The initial speakers focused on the roles of the United States Commission on Civil Rights and the South Carolina Advisory Committee to the Commission. They noted that South Carolina has experienced 28 church arsons since 1991 and that 60 percent of these cases have been solved. Topics subsequently discussed included the role and efforts of the United States attorneys, the investigative procedures, coordination and cooperation among law enforcement personnel at different levels of government, and support for the rebuilding of the churches. Other topics included State initiatives related to the fires, efforts to improve communication between law enforcement officials and the clergy, insurance coverage of the churches, the characteristics of perpetrators, and efforts to improve race relations.