same with the terrorists because his actions are simple and faster methods of destroying, causing loss of both human life and monetary. Arson is categorized under serious crimes and is charged with penalties that are severe (Kelleher, 2009) A pyromaniac person refers to somebody who engages with a reason of wave impulse. Pyromania is lack of instability on the mentality of a person driving its victim to start fires impulsively. Victims of pyromania suffer from a disorder of impulse control, which drives them to accomplish a criminal act. A person who intentionally starts the fire twice for two occasions consecutively is under the category of pyromaniacs. A pyromaniac person is so much full of the fire obsession that always drives him towards starting the fire wherever he goes. This condition of pyromania is one of the rare disorders. This disorder of pyromania starts at the early age of a child due to curiosity. The curiosity starts by watching a lighting candle burning. Then it graduates to the next level of candle lighting trial and finally experimenting of other flammable objects because of such actions; the fires finally get out of control (Core, 2010). Arson is an intentional fire setting on the property of another person with the motive of vengeance. Arson is an act of fire setting which is a criminal act in nature. Arsonist sets fire for the following lack of purposeful reasons such as imbecility, suicidal and the other possible auto aggressive characters that were shown in the past. This act sometimes has a connection with sexual excitement, which is observable. Several characteristics are associated with arsonist; they include low self-esteem, drug and substance abuse, some physical deformities, lack of personal assertiveness, acts of cruelty to animals, antisocial type, and suicidal gestures among other aggressive behaviors (Kelleher, 2009) The commonly known motivators of arsonist include financial gains, hostility, defacement, crime cover up, political influence, and psychopathological factors such suicidal ideas. The above-mentioned motivators lead to possible acts of committing arson. An arsonist may set fire to get some profit like being paid from the person who instructs him to destroy property. An arsonist may be hired to burn a building or a scene where the crime is committed for the sake of hiding the crime. A good example of arson done for the purpose of covering or hiding a crime is when the arsonist is instructed to burn vehicles, which might have been used to cause an accident to do away with the as part of the evidence that might set a person on murder judgment(Kulbarsh , 2007). Common law concerning the arson act has four elements determining it before it is subjected to judgment. The first element is malicious means arson act is not done intentionally. The second element of burning states that the arsonist limitless to the burning of wooden structures. The third element states that burning of a dwelling is an act of arson. The final element implies that if the arsonist destroys his own dwelling he is not under any subjection of the law. Some states such as Scotland do not recognize arson as a crime while others consider it as a serious act. Arson in itself is a serious crime if it has a variety of offenses such as blameworthy and reckless conduct, vandalism and many other events occurring depending the event’s circumstances. Serious offences such as culpable and careless conduct have the possibility of incurring a life sentence of imprisonment. Arson act causes a lot of damage to both human life and property lost through fire (OConnor, 2012). Recent research shows that there is a high percentage of property loss through arson. Many people also lose their lives because of a criminal act of arson. Most companies and factories are the center of interest of arson. Most lives lost through a fatal accident by fire caused the loss of massive numbers of people. The cases of fire in industries or companies are usually due to the arson act. Lack of senses of an arsonist causes loss of millions of property and massive deaths of workers within the companies affected by arson. Most damage caused by an arson act leads to poverty, homelessness, and lower development of the economy of the country. Arson prevalence shows a ratio of male to female being 4:1 in the year 2011. Evidently, men are prone to be arsonists more than women are. In the USA, for example, arson is a common cause of the fire happening at the rate of 267,000 annually. Arson contributes to the high number of deaths were over 475 people while 2,000 sustain injuries, and approximately a loss of $1.4 billion lost through property damage. 50percent of arson cases happen outdoors, 30 percent happens within the structures, and 20 percent occur within or in the vehicles. Half juveniles make the number of arrested arsonists. There are many vacant and left buildings, which are the main targets for arsonists. Churches also have increasingly experienced cases of arson (OConnor, 2012). Pyromaniac symptoms include an urge to start fires without any personal gain. A pyromaniac has a big thirst for setting a fire for his own fan. A suspected pyromaniac shows some tension or nervousness leading to huge urge of starting fires. Pyromaniacs experience pleasurable feelings and feel a sense of relief at the period of activity. When the activity is complete, they experience some guilt, shame, and embarrassment. They possess interest in things that have an association with fire. Pyromaniacs do not have any motivation of money or any benefit for setting fire except their self-satisfaction. They are under any forceful act to set fire instead; they do it intentionally under no management. Adults with pyromania have symptoms such as depressed mood, suicide ideas, often occurrence of interpersonal relationships’ conflicts, and inability to cope up with stress (Kelleher, 2009) A suggested treatment for a pyromaniac person varies with age. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a recommendable treatment for pyromaniac children and adolescents. Cognitive behavioral therapy is sessions where the patient’s situation undergoes diagnosis to check the cause of impulsive behavior. Other treatments involve training of parenting, overcorrection of negative behavior, use of reinforcement, skills of problem solving, and fire safety and prevention measures. Adult treatment is generally hard because of lack of cooperation by pyromaniac adults. It takes some longer periods for an adult to recover or may not recover in some cases, but psychotherapy can help them in stress management as well as suppressing their emotions. The general motive towards pyromania is the anxiety and curiosity that an individual has for setting fires. Another possible motive to pyromaniac person is a thirst to self-satisfaction that can only be quenched by setting fire. A pyromaniac person gets satisfaction through watching a burning building or object or watching a scene of the fire. Pyromaniacs are unable to control their impulsive emotions hence cannot control their feeling of setting fires (Czech, 2008). Behavior analysis is a crucial approach of investigating fire-based crimes. Most of the FBI considers this method so efficient for them. They use a behavior analysis method in aiding the local authorities to investigate related crimes of fire. Using the behavior analysis approach, pyromania disorder is so much a definite pattern since pyromaniacs usually show some intense interest whenever they are close to the fires. Behavior analysis approach is an important method, which can be useful in determining all the differences surrounding pyromania and arson crimes related to fire. This method is able to analyze the following differences of a pyromaniac individual from an arsonist (Kelleher, 2009) Arsonists instigate fire for gains such as political or economical while pyromaniacs are unpredictable due to their severe medical state that instills motivation making them start fires to gain relief. Behavior analysis aid in portraying the nature of fires and the motivations of fire, which helps in influencing the sentence one is supposed to get. According to behavior analysis, the cause of pyromania is not addiction, but a negative feeling or anxiety mostly relieved through fires. The act of pyromania is very different from arson acts. Arsonists have the ability to analyze their targets well. An arsonist has a motivator that drives him, which is the financial gains and in most cases by political influence. Arsonists always strive to end up concealing crimes through wiping out of all the evidence present within a scene of crimes (Kelleher, 2009) Arson and pyromania are two major fires related crimes, which requires serious attention of the state to prevent their occurrence. The two fire based crimes cause many damages to property and human lives. The government of every country should be alert of any case that deals with arson or pyromania. Preventive measures are essential to the public and the achievement of the preventive measures is by creating awareness to the public. It is useful to note the differences that underline the two crimes to avoid confusion. Noteworthy, the government of every state should clearly highlight the laws that surround fire crimes. Further investigation serves a better benefit of prevention of both arson and pyromania crimes. References Core Physicians. (2010). Pyromania. Retrieved from http://www.corephysicians.org/news-and-health-library/health-library/behavioral-health/beha3354/ Czech, T. (2008, March 16). Psych checks for fire forces?: Some local officials say screening is a good tool to discover who might be prone to setting fires.. Retrieved from http:lirnproxy.museglobal.com/Muse Session=ddc0ca47d2275fe7 Kelleher, J. (2009, March 24). FBI helps Nassau Police Arrest Lawrence Fire Suspect. Retrieved from http://lirnproxy.museglobal.com/MuseSessionID=b22b4a304568e24bf Kulbarsh, P. (2007, November 19). Inside an Arsonists Mind. Retrieved from http:www.officer.com/article/10249289/inside-an-arsonists-mind OConnor,T.(2012). Arson and explosions. Retrieved from http:www.drtomoconnor.com/3210/3210lect05.htm Read More