Theories Behind Arson

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews T. L. Gilman and S.C. Haden's article "Understanding and Treating the Juvenile Fire Setter: A Review". The paper explains that the article provides a very exploration of juvenile fire setting, its onset, broad causative factors, motivations and forms of treatment. The paper discusses how the article considers curiosity, pathology, a means of self-expression, and deviance as key motivators for recidivist fire setting behaviors. After reviewing the article, the paper concludes that, if intercepted early enough, children will understand the consequences of such acts and create less damaging alternative responses while addressing their needs.

From the Paper:

"Gilman and Haden (2006) provide a very thorough exploration of juvenile fire setting, its onset, broad causative factors, motivations, and forms of treatment. The article considers curiosity, pathology, a means of self-expression, and deviance as key motivators for recidivist fire setting behaviors. Accordingly, curious fire setters are intrigued by fire and its entrancing nature. Pathological fire setters are motivated by uncontrolled urges or obsessions. Children who set fires as a form of expression, are argued to be seeking attention, and deviant or delinquent fire setters are seeking revenge or a means of harming others in some way. They identify contributing factors as discord in the home, repressed emotions, and poor social skills."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bergeron, J. L. (2003). Putting out the fire: An intervention program for juvenile fire setters,1-52.
• Gilman, T. L., & Haden, S. C., (2006). Understanding and treating the juvenile fire setter: Areview. Forensic Examiner, 15(4), 10-19.
• Kolko, D. J., Herschell, A. D., & Scharf, D. M., (2006). Education and treatment for boys whoset fires: Specificity, moderators, and predictors of recidivism. Journal of Emotional andBehavioral Disorders, 14(4), 227-240.
• Mackay, S., Henderson, J., Del Bove, G., Marton, P., Warling, D., & Root, C. (2006). Fire interest and anti-sociality as risk factors in the severity and persistence of juvenilefire setting. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 45(9),1077-1084.
• Muir, J. (2005). Street SMARTS: Parents should know playing with fire is not 'kids being kids'.Orange County Register, September 16, 2005; p.1.

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