Arson
Hundreds of lives are lost each year in
arson-related fires, and thousands suffer burns and other
injuries as a result of these crimes. In addition, arson is very
financially costly to our society.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines
arson as "any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn,
with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling, house, public
building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of
another, etc." (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2000, p. 54).
Only fires determined through investigation to have been
willfully or maliciously set are classified as arsons. The
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) is the lead
federal agency responsible for investigating major arson and
explosive crimes.
The main motivations for committing arson tend
to fall under the categories of vandalism, excitement, revenge,
crime concealment, profit and extremist (Douglas et al., 1995):
Vandalism-motivated arson is typically committed
by male juveniles who have completed seven to nine years of
school. The crime tends to occur spontaneously and is often done
by groups. Frequently, entry is gained through force, such as
through a window, and the fire is started with materials present
at the scene.
The excitement-motivated arsonist starts fires
to satisfy a craving for excitement. These fires rarely harm
people. In some cases of deserted structures, volunteer
firefighters and "firebuffs" may be culprits. Slightly older
than the vandal, this arsonist tends to have completed ten or
more years of school, but generally still lives with one or more
parents. He tends to be socially inadequate and has a police
record of nuisances.
Revenge-motivated arson is done in retaliation
for some wrong done against the arsonist, real or imagined, by
society, a person or group of persons, or some establishment. It
may be a well-planned, single occurrence or a serial arsonist
taking revenge on society with little or no planning. The victim
of this type of arson usually has a history of conflicts with
the perpetrator, and the arson tends to be intraracial. Females
tend to target personal possessions, as do romantically slighted
revenge-takers. Females tend to use readily accessible
flammables, while men prefer Molotov cocktails and/or excessive
amounts of accelerant.
In crime concealment-motivated arson, the fire
may be used to destroy bodies, forensic evidence, records, or to
distract from the real crime (such as in burglary). The
perpetrator commonly uses alcohol or drugs and usually has a
history of police or fire department contacts or arrests. In the
case of murder-concealment, a liquid accelerant is often used,
and the crime tends to be disorganized.
The purpose of profit-motivated arson is to
achieve monetary gain. This category includes fraud, employment
and competition. One of the most commonly heard of is insurance
fraud. These fires tend to be more sophisticated with less
physical evidence and more complex fire-starting devices.
Frequently, the offender is hired, leaves the crime scene and
does not return.
Extremist-motivated arson is done to further a
cause. Categories such as terrorism, riots and discrimination
fall under this distinction. The target usually represents the
antithesis of the offender's belief. It is usually organized,
planned and done in groups. Explosive devices such as Molotov
cocktails are commonly used. The offender is often readily
identified with the cause or group behind this crime.
Whether it is done for profit or protest, arson
is so easy to commit, and the offenders are so hard to apprehend
or convict, that little progress is being made to control the
problem. "Arson is taking a backseat for many crime prevention
practitioners because drug-related and violent crimes are
receiving the priority," says Rick Gilman, Executive Director of
the Insurance Committee for Arson Control, which is based in New
York City (Office of Criminal Justice Programs, 1990). Gilman
also notes that arson accounts for 14 percent (14%) of all
structural fires and 25 percent (25%) of all fire-related dollar
losses in our country. This equates to millions of dollars in
losses each year (Ibid).
Although many arson crimes are profit-motivated, research
shows that the number of child firesetters is on the rise.
Almost half (48%) of those arrested for the crime of arson in
1999 were under the age of 18 (Federal Bureau of Investigation,
2000). Firesetting by both adults and children can be the result
of pathological behaviors, including some classified as
pyromania -- the inability to resist impulses to set fires. Much
progress has been made in detecting and treating such
pathological behaviors related to firesetting (Gaynor & Hatcher,
1987).
All rights reserved. Copyright © 2001 by the National Center for
Victims of Crime. This information may be freely distributed,
provided that it is distributed free of charge, in its entirety
and includes this copyright notice.
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TRAINING
Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
18th Annual ACFE Fraud Conference and Exhibition
Orlando, FL • July 15-20
Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
www.FraudConference.com
Tampa Bay Chapter
February 13, 2007
Todd Spear, Fire Marshal, City of Tampa
March 13, 2007
Darrin Morgan, Assistant Vice President,
Special Investigations Unit, Fifth Third Bank, Cincinnati, OH
April 10, 2007
T.B.A.
8th Annual Fraud & Computer Crimes Seminar
May 8-9, 2007
Ruth Eckerd Hall
Clearwater, Florida1111 McMullen Booth Road
Clearwater, FL 33759
2005 - 2006
OFFICERS &
DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
Christine Dever, CPA, CFE
Accountabilties Consulting Services
(813) 417-1825
VICE PRESIDENT
Gary Chapman, CFE, CGAP
City of Tampa, Internal Audit
(813) 274-7163
SECRETARY
William H. Miles, CFE
Florida Department of
Law Enforcement
(863) 701-1474
TREASURER
Laura Krueger Brock, CPA, CFE
Cherry, Bekaert, Holland, LLP
(727) 822-8811
DIRECTOR
Mark Dubina,
CFE
Florida Department of
Law Enforcement
(813) 878-7366
DIRECTOR
Ellen Wilcox, CFE
Florida Department of
Law Enforcement
(727) 298-2482
DIRECTOR
Steve
Hooper, CIA, CFE, CCSA
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Hillsborough County, FL
(813) 276-2029 x3703
CHAPTER TRAINING
Wayne Boytim, CFE
City of Tampa,
Internal Audit
(813) 274-7167 |
News from the ACFE
"I've been meaning to pursue my goal of becoming
a Certified Fraud Examiner for a very long time. Before I knew
it, months and years had passed me by. I know there are others
in my situation, caused by procrastination. So, I wanted to
share my journal with you as I prepare for the CFE Exam. It felt
good to finally get started on the road to earning my
certification, and I began my journal by writing about my first
week."
Read
her journal on ACFE.com
Volunteers are vital
to achieving the goals of the Association of Certified Fraud
Examiners. The ACFE relies on volunteers to advise staff and to
contribute input and content for Committee assignments.
Volunteers' experience in the anti-fraud profession brings added
value to ACFE products and services.
ACFE Career
Center
Your industry
resource for anti-fraud career information and job postings,
designed specifically for anti-fraud professionals.
Recharge your career with the industry’s most
comprehensive career service tool. Find jobs, manage your resume
and set up job alerts by taking advantage of the personal job
seeker tools in the new, updated
Job
Board. Employers may post jobs, obtain access to both active
and passive job seekers and pay only for the resumes that are a
good match for a specific job opportunity.
Chapter News
Library Addition
We just received a copy the DVD “Fraud and the
Tone at the Top, Ethics in the Executive Suite” for the Chapter
library. The ACFE and AICPA have teamed together to make the 20
minute presentation. It depicts the important connection
between fraud and the tone at the top in the executive suite.
The video includes insights from Joseph Wells, founder and
Chairman of the ACFE and Barry Melancon, CEO of the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants. It relates the
perspective of convicted fraudster Walt Pavlo, a senior manager
of MCI WorldCom, on how his supervisors pressured him to revise
the financial records. The expertise of Dr. Steve Salbu, a
specialist in organizational behavior and ethics, is also in the
presentation.
This is a timely resource for today’s business
leaders, providing helpful advice about the connection between
fraud, ethical management, and employee behavior in the
workplace. The video is available for check out from the library
or you can view it online at:
www.ACFE.com/about/press-release-08-24-2006.asp.
Scholarship Awarded
Laura Borsch was selected by the Chapter Board
of Directors to receive a $500 student scholarship. She is a
May 2006 graduate from the University of Tampa with a Bachelor
of Science in Accounting, and is presently enrolled in the
Masters of Science in Accounting at UT. In addition to an
outstanding academic record, a 3.3 GPA at both undergraduate and
graduate course work, Laura is active in Beta Alpha Psi. The
owner of a local CPA firm described Laura as the best
entry-level accountant that ever worked at the firm.
Explorer Donation
The Chapter was honored to present
a $500 check to the Pinellas Park Police Department Explorers
post. The group has 27 members, of high school age, who have an
interest in Law Enforcement as a future career. They meet
weekly to receive instruction in various police topics. The
training is similar to that provided to new police recruits in
the police academy. In 2005, they were the state champions in
competition with other groups from the Florida Association of
Police Explorers. Explorer Lt. David Bonnemann represented the
explorers.
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Dinner Meeting News
 Our
next Dinner Meeting is scheduled for February 13th
Todd Spear is the Fire Marshal for the City of
Tampa. He has been in the Fire Service for 31 years, 22 of
those in the fire prevention end of the business. His 10 years
as a Fire/Arson Investigator and 8 years managing that
Division provides fodder for this lecture (his words, not
mine). Todd's presentation is titled "Arson for Fun and
Profit."
The dinner meeting will be held at the Westshore
Hotel (Best Western), located at 1200 N. Westshore Boulevard
in the Hyde Park Room (first floor). The hotel
is just north of I-275 and Cypress Avenue on the east side of
Westshore (map). Evenings will begin with a social at 6:00 P.M.,
followed by a buffet dinner at 6:30 and a presentation at 7:00. The
cost is $20, payable at the door.
To make your reservation, please use the following link
Chapter
Meeting Reservation and complete the form at the bottom of
the page. You can also make your reservation by emailing
Wayne
Boytim or calling him at (813) 274-7167 by the Friday before the
meeting date. NEW POLICY: Reservations will
NOT be accepted after 1:00 PM Friday afternoon. Walk-ups
will be accommodated only if space is available.
Please remember that cancellations are
accepted up to the afternoon of the meeting. No shows will be billed
after the second missed meeting. Please help us keep our costs down
by letting us know if you are unable to attend.
January 9th Dinner Meeting
The January Dinner Meeting was well attended and
several new faces were in the audience. We would like to welcome
and recognize those attending their first meeting:
Valarie Alverez – Florida Department of Financial Services
Becky Bernstein – Syniverse Technologies
Susan Cribb – Oppenheimer & Company
Jan Decker – FBI
Jessica Huebner – Grant Thornton
Aaron Kentros – Risk Group, Inc.
John Gudavich – PartnerCare Health Plan, Inc.
Wesley Nichols – WellCare
Sheryl Waters – Waters CPA Group
Renee Moll – USF Audit & Compliance
Eric Harmon – USF
Patrick Haggerty – Lansing Community College
A few attending the meeting failed to submit a prior
registration and arrived as “walk ups”. While this caused a
minor problem, all were seated and there was enough food to go
around. This issue will be addressed and new guidelines
announced.
Ellen Wilcox opened the meeting with the announcement that
nominations are being accepted for next years Officers
positions.
Laura Brosch received her $500.00 Student Scholarship from the
Chapter. Laura is a 2006 graduate from the University of Tampa
and currently enrolled in the Masters of Science in Accounting
at UT.
Also awarded was $500.00 to the Pinellas Park Police Explorers
Post for their outstanding work and service. This 27 member
group of High School students has an interest in Law Enforcement
as a future career. In 2005, this group won the State
Championship while competing with other groups from the Florida
Association of Police Explorers.
The night’s speaker, Jean Perrino of J. J. Berrie & Associates,
a well known Chapter member, gave a lively and fact filled talk
concerning fake documents and the art of deception. The audience
received but a small example of Jean’s vast experience in this
field, and it is hoped that she will present an expanded version
on this topic in upcoming training events.
The next Dinner Meeting is scheduled for February 13, 2007.
Please, don’t forget to register early!
Submitted by Bill Miles, Chapter Secretary |
The Emerging Forensic Science of
Arsonist Profiling
Numerous motives compel arson: financial
reward, politics, concealment of another crime, attention
seeking, revenge, and anger. A fundamental tenet of
behavioral profiling is that if you know the what and why,
the who will follow. Therefore, sometimes behavioral
profilers are called in to testify during an arson trial.
They usually present research findings which suggest a
profile of the typical arsonist as someone who may be
seriously mentally ill and/or intoxicated at the time of
the offense, which can be argued as mitigating
responsibility. A full-blown pyromania defense usually
doesn't work, as in the forensic setting, pyromania is
actually quite rare. Below is a summary of some well-known
personality characteristics for arsonists:
AGE: 10-14 (26%), majority under 18 (51%)
if adult, late 20s, never over 35 if adult, revenge or
profit motive
SEX: 9 out of 10 times (90%) a male; if female, revenge
type
RACE: 3 out of 4 times (75%) a white; black (20%) of time
if first-timer; Native Americans 3rd largest group
CLASS: majority from lower to working class; middle class
if vandalism or excitement
IQ: vast majority subnormal (70-90) with 22% in retarded
range (below 70), rare genius
FAMILY: absent or abusive father, history of emotional
problems with family/mother
SCHOOL: learning problems and usually held back a grade in
school, normally in 10th grade; younger (grades 6-8) if
vandalism
PEERS: social misfit, interpersonal problems with opposite
sex, appears physically and emotionally weak compared to
peers
WORK: usually chooses subservient position and then resents
it (both ambivalent and resentful toward
authority-repressed); unemployed if vandal, excite, or
profit
CRIMINAL HISTORY: numerous status offenses as juvenile,
property crimes, almost all have arrest records
DRUG/ALCOHOL: no problem
MENTAL: lack of remorse may appear as psychopathy, but more
typically result of obsessive-compulsive disassociative
trance-like state during firesetting
ARREST: majority remain at crime scene except revenge,
conceal, profit types; some attempt suicide in lockup; most
easily confess thru cooperation
TYPES other than concealers or for profit (who
constitute 22% of total):
ARSON FOR REVENGE (41%) - precipitating factor is a real or
imagined affront that occured months or years ago; attack
is focused on individual rivals, a business chain, schools,
or some facilities connected with offender
ARSON FOR EXCITEMENT (30%) - precipitating factor is
boredom, (sexual) thrill cycle, or need for attention;
attack is focused on large or outdoor targets, like parks,
construction sites, arenas, as well as residential areas
ARSON FOR VANDALISM (7%) - precipitating factor is family
disturbance or peer pressure; attack if usually focused on
educational facility as well as residences and outdoors
ARSON FOR PROFIT (5%) & ARSON FOR CRIME CONCEALMENT (17%)
Source:
http://www.apsu.edu/oconnort/3210/3210lect06a.htm
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