What is Serial Arson?

OVERVIEW

Serial arson, though not as heavily documented as other offenses, is a subject that fascinates those who are familiar with the term. Unlike serial murder, many serial arson cases are victimless by nature, making it a rarity in the topic of serial offenses. In many cases, future serial murderers begin with serial arson and firesetting, a direct link between the two that is seen in many serial offenses relating to serial murder. With some motivations spanning from sexual excitement all the way to politics, serial arson is an offense that captivates the public eye. This is the second article in our article series on serial offenses. In our next article, we will discuss serial rape.

We understand that the following content may be sensitive for some readers. Please keep this in mind as you read and proceed with your research.

WHAT IS SERIAL ARSON?

Like all serial offenses, for a crime to be considered serial arson, three or more fires must be set with a noticeable cooling-off period between each fire. With the absence of a cooling-off period, an arsonist would instead be called a mass arsonist instead of a serial arsonist, much like how mass murder and serial murder are separate offenses. The definition of serial arson may change depending on who you ask. With some having many victims due to the malicious burning of a public building and others having no victims due to the crime scene being an abandoned structure, some may consider the two to be separate crimes. However, that is not true. Due to the intent being to burn some form of building or structure, both are considered arson. The following criteria are thought about before classifying an offense as serial arson;

• one or more offenders

• three or more fires with the same offender(s)

• significant or noticeable cooling-off period

• deliberately setting previously mentioned fires

These criteria are needed to determine whether an offense is serial arson, not one-count arson on its own. It should also be noted that children and teenagers can also be considered serial arsonists. In fact, as mentioned above, many serial murderers began their criminal offenses with arson. However, their targets are typically on the smaller scale (e.g., objects, pieces of fabric, grass/foliage, etc.).

Before continuing to discuss other aspects of serial arson, we should introduce you to some basic terminology to help you distinguish the different classifications of arson. First, we will begin with mass arson. Mass arson, unlike serial arson, is when one or more offenders simultaneously set three or more fires in the same place. On the other hand, Spree arson is when one or more offenders set three or more fires in different places without a cooling-off period. (Sapp et al., n.d.)

MOTIVATIONS

Serial arsonists can have a variety of motivations, so we will be discussing the most commonly documented motivations. Keep in mind that many serial arsonists and serial offenders, in general, may have a combination of motivations that we will discuss further in this section. We will be discussing six motives reported by several serial arsonists;

Profit - This motive is relatively straightforward. A profit-based motive is when the offender(s) gain some form of profit or monetary/material gain from arson. An offender with this motive is typically burning buildings and structures. It should be noted that this motive is distinct from many other motives due to the fact that arson is not the primary objective. Much like other profit-based offenses, the offender does not typically gain pleasure from the act due to profit being the primary objective and the arson being secondary.

Revenge - The revenge-based motive is one that is most known by the public. Feelings of hatred towards others an offender feels have wronged them can fuel their decision to use arson as a way to relieve their emotions. Instead of directly confronting their target, this offender uses arson as a way to express their feelings of resentment. This type of arson isn't limited to only burning property. In some cases, the offender may burn the target themselves. According to the Australian Institute of Criminology, revenge/animosity-based arson is quite common.

Concealment of crime - This motive also has arson as a secondary objective. This offender is looking to get rid of the evidence by using arson as their method of concealment. An example of this could be lighting a car, structure, or anything the offender believes may link them to the crime on fire in hopes of destroying evidence or making it harder to find evidence. While this may only be done once by an offender, it can also be done every time an offender commits a crime. If they continuously set fires to conceal their crime, they can also be considered a serial arsonist if property is damaged.

Vandalism - Usually seen in children and teenagers, this motive doesn't necessarily have to do with the act of setting the fire itself. It, in most cases, has to do with boredom, the need to rebel, peer pressure, etc. Vandalism as a motive for arson typically has no apparent reason. It is the equivalent of painting graffiti on someone else's property and doesn't do as much damage as other motives. If done enough times, an offender with this motive can be considered a serial arsonist.

Politics - Though this isn't a well-known motive, it is undoubtedly destructive. Politically-based arson is typically a form of protest and can even be classified as a form of terrorism. Once again, this motive doesn't have arson as a primary objective and instead uses arson to express their actual intentions. It is also used as a form of discrimination toward minority groups or groups that the offender(s) disagree with.

Excitement/thrill - Quite a common motive for arson, the excitement-based motive is one many are familiar with. This offender gains some form of excitement from setting the fires, ranging from sexual arousal to thrill. These offenders may document the fires they've set and typically stay to watch. The phenomenon of the firefighter, or "hero," arsonist is also part of this category. This offender sets fires in order to be the first one to respond to the fire and have others view them as a hero. These arsonists feed on attention and gain a thrill or feel excited from being given the aforementioned attention.

As mentioned above, serial arsonists can have a combination of these traits, making them much harder to understand. For example, an offender's primary motive may be revenge, but they gain pleasure from setting the fires, making arson their choice of weapon. Endless combinations can be drawn, but often there is a primary motivation that they act on; meanwhile, their secondary motivation fuels the first.

PROLIFIC SERIAL ARSONISTS

It would be a good idea to familiarize you with some names infamous to those researching serial arson. As mentioned above, serial arson isn't as heavily documented as other serial offenses despite it being quite common. This means that you may not know many of these names or be unaware of the severity and devastation they have caused. We will only name a few to introduce you to three of the most infamous serial arsonists and hope to get you comfortable with continuing your research after this article.

First, we will discuss Paul Kenneth Keller. He was convicted of 32 counts of arson, though he was suspected of having set hundreds more within a six-month period from 1992-1993. He confessed to 76 counts of arson. Within his firesetting, he took the lives of 3 people when he set fire to a retirement home in Seattle. His motivation was said to be the frustration that ultimately came from his failed attempts as a firefighter.

A name you have almost certainly heard of is David Berkowitz, commonly known as "Son of Sam." Though not known for his firesetting, the number of fires he set is quite large, considering he is known for his murders. Some say he set around 1,114 fires, while others claim he set over 1,500. Though, he kept a diary detailing the fires he set across New York City around the 1970s. This diary lists 1,114+ fires. Victims and property damage are unknown.

Finally, we will discuss John Leonard Orr. Orr was a firefighter and admired by his peers for being one of the first to respond to several fires. Surprisingly, none of them suspected he was the one setting the fires. He has written many books, including Point of Origin, which describes a firefighter as an arsonist. Suspected to have committed over two dozen fires, he is currently serving time in jail for arson and four counts of murder, including that of a two-year-old child that occurred when he lit a hardware store on fire.

CONCLUSION

Serial arson, and arson in general, can have a devastating aftermath for those affected, ranging from significant property damage to the deaths of innocent bystanders. Though it is not as documented as other serial offenses, even if it is pretty common, it is one that captivates those familiar with it due to the yet unanswered questions surrounding it. Due to the increase in arson arrests in the last ten years, we hope we managed to answer some questions you may have had.

REFERENCES

Carroll, M. (2022, June 21). Arson rates continue to rise across California and the Northstate. KRCR; KRCR. https://krcrtv.com/news/local/arson-rates-continue-to-rise-across-california-and-the-northstate

Chasing Fires» The Minds Behind the Fire. (2023). Cuny.edu. https://burned.journalism.cuny.edu/the-diverse-minds-of-arsonists/

David Berkowitz | Biography, Crimes, & Facts | Britannica. (2023). In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Berkowitz

Death Sentence for Four Victims: How Keller Manipulated the Fire Service | Office of Justice Programs. (2023). Ojp.gov. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/death-sentence-four-victims-how-keller-manipulated-fire-service

Holohan, M. (2012, January 3). 6 Infamous Arsonists and How They Got Caught | Mental Floss. Mental Floss; Mental Floss. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/29633/6-infamous-arsonists-and-how-they-got-caught

Kocsis, R. (2002). Arson: Exploring Motives and Possible Solutions in crime and criminal justice. https://www.aic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-05/tandi236.pdf

Merola Says Berkowitz’s Diaries May Link Slayer to 2,000 Fires (Published 1978). (2023). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1978/05/09/archives/merola-says-berkowitzs-diaries-may-link-slayer-to-2000-fires-no.html

Report of Essential Findings From a Study of Serial Arsonists | Office of Justice Programs. (2023). Ojp.gov. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/report-essential-findings-study-serial-arsonists#:~:text=Serial%20arson%20was%20defined%20as,cooling%2Doff%20period%20between%20fires

Sapp, A., Huff, T., Gary, G., Icove, D., & Horbert, P. (n.d.). A REPORT OF ESSENTIAL FINDINGS FROM A STUDY OF SERIAL ARSONISTS i i 0 LO 0") ¢:D. https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/Photocopy/149950NCJRS.pdf

Serial Arson: Study of a Phenomenon | Office of Justice Programs. (2023). Ojp.gov. https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/serial-arson-study-phenomenon

Sharp, M. D. (2017, October 4). The Law Office of Matthew D. Sharp. Houston DWI Defense & Criminal Defense Matthew Sharp. https://sharpcriminalattorney.com/blog/property-crimes/most-common-motives-for-arson/#:~:text=When%20an%20individual%20is%20convicted,of%20explosive%20device%20or%20fire.

What is a Serial Crime? (2023, March 14). My Law Questions. https://www.mylawquestions.com/what-is-a-serial-crime.htm

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