Offending and reoffending patterns of arsonists and bushfire arsonists in New South Wales

Arson is the setting of deliberate or malicious fires, and may target buildings (structural arson) or vegetation (including bushfire arson). It is a serious crime that has traditionally received little attention from researchers in Australia. Published Australian data provide some useful information on arson arrests and sentencing outcomes, however, many questions remain unanswered and there are no published Australian studies relating to arson reoffending. The aim of this study is to examine arson offending of individuals who appeared in a NSW court charged with arson or bushfire arson over a five-year period. Also examined is prior offending, defined in this study as a prior conviction, in the seven years before the arson offence. Data on all individuals who appeared in a NSW court charged with an arson or a bushfire arson offence in the five years to September 2006 were obtained from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research. A total of 1,099 arson and 133 bushfire arson defendants (n = 1,232) were identified. The characteristics of these individuals are outlined. The diversity in known offending highlights the need for treatment programs that focus not just on fire setting but wider behavioural issues.