Information Relating to the Arson Problem in America - Essay Example

Running head: arson report - juvenile arson effects on society 14th April Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Information relating to the arson problem in America 3 Effects of arson 5 Costs associated with arson 6 Conclusion 8 References 8 Introduction Apart from the economic challenges that are facing many countries especially in the developing regions, social problems are also major issues in the developed countries. For example, one of the major problems being faced by US is juvenile arson. Being a serious and costly behavior, juvenile arson has resulted high number of deaths that are due to the fire caused by young children. Despite the high costs associated with juvenile arson, child-set wildfires have continued to increase in US. Approximately more than 80,000 structures are destroyed by fire resulting to more than 300 deaths and significant use of funds to address the damages caused. Even though juvenile arson is a serious offence at the international level, it is major challenge in Southern California due to Santa Ana winds as well as dry bush in the region. This paper seeks to discuss juvenile arson and its effects on society. Information relating to the arson problem in America Majority of the arson arrests undertaken in US relates to juveniles which is an indication of the seriousness of this problem. Juvenile fire setting has become a key challenge to the government and the safety companies as well as firefighting private companies. In some areas, juvenile fire setting accounts for more than 60 percent of the annual fires. Juvenile arson is caused by various factors these includes candles. Home candle fires usually occur during festival seasons such as Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Years day. Cooking fires arises from lack of adequate knowledge by the juveniles on how to use microwaves, turkey fryers and cooking oil. Home heating fires on the other hand, occurs during the months of December, January and February. Another cause of fires includes medical oxygen due to the increased use of portable medical oxygen in the US homes. Similarly, the portable generators acts as major source of fires due to carbon monoxide, fire hazards as well as electrical shock. As the result of increase in the cases of children playing with fire in the recent years, juvenile arsons have drastically increased. Between 2007 and 2011, approximately 49,000 cases of fire that were related to children playing with fire were reported by United States department of municipal fire. As the result of the fires, 80 civilian deaths were caused, civilian injuries stood at 860 while the government spent more than $235 million to renovate the damaged property as well as compensation (Karter, 2004). During the 5 years duration, it was noted by the government that while US teenagers and older children are likely to set fires outside their homes, younger children normally set the fires in their homes. Additionally, most of fires were caused by boys as compared to girls, For example, between 2007 and 2011, 93% of outside fires and 83% of the fires that damaged home structures were caused by boys. Notably, most of the home fires by boys were caused by use of lighters with 39% of the fires originating from the bedrooms. One of the major causes of the increased level of juvenile arson and fire setters is lack of adequate health counseling for children who are caught with cases of fire setting. To address the issue of bad behavior among the children and the teenagers, the US government has established Burn Institute’s Juvenile Arson program. This is a court based in San Diego, whose major duties entirely involve provision of a service referred to as juvenile fire setter program. Being, the only mandated court to undertake the services among the young children, Burn institute undertakes its activities in corroboration with the fire agencies within the county who are advised to take the fire setters to the institute. Other parties that participate in the Burn Institute programs include University of San Diego, Attorneys Office, Metro Arson Strike Team, Alliant University and San Diego County probation among others. As the result of the success in the institute programs, other counties have taken initiative to emulate the model tat is applied by Burn. Notable aspects that indicate the success of the institution include improved in the school performance, reduction of recidivism, effective treatment of developmental and mental disorders among other positive results. Effects of arson To the community, juvenile arson has a lot of impacts for instance parental involvement which usually emphasis on the participation of parents or care providers. The parents will have to stop doing anything else that is helpful to the nation or to the family and sit with their child and facilitators. This usually lowers the production rate of the country for example in a country like Australia where bush fire cases are numerous. The parents may be even instructed to attend separate information sessions where they are taught to reinforce and implement what the child is learning from the facilitators making it a problem to the firm which they are employed to since they have to leave and first attend information sessions (Soltys, 1992). Due to high number of juvenile cases, then the country productivity is lowered and the community based programs have to stop and first attend the sessions. Many of those who are concerned with arson cases are unable to differentiate between bushfire and arson and this becomes a problem to the community since others will be separated from their child though the fire was not intentional thus making the community or the family involved to suffer psychologically. To the arsonist, they are psychologically affected since incase the fire killed a lot of people this might hunt the child in the rest of his or her life. Others are separated from the community and parents thus lacking parental love. Juvenile arson then is a major waste time for the child since their mood of learning is affected where the child will leave everything and first attended the sessions relating to fire safety and negative effects of fire (Wooden, 1984). The child has to be educated on the dangers of fire and how to take responsibility thus a lot of time is consumed while the child could be in the school continuing with the syllabus (Slavkin, 2000). This means that additional information is added to the child and on the other hand time is consumed and the child left behind academically since the sessions must be attended first. Arsonists together with their families suffer from stress due to the loss of property and death of other people which are normally associated with fire accidents. To the nation, as a whole the effect is that consumption of fund which may be intended for other usage is consumed since cases of juvenile arsons behaviors are in the past experienced in a high number. As noted earlier, costs associated with fire takes up to 2% of US Gross Domestic Product. The cases are many and higher number of arsonist implying that their parents together with the children will have to consume fund that has to be allocated for juvenile cases (Nicolopoulos, 1996). Such funds could be used for other programs that are beneficial to the residents. If cases of juvenile arsons are minimal in United States, it will make the government to introduce other programs to the community. Industrialization is a major aspect that western countries have adopted and thus companies are developed in large number and thus Gross Domestic Product being increased but due to juvenile arson cases being rampant in United States, parents and relatives are going to use their time in arsons cases where they are taught on how they can make their children implement the sessions taught thus making it hard to report to the companies where they are employed this lowers the production rate. Costs associated with arson As a felony crime, arson brings about high costs in various ways. One of the major examples of costs is human cost. It is worth to note that even if the targeted place is a vacant building or woods, arson is a crime against people. This implies that whenever the fires emerge, it must be controlled by fire fighters among other parties. Thus, during the extinguishing process human life is endangered. Even though the fires in an apartment that is occupied is more severe as compared to fires in open and unoccupied areas, every time the fire is responded to a firefighter is either injured or even killed in the process (John, 2014). Another major cost of Arsons is the direct cost. This entails the value of the company assets and personal property that is destroyed by the fires, insurance cost incurred in the process of compensating the victims, the costs of supplies used by the firefighters during extinguishing process and personnel involved in the extinguish of fire among other resources. For the last three decades, US has incurred high direct costs that have seen the government using a lot of funds. The US government incurs total cost at an average of $130 billion to $350 billion per year. This represents almost 2% of the country GDP. In 2011 for example, the government incurred approximately $329 billion as indicated in the table below. Major costs Amount ($ billion) Economic loss 14.9 Expenditures by fire department 42 Net Insurance 20.2 Costs for fire protection for new buildings 31 Cost of injuries, deaths and firefighters 31 Cost of coverage by firefighters both professionals and volunteers 139 Total Costs 278.1 One of the major aspect as to why understanding the total cost of fires is essential is that it makes the decision makers to be aware of the implication of the fire problems an aspect that is usually underestimated. Similarly, it makes the public to be aware of implications of fire on the country economy thus making them vigilante of the issues that may cause fires among the juveniles. The third costs associated with fire are indirect costs. These includes loss of revenue that is collected in the form of taxes collected from the damaged property, loss of employment for the workers in cases of fires in an industry, medical expenses of the fire fighters and the civilians who are injured in the process among others. Indirect costs have an impact on the country economy based on the fact that significant amount of revenue that is collected form the public and private properties helps the government to undertake other fiscal policies. Conclusion In conclusion, arsons cases have become a major consumption of fund in the developed countries where juvenile programs will have to accommodate the children who are involved in the cases thus making it for the government to spend a lot in arson cases. The cost of fire protection for new building, injuries, deaths and firefighters, coverage of the firefighters both professional and to the volunteers is expensive to the government making it to lower the GDP of United States. Fire counseling is important to the children so that dangers and safety are implemented to the children as early as possible to make sure that these cases are reduced in the society. References John R.The Total Cost of Fire in the United States. NFPAs .March 2014. Karter, M. (2004). United States Fire Loss for 2003, NFPA Journal, November/ December. Nicolopoulos, N. (1996). Fires caused by children. Fire Brigades statistical research paper issue. Sydney: NSWFB. Slavkin, M. 2000. What every professional who works with adolescents Needs to know about firesetters. New York: McGraw Hill. Soltys S. (1992). Pyromania and fire setting behaviors. Psychiatric annals. London: Harper Brothers. Wooden, W. (1984). Children and arson: America’s middle class nightmare. New York: Plenum Press. Read More