Exploring arson as a potential promoter to criminal tendencies

Abstract

In order to be able to understand the criminal act known as arson, one has to understand the method used to commit the crime and why this particular method was used. In order to understand arson, one also has to take into consideration risk factors which would have the potential to produce an individual with crime-related tendencies. Some examples of these risk factors would be the mental state of an individual, the environment surrounding the individual or even the social norms of the society which the individual is part of. One particular risk factor which would yield results when it is complemented with another risk factor would be the risk factor known as Age. In this dissertation, it is going to be explained how this particular risk factor when coupled with other risk factors could result in an individual with crime-related tendencies, in different times of an individual's life cycle. Most case studies and research groups focused on the risk factor of age when joined with another risk factor resulted in an individual committing arson. The age groups that this dissertation will focus on will be the following: 1. Children and adolescents 2. Adults