Essay - Arson Over Thirty Thousand Structural Fires are Set Annually at...

Arson

***** thirty thousand structural fires are set annually at a cost of over three-quarters of a million dollars worth of damage and more than three hundred lives lost. Additionally ***** twenty thousand intentionally ***** vehicular ***** occur causing ***** than one hundred thirty ***** dollars in damages and an additional two hundred lives lost. Arson is responsible for ***** five percent of all fires *****d is the second leading cause of all residential fire related deaths. Arson has been an exceedingly difficult crime to solve, only about fifteen percent are closed by arrest and that only two percent lead to a conviction. Growing in number, juveniles now account more than half of all arson ***** fires (Arson). Fire is also a very ********** resource, a book of m*****tches or a lighter gives anyone access to a potential murder weapon. This availability coupled with motives ***** revenge ***** greed, curiosity or mental imbalance makes fire a d*****ngerous *****. The universal appreciation and fascination with fire as both ***** giver of warmth and comfort and the deliverer of pain ***** destruction have fascinated humankind throughout his*****ry. The compound fear and admiration for this element should certainly be an area of investigative research.

What is arson? Arson, origin*****y called fireraising, it is generally taken to mean setting a fire for ***** criminal or improper purpose. Until recently the public had viewed ***** as the main concern of the insurance companies. This is in regards to owners intentionally setting their properties on fire in order to collect the insurance money. It was mis*****ly viewed as a merely a paper loss ***** *****out any victims others than the ***** carriers and ********** losses. However, over recent years and more public attention to such crimes, the loss of property h***** increased insurance premiums ***** the loss of ***** has caused more ***** over this crime. The public is *****ginning to realize ***** arson is among ***** most violent *****s that terrorizes, kills and injures many victims.

***** of the difficulties with ***** is categorizing ***** reasons or motives behind the crime. Since motive is a m*****jor part of any criminal investigation this can cause some problems in solving the crime. Some is ***** vandalism. While ***** are methods of terrorizing neighborhoods or intimidating store and property owners, as well as tenants:

owner ***** landlord Ulan Zinner has had over 2,000 outstanding violations lodged against *****se ***** by the New York City De*****ment ***** Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). In February, the NYC Fire Department (FDNY) was called to 225 West 146th Street in response to a ***** in ***** adjoining alleyway. The subsequent FDNY investigation found that the f***** was started due to an incendiary, which is evidence ***** arson was involved.... Vasquez [tenant] said the *****ires and the landlord's refusal ***** make quality repairs ***** direct retaliation against tenants for pursuing *****ir rights in court. (Moore 15)

The economic *****s have already been addressed, but arson can also be politically motivated rang*****g from civil