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Criminal Behavioral Assessment of Arsonists, Pyromaniacs, and Multiple Firesetters

The Burning Question

Center for Applied Forensic-Behavioral Sciences San Diego, California

KELLI M. LAUBER

San Diego, California

Historically, human beings have had a long and intense fascination with fire. Once it was realized that the powers of this phenomenon could be harnessed and manipulated to suit the needs of the individual who wished to control it, a new and deadly category of criminal activity arose, the act of arson. Deliberate firesetting, or incendiarism, is one of the most malevolent and potent forms of maladaptive behavior that is spawned by the criminal mind. It is also one of the least understood and infrequently studied behaviors because of problems such as design complications, biased sampling, unreliable subjects, and reporting errors and inconsistencies. However, data gathered over the previous years have significantly increased our knowledge surrounding various aspects of the arsonist, and yielded several hypotheses that explain why an individual engages in willful firesetting activities. This article will provide a comprehensive review of the literature surrounding arson in an attempt to better understand those whose obsession with fire ceases to be extinguished.

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