NCJ Number
91110
Date Published
1983
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This paper offers a guide to the fire suppression officer for properly handling the fire scene with reference to the overall goal of determining the fire cause and prosecution of the perpetrator in the case of an arson fire.
Abstract
The suggested guidelines are the result of combined input from both police and fire department investigators and from district attorneys working in the field of arson prosecution. Through the example of a case study, the text illustrates how unique the crime of arson is because it destroys evidence of itself, there are frequently no eyewitnesses, and a case often must be built entirely on circumstantial evidence. For these reasons, the fire officer's role at the fire scene and his awareness of police fire investigator's needs and interests is crucial to solving arson cases. A total of 21 footnotes are provided.