Hope Seen in Counseling : Juveniles Are Involved in Most Arson Fires

Juveniles are involved in 82% of all fires that are intentionally set, but the destructive tendencies of young arsonists can be controlled with counseling, experts at a statewide conference in Anaheim said Friday.

Participants at the two-day conference at the Inn at the Park hotel, sponsored by the Orange County Burn Assn., were told that juvenile arson can be controlled through the cooperative efforts of firefighters, mental-health professionals and educators.

In California, 38 deaths and more than 450 injuries were caused by fires started by children in the last three years, said state Fire Marshal James F. McMullen, the keynote speaker.

“Nationally, during 1986 alone, children playing with fire caused nearly 100,000 fires that did about $200 million worth of damage, caused 4,000 injuries and led to over 300 deaths,” McMullen said. Experts said young fire starters fall into three categories:

- Children between ages 2 and 7 usually play with fire out of innocent curiosity. A total of 65% of the children who have started fires over the past two years were simply playing with fire, McMullen said.

“Probably half of all children have played with matches,” according to McMullen. Parents should teach their children that there are friendly and unfriendly fires and that “even friendly fires can burn and injure you,” McMullen said.

- Children ages 7 to 11 are more likely to set fires in response to a crisis, such as abuse, neglect or the remarriage of a parent. These children have some understanding of the consequences of their actions and are often seeking attention, McMullen said.

- Finally, the majority of recurrent fire setters are delinquents, usually ages 11 through 14, requiring special help.

Of all arson fires in 1987, juveniles were responsible for 25% and were involved with an adult in another 57%, for an 82% total, McMullen said.

Speakers said that under California law, at age 12 a child becomes legally responsible for his or her actions, McMullen said. Several experts noted that parents of young arsonists may be potentially responsible for the damage done by their children.

Traditional responses to the juvenile arsonist are expanding beyond firefighters, according to several speakers.

“What is needed is a multidisciplinary approach that includes educators, mental-health professionals, the legal community as well as firefighters,” said Clyde Bragdon, the chief fire official for the federal government.

“We can suppress the firesetting behavior in all three age groups if we can get the child in for treatment,” said Kenneth Fineman, a psychologist who specializes in dealing with young arsonists.