ARSON HAS INCREASED OVER 300 PERCENT NATIONALLY IN THE PAST DECADE. DUE TO DIFFICULTIES INVOLVED IN PREVENTION, DETECTION, INVESTIGATION, AND SUCCESSFUL PROSECUTION, THE ARSON RATE CONTINUES TO CLIMB; ESTIMATES OF ARSON-RELATED PROPERTY LOSSES FOR 1975 ARE AS HIGH AS OVER $4 BILLION. MANY CITIES ARE BECOMING AWARE OF AND RESPONDING TO THE DRASTIC INCREASES IN ARSON. IN BOSTON, POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS SUCCESSFULLY WORK TOGETHER ON THE ARSON PROBLEM. SIMILAR PROGRAMS ARE UNDERWAY IN ST. LOUIS, MO., SEATTLE, WASH., AND IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA. WITH FUNDS FROM LEAA, OHIO HAS BECOME THE FIRST STATE IN THE NATION TO DEVELOP AN ARSON LABORATORY FULLY EQUIPPED TO PROCESS EVIDENCE IN ARSON OR BOMBING INDIDENTS. ARSON STATISTICS IN NEW ORLEANS, WHERE ALMOST NO EFFORT IS BEING MADE IN THE AREA OF ARSON PREVENTION, INDICATE 206 ARSONS COMMITTED IN 1977, AN ESTIMATED DOLLAR LOSS OF ALMOST $3 MILLION, AND FEW ARSON INVESTIGATIONS AND ARRESTS. THE DETECTION, INVESTIGATION, AND CASE PREPARATION IS THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ARSON SQUAD, WHICH IS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE NEW ORLEANS FIRE DEPARTMENT. A COMPREHENSIVE, TWO-PHASE PROGRAM AIMED AT REDUCING ARSON AND INCREASING ARRESTS AND CONVICTIONS FOR ARSONISTS IS RECOMMENDED AS THE BEST DETERRENT TO THE ARSONIST. PROPER TRAINING IN ARSON DETECTION AND INVESTIGATION; MODERN EQUIPMENT TO DETECT ARSON AND PRESERVE EVIDENCE; SUFFICIENT MANPOWER TO HANDLE CASE LOADS; AND COOPERATION BETWEEN FIRE DEPARTMENTS, POLICE DEPARTMENTS, DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AND OTHER RELATED AGENCIES ARE ALL NECESSARY COMPONENTS IN AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM. FOOTNOTES AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)