FA-146, The National Juvenile Firesetter/Arson Control and Prevention Program*

Table of Contents 

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 3 

CHAPTER 2: PROGRAM MANAGEMENT 5 
Program Planning 5 
Program Structure 6 
Location 6 
Multi-jurisdictional Approach 7 
Staffing and Responsibilities 8 
Staffing Issues and Concerns 9 
Training 9 
Funding 10 
Liability 11 
How to Establish Interagency Links 11 
Juvenile Firesetter Program Workshop 13 
Jurisdictional Characteristics 14 

CHAPTER 3: SCREENING AND EVALUATION 14 
Objectives 14 
The Target Populations 15 
Fire Service Procedures 17 
Telephone Contact Sheet 17 
USFA's Interview Schedules 17 

CHAPTER 4: INTERVENTION SERVICES 19 
Purpose 19 
Situational Influences 20 
Critical Issues 20 
Primary Prevention 20 
Early Intervention 22 
The Juvenile Firesetter Program, Columbus, Ohio 22 
Operation Extinguish, Montgomery County, Maryland 23 
Fire-Related Youth (FRY) Program, Rochester, New York 23 
Operation Fire S. A. F. E., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 24 
Core Intervention 25 
Other Considerations 25 
Resource List 26 

CHAPTER 4: REFERRAL MECHANISMS 31 
Introduction 31 
Identifying Referral Sources and Target Agencies 32 
Contacting Referral Agencies 33 
Developing Detailed Referral Agreements 33 
Differences Across Types of Jurisdictions 34 

CHAPTER 5: PUBLICITY AND OUTREACH 35 
Purpose 35 
Strategies 35 
Partnerships 38 
Resource List 39 

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CHAPTER 6: MONITORING SYSTEMS 40 
Purpose 40 
Central Elements of the Monitoring Systems 41 
System Development and Use 42 
Implementation 46 

CHAPTER 7: DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM 47 
Purpose 47 
Relationships with the Probation Department 49 
Relationship with the Law Enforcement, Legal and Judicial Community 49 
Relationships with the Juvenile Correctional Institutions 50 

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The National Juvenile Firesetter/ Arson Control and Prevention Program 

Fire Service Guide to a Juvenile Firesetter Early Intervention Program 

November, 1993 

1

This project was supported by grant number 87-JS-CX-K104 awarded to the 
Institute for Social Analysis by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 
Prevention and the U. S. Fire Administration. Points of view or opinions stated 
in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the 
official positions or policies of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 
Prevention or the U. S. Fire Administration.

2 

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 

In Passaic, New Jersey, a firefighter was killed and hundreds of people lost 
their homes in a fire started by a group of teenage boys. In Roanoke, Virginia, 
a seven year old boy set fire to a chair in an abandoned building. The fire 
spread to an adjacent house and trapped an elderly woman. In Rochester, New 
York, a two year old, playing with matches, started a fire that took his life 
and the lives of five family members. Unfortunately, these tragic events are not 
isolated incidents, but are repeated virtually every day in cities and towns 
across the United States. Arson fires kill hundreds of people every year and 
cause over one billion dollars worth of damage annually.

It is estimated that approximately 40% of all arsons are set by juveniles. These 
fires cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damages annually and thou-sands 
of needless injuries and deaths. The rate of juvenile fireplay and firesetting -
- short of arson as determined by fire investigators --may also be quite high. 
Stud-ies have shown that the majority of normal children possess an interest in 
tire and nearly half have engaged in fireplay. While the majority of the child 
set fires are set out of curiosity not malice, the damage they cause, both in 
economic and human costs, are real and devastating.

Clearly the problem ofjuvenile firesetting and arson is a costly, often deadly, 
problem. Whether the result of a curious child playing with matches or the 
malicious act of a troubled delinquent, juvenile firesetting is a serious and 
vexing problem that requires a special response from the community.

In recognition of the seriousness of the juvenile firesetter problem nationally, 
the Institute for Social Analysis was contracted by the Office of Juvenile 
Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the U. S. Fire Administration to conduct 
the National Juvenile Firesetter/ Arson Control and Prevention Program (NJP/ 
ACPP). This developmental initiative is designed to assess, develop, test, and 
disseminate information about promising approaches for the control and 
prevention of juvenile firesetting and arson.

ISA initially planned to develop one "model" program. However, we quickly 
realized that a program suited to a small, volunteer fire department in rural 
Minnesota would not be appropriate for a large, paid department in the Bronx and 
vice versa. Instead, ISA developed a modular or components model. The components 
describe how to develop, implement, and operate a juvenile firesetter program. 
These components highlight seven different aspects of a program, including 
program management, screening and evaluation, intervention services, referral 
mechanisms, publicity and outreach, monitoring systems, and developing 
relationships with the justice system. ISA, with assistance from its 
subcontractors and consultants developed three program manuals. The Guidelines 
for Implementation contains a broad range of information about each of the 
components. The User 's Guide provides step-by-

3 

step guidelines on how to use the information in the Guidelines to implement a 
juvenile firesetter program. The Trainer 's Guide describes how to use the 
information in the Guidelines as well as other resources to develop a 
comprehensive juvenile firesetter prevention training workshop. The guide 
provides a detailed curriculum for the training program and provides strategies 
for modifying the curriculum to meet specific needs

As noted above, the Guidelines for Implementation contains a vast range of 
information. It includes information not only for the fire service, but also for 
mental health, juvenile justice and child protective services agencies. In 
writing that manual, ISA attempted to provide the reader with the widest variety 
of program information and purposely did not specify the type of program a 
jurisdiction should implement. However, we have found that an "evaluation, 
education, and referral program" model is the one most often implemented by 
juvenile firesetter programs across the country. After the National Juvenile 
Firesetter/ Arson Control and Prevention Program was evaluated, it became clear 
that a shorter manual specifically devoted to the development of an early 
intervention program was needed.

In writing this manual we have culled the information from the Guidelines for 
Implementation and presented what we believe to be the most effective program 
for the fire service to implement. Not every recommendation will pertain to all 
jurisdictions, and program planners should refer back to the Guidelines for most 
complete information on alternative approaches. Like the other program 
materials, this manual is written primarily for the fire service --the agency 
most likely to house a firesetter program.

ISA advocates an "evaluation, education, and referral program" --where the fire 
service provides initial screening and evaluation of firesetters who have been 
identified, early intervention/ fire safety education for curiosity firesetters 
or other firesetters who may benefit from such education, and referral to mental 
health or other appropriate agencies for more troubled firesetters. Although 
some programs include a "counseling" component within the fire service, ISA has 
found that the fire service is best equipped to screen juvenile firesetters, 
generally using the screening tools developed by the U. S. Fire Administration, 
and provide fire safety education when appropriate. Any additional counseling is 
usually best handled by mental health or child protective services agencies.

ISA believes that the fire service should not have to tackle the problem of 
juvenile firesetting alone. Other agencies including schools, mental health 
agencies, juvenile justice agencies, child protective services, and other 
agencies that work with youth need to work with the fire service to help 
identify juvenile firesetters and provide the appropriate services so that these 
juveniles do not continue to set fires. In most communities, the initial impetus 
to develop a juvenile firesetter pro-gram comes from the fire service, but as 
this volume indicates, the fire service should solicit assistance from these 
other agencies --often in the context of devel-oping a coordinating council --to 
provide all the necessary services.

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This manual follows the format of the other materials developed under this 
program. It will discuss an early intervention and referral program in the 
context of the seven components ISA feels are critical to the success of any 
juvenile firesetter program. These components include 1) Program Management, 2) 
Screening and Evaluation, 3) Intervention Services, 4) Publicity and Outreach, 
5) Referral Mecha-nisms, 6) Monitoring Systems and 7) Relationships with the 
Juvenile Justice System.

CHAPTER 2: PROGRAM MANAGEMENT 

Program Planning 

Juvenile firesetter programs often originate out of the concern of one inspired 
individual. These individuals may be members of the fire service who have a 
genuine interest in children or have seen, first hand, the damage and pain 
caused by juvenile firesetting. (If a program is established, they often serve 
as program coordinators). Once the interest is generated, the next step is to 
acquire a detailed understanding of the juvenile firesetter problem in the 
particular jurisdiction. Local fire departments are the first place to go to 
obtain the necessary information. Fire incident reports, arson investigation 
reports, and other records should provide data on the extent and nature of the 
juvenile firesetter problem. Information on property loss, injuries and deaths, 
if available, give added meaning to the numbers. Addi-tional information and 
arrest data is often available from hospital burn units and police departments.

Once data on the extent of the local juvenile tiresetter problem is collected, 
the person interested in the problem will need to meet with fire chiefs, 
community representatives, local city councils, and others to determine if the 
magnitude of the juvenile firesetting problem constitute a serious enough issue 
to warrant community action. These meetings often center around: (1) the cost of 
the problem versus the cost of the solution, (2) whether fires set by juveniles 
are a significant proportion of the fires set in the community and (3) whether 
the numbers of fires set by juveniles is disproportionally high given the 
numbers of juveniles in the community. Deciding whether the issue of juvenile 
firesetting is a significant problem will probably take many meetings and 
discussions. Do not be discourage if the process takes longer than expected. 
Many juvenile firesetter programs have been created because one individual had 
the tenacity to keep going back and presenting his or her case.

If juvenile firesetting is not considered a problem, the path is easy. If, 
however, the community decides that juvenile firesetting is a threat to the 
community, the next issue is deciding how to address the problem. The community 
may decide that the problem is severe enough to establish a complete juvenile 
firesetter pro-gram. Communities wishing to implement such a program can use the 
guidelines described in these components and can seek assistance from other 
juvenile firesetter programs. If a separate juvenile firesetter program is 
beyond the resources of a

5 

particular community, the tire service may choose to bolster existing programs 
by implementing one or more of the components. Each jurisdiction is unique and 
has their own unique problems and resources. Only the members of that community 
can decide what constitutes a serious problem and which strategies will be most 
effective to address the problem.

Program Structure 

If the members of the community feel that the juvenile firesetter program is 
serious enough to warrant a juvenile firesetter program, they must decide what 
kind of program would best serve their jurisdictional needs and then develop 
such a program. As indicated earlier, ISA advocates an early intervention 
program directed by the fire service for single jurisdictions (we will briefly 
discuss the special case of multiple jurisdiction programs later). The following 
sections are designed to provide information on how to establish a juvenile 
firesetter program. The remainder of this component provides information on such 
issues as location, staffing, training, funding, and establishing interagency 
links.

Location 

Fire Service. The primary site for a juvenile firesetter program should be 
within the fire service. The results of the Institute for Social Analysis' (ISA) 
survey of juvenile firesetter programs throughout the country reveal that 87% of 
the programs are administered by the fire service. These programs are located in 
different branches of the fire service, including the Office of the Fire Chief, 
Fire Investigation, and the Fire Marshal. The primary reason why juvenile 
firesetter programs should be established within the fire service is the fire 
service's capacity to identify large numbers of firesetters. The fire service is 
usually the first agency to respond to a fire and many of the firesetters are 
identified at the scene. Indeed, the majority of juvenile firesetter referrals 
to existing programs are from within the fire service, usually followed by 
parents and then schools and mental health organizations.

The fire service's knowledge of fire cause and origin facilitates their ability 
to identify youthful firesetters. The fire service can track a case from the 
identification of the firesetter through the fire investigation, assessment, and 
intervention (education, counseling, prosecution, etc.). In addition, many fire 
departments have established links with some of the crucial referral agencies. 
In the course of their investigations, fire investigators often communicate with 
police, probation, social service, and justice personnel. These links are 
vitally important to the success of a juvenile firesetter program (see the 
Referral Mechanisms Component). 

Although the overwhelming majority of juvenile firesetter programs are housed 
within the fire service, there is still some concern that such a program will 
fall prey to departmental politics. The greatest concern is that the program 
would be terminated when the Fire Chief who instituted it leaves. Most 
departments feel that a juvenile firesetter program is too valuable to have such 
a tenuous existence.

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Another concern is that firefighters and investigators may be hesitant to use 
the juvenile firesetter program. To overcome these potential problems, juvenile 
firesetter programs must be institutionalized within the fire service. Their 
existence can not rely solely on the motivation and drive of one individual. To 
survive, the juvenile firesetter program must receive support from all levels 
within the fire service and community.

To gain the support of all the fire service personnel, the program director 
should brief the chief and all the division heads about the juvenile firesetter 
program. Brief memos can be circulated to each fire service division describing 
the juvenile firesetter program services. Each firefighter, fire investigator, 
fire educator, etc. should know about the program and understand how it works. 
The Publicity and Outreach component will describe how to inform the general 
public about the juvenile firesetter program.

Multi-jurisdictional Approach 

The majority of the juvenile firesetter programs surveyed by ISA functioned at 
the local level. More recently, however, a number of programs are considering a 
county or larger, multi-jurisdictional approach. Indeed, during the 
implementation and evaluation phase of the National Juvenile Firesetter/ Arson 
Control and Preven-tion Program, the three sites selected for implementation all 
chose to implement a multi-jurisdictional approach. One of the greatest 
advantages of such an approach is that many of the referral agencies that work 
with the juvenile firesetter program (e. g., mental health, probation, juvenile 
court, etc.) are county, not local, agencies. A multi-jurisdictional program may 
span many towns and allow these communities to combine their resources instead 
of competing for the limited resources of county agencies with whom they work.

The multi-jurisdictional approach, however, requires additional planning and 
coordinating. The national evaluation of the NJF/ ACPP, conducted by the Ameri-
can Institutes for Research (AIR), concluded that while "the fire service agency 
may still be the proper location for screening, education, and referral services 
for individual juveniles, ... it may not be the best choice for achieving 
regional coordination." Using the experiences of the three implementation sites, 
AIR suggests "An agency that already spans the boundaries of the region and that 
already has experience building and maintaining networks that may be a more 
effective program vehicle than an individual fire department" for managing a 
regional approach

In one of the implementation sites, the program management was operated out of 
the Council of Government's office. The Council had exactly the type of 
networking experiences necessary to implement a regional juvenile firesetter 
program. The Council had extensive contacts over the four county area and was 
able to bring over twenty fire departments together. As AIR points out, the 
Council also had a proven track record with the area's public officials. In 
another site, a non-profit organization worked with the District Attorney's 
Office to develop a firesetter

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program that encompassed numerous fire districts within one judicial district. 
The non-profit agency was able to take advantage of the District Attorney's 
district-wide network in bringing together the appropriate agencies. One 
advantage of using a non-fire service agency to manage a multi-jurisdictional 
juvenile firesetter program is that you can avoid inter-departmental rivalries 
that can sometimes impede the progress of a program.


If a site chooses to develop a multi-jurisdictional program, it will need to 
establish detailed guidelines for referral and feedback to each fire department/ 
station within the juvenile firesetter program jurisdiction. Each fire 
department/ station within the jurisdiction served by the program should be 
briefed about the program's purpose and services. As is true for local juvenile 
firesetter programs, the multi-jurisdictional program will be responsible for 
assessment, intervention, referral, case tracking and follow-up.

The feasibility of a multi-jurisdictional program will be based on the extent of 
the juvenile firesetter problem in a given jurisdiction and the resources 
available to ameliorate the problem. In some cases, the structure of the fire 
service or referral agencies may make such an approach untenable. Each 
jurisdiction will need to assess which approach is most appropriate to meet the 
needs of the community.

Staffing and Responsibilities 

Fire Service Personnel. Programs located within the fire service should be 
coordinated by an individual with a genuine interest in the juvenile firesetter 
issue. Ideally that individual should be a senior ranking fire official. As 
noted earlier, programs need support from the highest level in the fire service. 
Many programs are administered by the Office of the Fire Chief or Fire Marshal 
with the coordinators answering directly to the Fire Chief or Fire Marshal. The 
coordinators would be responsible for the day-to-day activities of the juvenile 
firesetter program. They would be in charge of assessment and intervention, 
either directly or by supervising others who are assigned to provide the 
assessment and intervention services. The coordinators would also be primarily 
responsible for facilitating communication between the juvenile firesetter 
program and other agencies. The coordinators should be viewed as managers who 
are responsible for not only the mechanics of running the juvenile firesetter 
program, but also for the leadership and direction of the program.

In larger departments, additional fire service staff should also be assigned to 
the program. Firefighters, fire investigators, and fire educators can provide 
screening and evaluation services, fire education, and referral services. Fire 
service personnel can be trained to screen juvenile firesetters using standard 
screening instruments. In addition, fire service personnel can provide fire 
safety education to juvenile firesetters. Many fire departments employ fire 
educators who have the responsibility to teach fire safety in the schools. 
Providing fire safety education to the juvenile firesetters is often seen as an 
extension of that responsibility.

8 

Staffing Issues and Concerns 

The staffing structure presented above can be implemented by jurisdictions that 
have the manpower resources available to staff a juvenile firesetter program. 
Smaller jurisdictions, however, may not have the resources or the need to 
establish an actual juvenile firesetter program. These jurisdictions may simply 
want to incorporate some of the services provided by a juvenile firesetter 
program into existing agencies. Although it is recommended that jurisdictions 
establish a "program" within the fire department, an alternative possibility for 
some jurisdictions is to have interested people in various agencies take on the 
responsibilities of the juvenile firesetter program staff. These individuals 
would be responsible for assessment, education, referral, and tracking.

Jurisdictions must also decide whether the juvenile firesetter program will be 
operated by full-time or part-time staff and whether the staff will be paid or 
volunteer. Ideally, a juvenile firesetter program should be staffed by at least 
one full-time, paid fire service employee. Many fire departments have separate 
budgets for the juvenile firesetter program, which includes full-time personnel. 
In other jurisdictions, fire service personnel provide juvenile firesetter 
assessment, education, and referral in addition to other responsibilities, such 
as, tire investigations, fire inspections, or school fire safety education. 
Still other jurisdictions rely entirely on fire service personnel who volunteer 
their off-duty time to help provide assessment and education to juvenile 
tiresetters. (In later sections, this component will discuss liability concerns 
surrounding the practice of having paid fire service staff volunteer their time 
to the juvenile firesetter program).

Training 

Regardless of the staff background, all program staff should receive training in 
juvenile firesetting and child related issues. At a minimum, the training should 
include the following topics:

Characteristics of juvenile firesetters 
How to identify juvenile firesetters 
Developing and managing a juvenile firesetter program
Screening/ assessment techniques 
Interviewing and educating the juvenile firesetter 
Referral and follow-up 
Normal child development 
Juvenile delinquency 
Child Abuse/ Neglect 
Legal Issues 

National experts in the field of juvenile firesetting can provide training in 
the characteristics of juvenile firesetters and information on how to identify, 
assess, interview, educate, and refer firesetters. Local fire service personnel 
can provide specific information about the jurisdiction's juvenile firesetter 
problem.

9 

Personnel from local social services agencies and mental health facilities can 
provide training in child related issues, such as child development, 
delinquency, abuse, and neglect. Training in these child related issues is 
important to understanding juvenile firesetters. For example, in some cases, 
more seriously disturbed firesetters engage in other acts of juvenile 
delinquency. In other cases, youth will set a fire to draw attention to parental 
abuse or neglect. Juvenile firesetters represent a broad spectrum of youth, from 
developmentally normal children who are simply curious about fire to very 
seriously disturbed youth who require specialized treatment. The juvenile 
firesetter staff need this diverse training because they will come in contact 
with a wide range of juveniles in the course of their work.

Information about the legal issues surrounding juvenile firesetting can be 
obtained through the local prosecutor's office. Program staff need to be aware 
of the arson laws, including the age of accountability. The staff should also 
know how juvenile firesetters are handled by the justice system

Once the juvenile firesetter program has been established and the program staff 
have received training, the program coordinator or other staff should provide an 
orientation to all fire service personnel, especially arson investigators and 
upper level command staff. This may be done in the from of an in-service meeting 
or one day seminar. (If the resources are available, these personnel may also be 
included in the training seminar). All fire service personnel should be aware of 
the program and the services it provides. In addition, all fire service 
personnel should understand the procedures used to refer a firesetter to the 
program. Questions and concerns of the fire service personnel about the program 
should be addressed at this time. An example of a Juvenile Firesetter Training 
Workshop can be found in the Trainer's Guide. In addition to the fire service 
orientation, the program coordinator should prepare briefings for the Chief and 
Deputy Chief to enhance their understanding of the problem and gain their 
support. As the program continues, the coordinator should provide the Chief and 
Deputy Chief with brief updates on the progress of the juvenile firesetter 
program.

Funding  

As noted earlier, the nature and extent of any juvenile firesetter program will 
depend, to a large extent on the resources available to the program. Programs 
with limited money and manpower have gone to the community to acquire the 
necessary services, materials, and funds. The community can offer an unlimited 
wealth of resources. Corporations may contribute money or sponsor specific 
activities or products. When looking for corporate donations, juvenile 
firesetter program staff should appeal to the corporation's sense of civic 
mindedness and self-interest. Contributing money to better the community and 
help eliminate a costly and deadly problem is basically good business. The 
juvenile firesetter program should consider establishing local public/ private 
partnerships. These partnerships, which include representatives from local 
businesses and public agencies (such as the fire service), have been useful in 
other government programs. Local businesses can donate more than money or 
equipment --they can contribute their management, fund-raising expertise, and 
other in-kind contributions.

One potential resource for the juvenile firesetter program is local insurance 
companies. Where they may not always be able to offer monetary contributions, 
they may be able to provide in-kind assistance. Several juvenile firesetter 
programs have received generous help from the insurance industry regarding 
public relations activities, such as, printing brochures or publishing an 
article on the problem of


10 
 
juvenile firesetting and the promising program solutions. Insurance agencies can 
be a valuable resource because they have a vested interest in facilitating the 
reduction of juvenile firesetting.

Prior to approaching insurance agencies or other local businesses, the juvenile 
firesetter program should gather as much statistical information as possible 
about the juvenile firesetter problem in their community. Information about the 
cost of juvenile firesetting in economic and human terms will help support 
funding efforts. The most important element ofjuvenile firesetting that needs to 
be stressed is that the problem is a community problem that cannot be alleviated 
without the assistance of the community. One additional source of funding can be 
investigated by the juvenile firesetter program. In some jurisdictions the 
restitution paid by a juvenile firesetter as part of a court sentence is not 
claimed by the insurance industry. Often this is because the cost of claiming 
that money is more than the actual amount of the restitution. The program 
coordinator should talk to the court and the insurance agencies about the 
possibility of earmarking those funds for the juvenile firesetter program.

Liability 

Another financial (and legal) concern is the issue of liability. Liability 
refers to the potential for programs or referral agencies to be "at risk" for 
legal action because of the actions of a juvenile firesetter. Program staff need 
to take steps to insure that referral agencies will not be held liable for the 
actions of the juveniles referred to them. Liability waiver forms are often used 
to counter these concerns. The liability waivers should be reviewed by attorneys 
to make sure they address all the concerns of the juvenile firesetter program 
and the referral agencies. Parents will need to read and sign these waivers 
(which usually release the program or the referral agencies from responsibility 
for the action of their children), The juvenile firesetter program and the 
program's referral agencies need to be able to address the needs of the 
firesetters but will be limited if they are going to be held accountable for the 
actions of the firesetter.

Another liability issue arises when fire service personnel volunteer their time 
to work with juvenile firesetters. As mentioned earlier, paid fire service 
personnel sometimes volunteer their time to assist juvenile firesetters. The new 
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) may limit this practice. Many states are 
interpreting the FLSA to mean that the fire service is liable for fire service 
personnel when they are conducting fire service related activities regardless of 
whether they are on-or off-duty. Juvenile firesetter programs that use 
volunteers from the fire service as part of their program need to carefully 
review their state's interpretation of the FLSA and how it affects the program.

How to Establish Interagency Links 

Regardless of how the fire service chooses to tackle the juvenile firesetter 
problem, they will need the assistance of the key community agencies which work 
with juveniles (e. g., police, probation, justice, schools, mental health, and 
social services). The following section will describe techniques for gaining 
support from these community agencies and establishing interagency relationships 
Coordinating Council. Strong interagency relationships and referral networks are 
vital when establishing a juvenile firesetter program. Because these rela-
tionships are so critical to the success of a program, the creation of a 
coordinating council is essential. Such coordinating councils or task forces 
have been estab-

11 

lished in Portland, Oregon; Upper Arlington, Ohio; Central Oklahoma, and other 
programs around the country. The juvenile firesetter program coordinating 
council should be composed of representatives from all agencies in the 
jurisdiction whose responsibilities relate to juvenile firesetters. At a 
minimum, the council should include representatives from the fire service, 
police, probation, juvenile court, children's protective services, district 
attorney's office, schools, and mental health agencies. These agencies represent 
the avenues through which juveniles are referred to the juvenile firesetter 
program, as well as, resources for the program. Including all of the key 
agencies on the coordinating council will ensure that no juvenile falls through 
the cracks and that all firesetters are identified, evaluated, and receive 
appropriate interventions. Ideally, the council should meet once a month to 
discuss the problems or concerns and develop future plans for the program.

The coordinator of the juvenile firesetter program will have the primary 
responsibility for recruiting the council representatives. If the coordinator is 
a member of the fire service, s/he may also represent the fire service on the 
council. The coordinator should contact the administrator of each agency to 
explain the juvenile firesetter program and the role of the council. The 
coordinator should then set a time to meet with the potential council members. 
The coordinator may want to have background materials, such as, statistics on 
the local juvenile firesetter problem and examples of how each agency is 
affected. It is important to stress that the problem of juvenile firesetting is 
a community problem that touches every agency mandated to provide services for 
juveniles. One program coordinator caught the attention of other agencies --and 
ultimately won their support --by telling them that the next child to die in a 
fire was their responsibility, not his. Descriptions of how other programs work 
may also help convince agencies that juvenile firesetter programs work, if they 
receive the support of other agencies. If the head of the agency is unable to 
participate on the council, s/he should suggest a representative, preferably the 
person most likely to have contact with juvenile firesetters.

Role of the Council. The primary role of the juvenile firesetter program 
coordinating council is to facilitate multi-agency cooperation to plan, 
implement, and maintain the juvenile firesetter program. The coordinating 
council should institute procedures for referrals to and from the juvenile 
firesetter program and should define the roles of each agency. For example, the 
juvenile firesetter program would be chiefly responsible for providing 
assessment and education, while child protective services and mental health 
agencies would provide counseling services for more troubled firesetters. Each 
agency representative could work toward providing the necessary procedures for 
acquiring services for juveniles referred by the juvenile firesetter program, 
such as, sliding fees, if necessary.

The council will be responsible for developing specific referral agreements 
between the juvenile firesetter program and different agencies. These referral 
mechanisms, which will be describe in detail later in the Referral Mechanisms 
Component, should include procedures for information exchange between the 
program and the referral agencies. Dual waivers and contracts enable the program 
staff to learn the status of the juveniles they refer for additional services. 
Referral agencies should also be able to learn the status of juveniles referred 
to the program.

One of the most important functions of the council representatives is to educate 
the other council members about their agency's strengths and limitations. 
Misunderstandings and problems between agencies often develop because one agency 
is not familiar with how the other agency operates. The tire service, for 
example, is designed for immediate response, but social service organizations 
are often not able to respond with the same speed. The workshop described below 
is designed to help personnel in different agencies understand how their 
counterparts work. The coun-

12 

cil will maintain communication between agencies and troubleshoot when neces-
sary. If a firesetter is not receiving the services recommended by the juvenile 
firesetter program, the council or appropriate representatives can intervene to 
find out why. Finally, council representatives will also be called upon to help 
identify other agencies or individuals who work with juvenile firesetters. 
Council representatives should disseminate information about the juvenile 
firesetter program to their agencies and the community and promote the program. 
The goal of the council is to gain support for program from all agencies that 
work with juveniles and to ensure that all those who work with juvenile 
firesetters understand the function of the juvenile firesetter program.

Juvenile Firesetter Program Workshop 

As noted earlier, different agencies have different working cultures. To help 
agencies learn about each other, the juvenile firesetter program should sponsor 
a one-day workshop for employees of each of the agencies represented on the 
council. During the workshop, which is based on a seminar sponsored by 
Rochester, New York's FRY program, the members of the coordinating council will 
serve as a panel to moderate the workshop. Members of the key agencies who work 
with juvenile firesetters should be invited to attend. The workshop will give 
participants the opportunity to meet their counterparts in different agencies 
and learn how different agencies operate.

The juvenile firesetter program may want to have the State Fire Marshal or other 
representative give opening remarks or a keynote address. After the welcoming 
remarks, the program coordinator can begin the workshop by describing the 
characteristics of juvenile firesetters, the nature and extent of the problem in 
that jurisdiction, and the role of the juvenile tiresetter program. The panel 
representatives can then be asked to describe how their agency works with 
juvenile firesetters. Attendees can be asked to share their experiences with 
juvenile firesetters. Participants should be encouraged to ask the panel members 
how they might handle a particular case.

After a break for lunch, attendees should be assigned to different groups. Each 
group should include at least one member from each of the different agencies 
attending the workshop. Each group should be given a description of a juvenile 
firesetting case and instructed to discuss how they would handle the case. Each 
group member would then be responsible for describing how his/ her agency 
handles such cases. Participating in this activity gives each attendee the 
opportunity to see how different agencies handle the same case. Understanding 
different work styles and philosophies is essential if agencies are going to be 
asked to work together to solve the juvenile firesetter problem. The workshop 
can close with a discussion of the role of the juvenile firesetter program 
coordinating council and what the program needs from each agency.

The workshop should be conducted after the juvenile firesetter program has been 
established and the staff has been trained. It is designed to give the referral 
and resource agency staff a formal opportunity to learn about the juvenile 
firesetter program and meet their counterparts in other agencies.

13 

Jurisdictional Characteristics 

The structure of any jurisdiction's juvenile firesetter program will be af-
fected by: 1) the size and nature of the juvenile firesetter problem; 2) the 
resources (e. g., manpower, money, space, etc.); and 3) the availability of 
private funding, if necessary. As noted earlier, no one program structure is 
best or even feasible for every jurisdictions. Large fire departments with the 
necessary people and funds can staff full-time juvenile firesetter programs and 
provide all of the necessary services using multiple personnel. Smaller 
departments or those with limited funds may be able to fund one full-time 
position or may have different fire service personnel assume some of the 
juvenile firesetter program responsibilities in addition to their other duties.

Like many juvenile firesetter program activities, recruiting representatives to 
serve on the coordinating council takes time. For some programs, especially 
smaller programs, it may take more time than the coordinator can supply. At a 
minimum, the program coordinator should contact each potential referral agency 
and describe the program. Referral networks need to be established if the 
juvenile firesetter program is going to meet the needs of the youth it sees. 
Each referral agency needs to understand that juvenile firesetting is a 
community problem and they must be willing to be part of the solution.

The juvenile firesetter program staff must also be prepared to handle the turf 
issues that may exist between agencies. These issues are often deeply-rooted and 
preclude agencies from working together. One of the major functions of the 
coordinating council is to maintain communication between agencies. Recruiting 
representatives from all of the key agencies listed above will help gain support 
for the program. All of the agencies must be involved in the planning and 
coordination stage of a juvenile firesetter program. This involvement will give 
each agency a vested interest in the success of the program and assist in 
breaking down the barriers that may arise over turf issues.

CHAPTER 3: SCREENING AND EVALUATION 

Objectives 

There are four major objectives to be achieved in the screening and evalua-tion 
of firesetting youth and their families. The first is the assessment of 
firesetting risk. A complete firesetting history must be taken to determine the 
extent and nature of the problem. In addition, a detailed description of the 
motives and circumstances surrounding the most recent firestart must be 
documented to ascertain the severity of the presenting problem. Based upon 
current information, an estimate must be made of the likelihood that firesetting 
behavior will recur.

The second objective is the evaluation of the psychosocial and environmental 
features related to firesetting behavior. Firestarting episodes do not happen as 
isolated incidents. Although the majority of juvenile firestarts are estimated 
to be the result of curiosity or accident, about one-third of juvenile fires are 
started by troubled and conflicted children. Therefore, for a selected 
proportion of firesetting youth, there must be an assessment of the underlying 
psychosocial features which accompany their firesetting behavior.

14 

The third objective is the determination of criminal intent. If juveniles are 
involved in significant fires resulting in property loss, personal injury or 
death, then they are at risk for being arrested for the crime of arson. Several 
factors are taken into consideration for determining criminal intent, including 
whether firesetters have reached the age of accountability, the nature and 
extent of their firesetting histories, and the motive and intent of their 
firesetting. Although legal definitions of arson vary from state to state, if an 
evaluation reveals that there is sufficient evidence indicating malicious and 
willful firesetting, then the youth can be arrested for arson.

The final objective is the development of an intervention plan. The result of a 
comprehensive evaluation is the development of an effective intervention plan. 
Intervention plans must identify the specific steps to be taken to eliminate 
firesetting behavior and to remediate the accompanying psychosocial problems. In 
addition, adequate incentives must be set in place to insure that juvenile 
firesetters and their families will follow through with the recommended 
interventions.

The Target Populations 

There are three general groups of juvenile firesetters which must be targeted 
for screening and evaluation. The first group is young children under seven 
years of age. The fires started by the majority of these children are the result 
of accidents or curiosity. In general, they do not exhibit significant 
psychological problems and their family and peer relationships are intact and 
stable. (There are a small number of children involved in firesetting who 
exhibit severe psychopathology, and these children are generally referred 
immediately for psychological evaluation and treatment.)

The second group of firesetters are children ranging in age from eight to 
twelve. Although the firestarting of some of these children is motivated by 
curiosity or experimentation, a greater proportion of their firesetting 
represents underlying psychosocial conflicts.

The third group of firesetters are adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18. 
These youth tend to have a long history of undetected fireplay and firestarting 
behavior. Their current firesetting episodes are either the result of 
psychosocial conflict and turmoil or intentional criminal behavior.

There are a number of different community agencies that screen and evaluate 
juvenile firesetters and their families. Based on their broader role in the 
network of community services, each of these agencies will have different 
functions regarding their work with firesetters. Consequently, the screening and 
evaluation methods they select will vary depending on their specific needs. We 
will concentrate here on the fire service and the screening and evaluation 
methods used by fire service personnel.

As noted earlier, the fire service is frequently viewed as the lead agency in 
the community for screening and evaluating juvenile firesetters. The primary 
role of the fire service is the early identification of firesetting youth and 
their families. There are a number of different ways in which juvenile 
firesetters are identified by the fire service. First, parents may discover 
firestarting behavior and voluntarily seek help for their children. Second, 
other community agencies may look to the fire service as the experts in working 
with juvenile firesetters and refer their cases to them. Third, fire and arson 
investigation efforts may reveal the involvement of juveniles in significant 
fires. Finally, if firesetters are arrested for arson, probation and juvenile 
justice may refer them to the fire service for an evaluation of the severity of 
their firesetting problem. Hence, the fire service is likely to see the entire 
range of juvenile firesetters from young children under seven who firestart out 
of curiosity to adolescents involved in recurrent firesetting.

12 

Frequently the fire service will have two levels of screening and evaluation 
procedures. The first level involves preliminary screening to determine the 
immediate severity of the firesetting problem. This generally is done by 
telephone interview. If there appears to be no imminent risk, basic information 
is obtained and appointments are made for additional evaluation sessions. A 
complete interview with firesetters and their families follows and represents 
the second level of evalu-ation. The primary goals of these interviews are to 
analyze the severity of the firesetting behavior and describe the psychosocial 
environment. This two level system facilitates the handling of emergency 
problems and establishes the conditions necessary for a comprehensive evaluation 
system.

16 

Fire Service Procedures 

The following instruments and methods are used as screening and evaluation 
procedures by the fire service. 

Telephone Contact Sheet 

When parents or community agencies call the fire department to request help for 
firesetting youth and their families, this sheet is used as a preliminary 
screening mechanism. Basic information is gathered such as names, addresses, 
telephone numbers, a brief summary of the firesetting problem, and a description 
of the steps to be taken, which frequently includes the dates and times for 
setting-up personal interviews or the other follow-up procedures which are to be 
implemented for particular cases.

USFA 's Interview Schedules 

These interview schedules are designed to provide the juvenile firesetter 
program with systematic methods for evaluating juvenile firesetters and their 
families. The interview schedules consist of a series of questions which are 
asked of tiresetting youth and their families in personal interviews, The 
application of these interview schedules yields information regarding the 
severity of the firesetting problem and preliminary data on the psychosocial 
environment of juvenile firesetters and their families. The USFA interview 
schedules have been widely used by a number of fire departments throughout the 
country and represent standard practice for many tire departments and juvenile 
firesetter programs. With minimal training, these procedures can be used by fire 
service personnel to screen, evaluate and refer juvenile firesetters and their 
families to appropriate service agencies in the commu-nity. There are three 
manuals describing in detail the application of these interview schedules. These 
manuals can be obtained by calling or writing the U. S. Fire Administration in 
Emmitsburg, Maryland.


These interview schedules and the manuals which describe their application are 
divided into three age groups. The first manual outlines the interview schedules 
and methods for working with children seven and under. The second manual 
describes the interview schedules and methods to be applied to children ages 
seven to thirteen. The third manual contains the interview schedules and 
procedures for working with adolescent firesetters. The implementation of the 
procedures in each of these three manuals allows fire departments to screen and 
evaluate the entire range of juvenile firesetters.

These interview schedules and accompanying manuals are used by fire departments 
extensively throughout the United States. Many departments have established 
juvenile firesetter programs following the guidelines suggested in these 
manuals. The interview schedules also contain information which may be useful to 
mental health professionals regarding the severity of the firesetting problem 
and the conditions of the psychosocial environment. Juvenile firesetters and 
their families are interviewed alone and together for approximately ninety 
minutes by fire service personnel using the interview schedules. The interview 
schedules are organized and presented in slightly different ways depending on 
the age of the firesetter. For children under seven, the interview schedule is 
divided into two sections. Section one focuses on questions regarding 
firesetting behavior and section two requires observations to be made regarding 
the home and the parents. For children seven through thirteen, the interview 
schedule is divided into three sections. The first section asks questions 
related to firesetting history, the second section presents questions related to 
the home and family, and the third section asks questions regarding

17 

school and peers. For adolescent firesetters the interview schedule is divided 
into two main sections. Section one asks questions related to firesetting 
history and details of the most recent firesetting incident. Section two asks 
questions regarding the psychological environment, including information about 
physical health, the home, the family, peers, and school. For all age levels, 
parents are asked to complete a questionnaire which contains observations about 
the psychological behavior of their children.

The interview schedules have scoring procedures which classify firesetting youth 
and their families according to risk levels. These risk levels refer to the 
prob-ability that the juvenile firesetters are likely to participate in future 
firesetting incidents. There are three levels of risk --little, definite, and 
extreme --representing increasingly severe firesetting behavior. In general, 
children classified as little risk firestart by accident or out of curiosity, 
and require educational intervention to remediate their problem. Juveniles 
classified as definite and extreme risk firestart because of psychological 
conflict, family difficulties or as part of a pattern of anti-social and 
delinquent behavior. They require mental health or juvenile justice 
intervention. Hence, the interview schedules yield a specific method for 
classifying juvenile firesetters according to the severity of their presenting 
problem. This classification system also suggests the type of interventions most 
likely to be beneficial to tiresetting youth and their families.

The primary advantage of the interview schedules is that they provide sys-
tematic procedures for fire service personnel to evaluate the entire range 
ofjuvenile tiresetters and their families. In addition, these interview 
schedules yield a quantifiable method for classifying the severity of the 
firesetting problem and for recommending specific types of interventions. Also, 
only a brief training period is required to teach fire service personnel how to 
use these interview schedules. Their application is well documented in three 
manuals and they are widely accepted and applied throughout the fire service.

The major disadvantage of these interview schedules is that their validity and 
reliability have not been investigated. Therefore, the accuracy and consistency 
of the information which they yield remains open to question. A primary concern 
is that children identified as little risk may actually be exhibiting signs of 
more serious firesetting behavior. One way to address this problem is to monitor 
little risk firesetters for a period of time subsequent to their evaluation and 
educational intervention. Also, in cases where definite and extreme tiresetting 
youth have been identified, it is recommended that other assessment strategies 
be used in conjunction with the interview schedules. For example, as a general 
rule these types of cases should be referred for additional evaluation by mental 
health professionals. While these interview schedules provide an important first 
step in screening and evaluating juvenile firesetters, virtually nothing is 
known about the quality of the information they yield. Therefore, back-up 
procedures must be set in place. In many cases, this includes being able to 
consult with a mental health practitioner for cases which need additional 
clarification. This will insure that juvenile firesetters and their families 
receive appropriate assessment and intervention.

CHAPTER 4: INTERVENTION SERVICES 

Purpose 

The Intervention Services component presents the primary intervention strategies 
designed to reduce the incidence of juvenile involvement in firesetting behavior 
and arson-related activities. These strategies reflect three major intervention 
approaches. The first strategy is primary prevention. The goal of primary 
prevention is to provide substantial fire safety and educational experience to 
juveniles so that they develop fire-competent behaviors and avoid participation 
in unsupervised firestarts. The second strategy is early intervention. Youth 
participating in fireplay and firesetting behavior motivated by accident, 
curiosity or experimentation can be identified and educated to reduce the 
likelihood of their future involvement in unsupervised firestarts. The third 
strategy is core intervention. Recurrent firesetters frequently experience 
significant psychological and social conflict and turmoil related to their 
firestarting activities. It is hypothesized that if these psychosocial problems 
can be adjusted or remediated, then not only are the chances of involve-ment in 
future firesetting episodes greatly reduced, but the quality of life is likely 
to improve for these juveniles and their families. ISA recommends that such core 
intervention be delivered by mental health or other social service providers.

The three intervention strategies -primary prevention, early intervention, and 
core intervention -are aimed at reducing juvenile involvement in the entire 
range of unsupervised fireplay and firesetting activities. Each of the 
strategies have specific intervention objectives and they are aimed at 
particular target populations. Primary prevention efforts involve several 
community agencies including the schools, the fire service, and law enforcement. 
The fire service is the lead community agency providing early intervention 
services. They use many different types of program models to work with juvenile 
firesetters. Core intervention services involve mental agencies and 
professionals and the probation and juvenile justice systems.

Each of the three intervention strategies are designed to achieve specific 
objectives. Primary prevention efforts are intended to reduce the incidence of 
first-time unsupervised fireplay and firesetting in populations of otherwise 
normal youth. This is accomplished by providing children of all ages with 
educational experiences focused on the rules of fire safety and prevention and 
understanding the consequences of fireplay and firesetting.

Early intervention programs are focused on identifying both children at-risk for 
fireplay or firesetting activities and those involved in first-time fireplay and 
firesetting episodes. In addition, their objective is to prevent the recurrence 
of fireplay and firesetting incidents. The implementation of short-term 
evaluation, education, and referral mechanisms within the fire service and other 
supporting community agencies are designed to meet these objectives.

Core intervention services are aimed at eliminating recurrent firesetting 
beavior and providing treatment and remediation for the contributing 
psychosocial determinants. Mental health intervention is the primary method 
utilized to stop recurrent firesetting and treat the underlying causes of the 
behavior. Probation and juvenile justice efforts provide legal incentives to 
youth and their families to pursue treatment for their patterns of antisocial 
and delinquent behavior. If treatment recommendations are not followed, the 
juvenile justice system can implement legal consequences and punishments related 
to firesetting and arson offenses.

19 

Situational Influences 

The design and implementation of juvenile firesetter programs will depend upon 
the commitment of time and resources participating agencies are willing to make 
in their community. For example, schools must decide whether primary prevention 
programs designed to teach fire safety are a high priority for their curriculum. 
Fire departments, heavily committed to suppression activities, will need to 
direct their focus to the prevention aspect of fighting fires. Law enforcement, 
probation and juvenile justice must select to pay particular attention to the 
firesetting population ofjuveniles, as opposed to other groups of delinquent 
youth. Frequently additional program efforts aimed at specific problems areas or 
target populations can be incorporated into existing operations, thereby keeping 
costs at a minimum. Nevertheless, the level of time and resources committed to 
juvenile firesetter intervention programs is directly related to their content, 
utility, and effectiveness.

Juvenile firesetting must be viewed as a community problem, and as such, it 
deserves community-wide attention. Although fire departments may take the lead 
role in developing programs for juvenile firesetters, their efforts alone will 
not resolve the problem. It is crucial that there be working linkage established 
between the various community agencies capable of helping juvenile firesetters 
and their families. Schools, the fire service, law enforcement, juvenile justice 
and mental health must all establish open communication channels with one 
another so that an organized effort is mounted to reduce juvenile involvement in 
firesetting and arson-related activities.

Critical Issues 

The success of juvenile firesetter intervention programs depends on several 
factors. First, the community must be educated about the problems of juvenile 
firesetting. An effective public relations campaign must be developed to teach 
parents and adults how to recognize the problem in children and where and how to 
go for help to resolve it. Regardless of the level of intervention, from primary 
prevention to core intervention, the public must understand the seriousness of 
juvenile involvement in firesetting and they must be knowledgeable enough to 
take the first steps to get the appropriate help.

Each community agency focusing their attention on the problem of juvenile 
firesetting is likely to have slightly different roles and responsibilities, 
depending on the nature and extent of their services. Those agencies and 
professionals involved in helping juvenile firesetters must be trained in how to 
work with this special population of youth. Although training needs will vary 
according to the type of services offered, designing and implementing 
intervention programs often requires special expertise and information. 
Education manuals coupled with training seminars are important resources for 
establishing and maintaining effective intervention services. 

Primary Prevention 

Primary prevention programs are aimed at reducing juvenile involvement in first-
time unsupervised fireplay and firesetting incidents. The basic premise of these 
programs is that if children understand the rules of fire safety and prevention 
and the consequences of firestarting, they are less likely to initiate or 
participate in non-productive firesetting. Primary prevention efforts are 
educational programs designed to teach children of all ages fire safety and 
survival skills.

20 

There are several different educational models utilized in primary preven-tion 
programs. The models employed largely depend on the sites which operate the 
programs. Primary prevention programs are found in the schools, the fire 
service, and law enforcement. Schools can offer a wide range of prevention 
activities including fire safety education curriculum and activities, slide 
presentations, films, and assemblies. The fire service can mount national and 
local media campaigns, utilize district fire houses to provide tours and 
educational seminars for youth, and work with their school districts to present 
unique educational experiences. Law enforcement can incorporate fire safety 
education as part of their general anti-crime efforts aimed at youth. Primary 
prevention programs can utilize a variety of diffe-ent learning strategies and 
activities to accomplish the common objective of teaching youth how to develop 
fire-safe and competent behaviors.

It is recommended that community organizations or agencies launch a 
comprehensive fire prevention effort designed to reach a broad age-range of 
children. Educational programs for preschool children should be explored as well 
as programs aimed at elementary, middle and high school aged youth. Schools are 
the obvious site where maximal efforts can be focused to reach the majority of 
children. The amount of time set aside for teaching fire prevention and safety 
will depend on the level of effort schools are willing to commit. A minimal 
effort might consist of a fire education presentation to youth coupled with the 
distribution of printed mate-rial to parents. A more comprehensive approach 
might be the adoption of a fire safety curriculum. There are several excellent 
packages of fire safety and prevention programs already developed for schools. 
The particular program or set of programs developed depends on the available 
resources and the range and depth of desired services. It is strongly 
recommended that schools integrate primary prevention efforts into their ongoing 
curriculum plans.

Fire service efforts can be important adjuncts in helping to promote the 
development of fire safety behaviors in children and their families. For 
example, parents who first notice their children's interest in fire or who have 
found their children playing with matches may instinctively call their local 
fire department for help. Fire departments can offer to talk with these youth, 
have them tour the local fire house and provide short-term educational services 
designed to teach tire prevention to children and their families. In addition, 
the fire service can work with their local schools to enrich fire prevention 
programs by offering classroom visits or assemblies, slide presentations and 
films designed to communicate information on fire safety and prevention. 
Finally, local fire departments can support national programs, such as National 
Fire Prevention Week, by mounting active print and television media campaigns 
designed to promote fire safety.

There are a wide variety of primary prevention programs currently operating in 
communities throughout the country. A sample of these programs include: 1) Learn 
Not to Burn, developed by the National Fire Prevention Association; 2) Know-ing 
About Fire, developed by the National Fire Service Support System; 3) Fire 
Safety Skills Curriculum, used by the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office; 4) 
Juve-nile Crime Prevention Curriculum, developed in St. Paul, Minnesota; and 5) 
Kid's Safe Program, used by the Oklahoma City Fire Department. These and other 
pro-grams are listed in the Resource List at the end of this chapter. Programs 
are en-couraged to contact the U. S. Fire Administration and juvenile firesetter 
programs around the country.

21 

Early Intervention 

The fire service is the leading community agency involved in the development of 
early intervention programs for juvenile firesetters. The primary objective of 
early intervention programs is to identify children at-risk for participating in 
unsupervised fireplay and firesetting incidents. In addition, these programs are 
aimed at preventing the recurrence of first-time firesetting  episodes motivated 
by accident, curiosity or experimentation. These objectives are accomplished by 
setting-up short-term evaluation, education, counseling and referral services 
designed to stop firesetting behavior and identify related psychosocial 
problems.

As noted earlier, ISA advocates an evaluation, education, and referral program 
model. This approach is the one most frequently employed by fire departments 
across the country and is the recommended strategy for building effective 
juvenile firesetting programs. To implement this model, fire departments must 
establish methods for screening and evaluating the firesetting risk of children 
and their families. The recommended screening methods are discussed in the 
Screening and Evaluation chapter. The identification of risk levels allows fire 
departments to determine the most appropriate strategies for remediating the 
current firesetting problem. If children are identified as little risk, then it 
is likely that short-term education intervention will stop any further 
firesetting behavior. Fire departments have successfully implemented a number of 
different educational programs. If youth are identified as definite or extreme 
risk, while they may benefit from educational programs, they are likely to need 
core intervention services. Fire departments must know how to refer firesetters 
and their families to the appropriate service agencies.

Again there are many programs that have implemented evaluation, education, and 
referral programs. The following programs are examples of evaluation, education 
and referral interventions for juvenile firesetters which have operated in fire 
departments across the country. They were selected because certain features of 
these programs represent outstanding or exceptional aspects of the evaluation, 
education and referral program model. Additional information can be obtained by 
contacting the programs listed in the Resource List at the end of this 
component.

A. The Juvenile Firesetter Program, Columbus, Ohio 

The primary purpose of this Juvenile Firesetter Program is to prevent juveniles 
who are setting fires and playing with matches and lighters from staring 
additional fires. The majority of these juveniles are referred from fire 
investigators, with a smaller number coming from children's services and mental 
health agencies. These children and their families are evaluated using USFA's 
Interview Schedules. All youth attend 4-6 educational sessions. This educational 
segment of the program is one of the outstanding features of its operation. 
Those youth identified as definite or extreme risk are referred for further core 
intervention services. Follow-up evaluation forms are sent every six months for 
two years to participating families and the resulting data indicate a 7% 
recidivism rate.

While the format of this juvenile firesetter program represents a standard 
example of the evaluation, education and referral program model, the educational 
feature of this approach deserves special mention. Prior to their participation 
in the educational sessions, juveniles complete written pretests designed to 
assess fire safety knowledge. They then attend four to six educational sessions 
at their local firehouse, depending on their age and the history of their 
firesetting behavior. Audiovisual teaching aids are used extensively. The 
Official Fire Safety Manual, containing games and puzzles designed to teach fire 
safety and prevention rules, is used with all youth. Separate manuals have been 
developed for children 4-6 years, 7-9 years,

22 

and 9-12 years. In addition, the family does homework, including designing a 
Home Fire Escape Plan and conducting a home fire safety inspection. In the final 
educational meeting, children complete post-tests to assess the amount of 
increased knowledge of fire safety and prevention accrued from the program. This 
represents a comprehensive approach by fire service personnel to provide 
educational experiences for children at the firehouse.

B. Operation Extinguish, Montgomery County, Maryland 

Operation Extinguish is one of the programs run by the Montgomery County Fire 
Department's Division of Fire Prevention. Youth are referred to fire prevention 
by their parents, from the youth division of the police department, and from the 
juvenile services administration. All juveniles are evaluated using family 
assessment methods and following the guidelines recommended by USFA's Interview 
Schedules. All children also attend fire safety classes conducted by the 
division of fire prevention. These classes represent an outstanding feature of 
this program. Families of juvenile firesetters are referred to a private mental 
health agency for at least six family counseling sessions. This also is a unique 
program feature. Firesetters and their families are referred for other services 
on an as-needed basis. Release from Operation Extinguish is contingent upon 
completion of the prescribed intervention plan.

Operation Extinguish has two unique program features. The first is a highly 
structured format of fire education classes. Three two-hour fire safety classes 
are run for groups ofjuvenile firesetters. Firesetters attend the first two 
classes and may bring their siblings. Parents also attend the last class. 
Audiovisual aids are used along with a manual, A Question of Burning. Week one 
covers the history of fire facts. Fire prevention, recognition of fire hazards, 
escape planning and survival techniques are discussed. Arson and arson laws in 
the state of Maryland are reviewed. The homework, to be completed by week three, 
is assigned and consists of developing a home fire escape plan. Week two focuses 
on burn injuries. Children participate in writing exercises designed to help 
them think about the potential consequences of firesetting. Week three 
summarizes fire safety rules for parents. Escape plans are reviewed and the 
importance of knowing how to react in fire emergencies is discussed. By the end 
of the third session, both children and parents report being satisfied with the 
educational experience.

The second unique program feature is that the majority of firesetters and their 
families are referred for at least six family counseling sessions. The entire 
family is encouraged to participate in these sessions, since it is likely that 
siblings also may be involved in fireplay and firesetting activities. Counseling 
sessions are tailored to meet the individual needs of families. Families 
participating in these sessions report that their communication is greatly 
improved as a result of these counseling sessions.

C. Fire-Related Youth (FRY) Program, Rochester, New York 

The FRY program is housed in the Rochester Fire Department. It receives the 
majority of its referrals from within the fire department. When the program 
receives referrals, fire investigators conduct complete investigations of the 
firesetting incidents. In addition to investigating the scene and conducting a 
records check, investigators interview children and their parents. The 
interviews are not designed to draw definite conclusions about the psychosocial 
functioning of juveniles, rather they are intended to provide investigators with 
more information about the fire. The USFA Interview Schedules are used as 
guidelines during these interviews. After interviewing the parents, 
investigators meet with the child to talk about the incident

23 

and provide fire safety education. The exact nature of the education depends on 
the age of the child. The majority of juvenile firesetters interviewed are 
referred for additional services.

There are two outstanding features of the FRY program. The first is their well-
established linkages with numerous service agencies within their community. The 
FRY program can refer juvenile tiresetters to one of four mental health 
agencies, the Police Department's Family and Crisis Intervention Team, Child 
Protective Services, Probation, or Family Court. This referral system also 
includes a dual waiver form that allows a free flow of information between the 
FRY program and all referral agencies. The solid referral network established by 
the FRY program ensures that children and their families will receive the 
services necessary to stop firesetting and remediate the related psychosocial 
problems.

The second exceptional program feature is the complete documentation of the FRY 
program in two sequential manuals. These manuals not only describe the operation 
of the program, but they report investigative studies concerning a number of 
different topics including a complete description of the population of 
firesetting juveniles and explanations of their firestarting behavior. These 
manuals provide visibility and credibility for the FRY program.

D. Operation Fire S. A. F. E., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 

Operation Fire S. A. F. E. was one of the three implementation sites selected to 
participate in the National Juvenile Firesetter/ Arson Control and Prevention 
Program National Evaluation. The program is targeting the Central Oklahoma area, 
which includes four counties (Oklahoma, Canadian, Cleveland, and Logan) and 
thirty-five fire departments. The program has established an Operational 
Committee comprised of the area fire departments and the Association of Central 
Oklahoma Governments (ACOG). This committee has primary responsibility for 
developing the program. Individual members or subcommittees have taken 
responsibility for developing specific aspects of the program, including video 
development, site selection, logo development/ selection, development of the 
initial contact and evalua-tion forms, and working with the mental health 
guidance centers and the District Attorney's Office.

Operation Fire S. A. F. E. is targeting a very large, diverse area with multiple 
fire service, mental health, juvenile justice, human service, and police 
agencies. Operation Fire S. A. F. E. established twelve geographically diverse 
sites to provide assessment and fire safety education to the area's juveniles. 
Fire departments in the central Oklahoma area that are not equipped to handle 
juvenile tiresetters can refer them to one of the seven sites. Each site will 
have 1) a set of U. S. F. A. screening instruments; 2) a video library; 3) TV/ 
VCR; 4) standardized forms developed by Operation Fire S. A. F. E. (initial 
contact, interview form, information release waiver, summary form); and 5) toys.

Operation Fire S. A. F. E. is fortunate to have the support of the area's mental 
health professionals. The program has been working with the county guidance 
centers to develop a consistent regional system for referring families in need 
of mental health counseling. The Guidance Center Coordinator developed a six-
month pilot referral program for the Oklahoma City Fire Department, which is 
being implemented. That department refers families to one guidance center for 
12-week group therapy. The remaining fire departments are continuing to refer 
families to the other area guidance centers, clinics, and individual 
practitioners. After the pilot program is evaluated, it may be picked up by the 
other guidance centers.

24 

In addition, the Oklahoma County Guidance Center completed a five-part training 
series for the Oklahoma City Fire Department Fire S. A. F. E. interviewers on 
effective interviewing techniques. The guidance center counselors have offered 
the same course to other area departments involved in Operation Fire S. A. F. E. 
The guidance center will also be offering a monthly discussion group for Fire S. 
A. F. E. interviewers to discuss their feelings and frustrations.

The program has also been working with the Oklahoma County District Attorney's 
Office. One area of concern was Operation Fire S. A. F. E. 's policy statement 
which asserted that any information collected as part of the Operation Fire S. 
A. F. E. assessment be kept strictly confidential and not be used for fire 
investigation. Although the statement has been accepted, the program has been 
cautioned that the fire investigators should complete their investigations 
before referrals to the program are made. Operation Fire S. A. F. E. is also 
trying to establish a mechanism that would provide "motivation" for parents who 
refuse or are reluctant to have their child participate in the program after a 
fire has been set. The program is working with the Department of Human Services 
to encourage involvement. When parents are extremely reluctant, the case is 
treated as a "neglect" case by DHS.

One key component of the juvenile firesetter program is the development of a 
video describing Operation Fire S. A. F. E. The eleven minute video, developed 
as part of this program, will provide information to the media, school 
administrators and counselors, parents, mental health professionals, and other 
agencies that work with juvenile firesetters on the purpose of the program, how 
to access the program, the locations of assessment/ education sites, etc. 
Operation Fire S. A. F. E. also developed a program brochure and poster to 
accompany the video which will be used as part of the program's public education 
campaign.

Core Intervention 

Children and adolescents involved in recurrent firesetting behavior and 
displaying serious psychopathology are candidates for core intervention 
services. In addition, youth whose firesetting is willful or malicious and an 
expression of criminal intent also are likely participants for core 
intervention. Core intervention services are those modalities which provide 
long-term help for juvenile firesetters and their families to eliminate 
firesetting behavior and remediate the accompanying psychopathology. There are 
two major modalities of core intervention, mental health treatment and the 
probation and juvenile justice system. If the juvenile firesetter program 
believes that a child they have screened is in need of core intervention 
services, that child should be referred to the appropriate agencies. 
Establishing referral mechanisms is covered in the next chapter.

Other Considerations 

When developing an early intervention program, juvenile firesetter programs will 
have a vast amount of educational materials from which to choose those most 
appropriate for their service needs. Program staff should consider contacting 
the U. S. Fire Administration, the National Fire Protection Agency, and other 
fire departments to inquire about available materials. Although ISA does not 
advocate one set of materials over another, we do feel strongly that certain 
approaches should be avoided. We do not believe that scare tactics or the use of 
graphic pictures of burn victims are an effective way to teach fire safety 
education. Although some programs do use these techniques, we do not feel they 
are appropriate, especially for young children. In general, programs have move 
away from having children

25 

visit burn victims in local bum units. Such visits are not seen as fair to the 
bum victim or as an effective educational tool for the firesetter. On a 
different note, programs also sometimes have children tour the local fire 
station and sit on the fire truck. Children usually enjoy these tours and they 
can be viewed as a reward. Tours should only be given AFTER the child has 
completed their fire safety education. Children should not be rewarded for 
setting a fire, but could participate in a fire station tour at the completion 
of their intervention.

One final factor to consider in developing intervention services is insuring 
follow-through by firesetters and their families. At the very least, agencies 
referring juveniles and families for additional intervention can follow through 
on their own with telephone calls to the referral agency to ascertain whether 
the recommended contact actually occurred. Different community agencies may have 
various ways of providing incentives or creating leverages so that follow-
through with the intervention plan is more likely to occur. For example, fire 
departments can offer children a tour of the firehouse or a visit with the fire 
chief if they pursue their educational intervention. Law enforcement, probation, 
and juvenile justice can help youth avoid arrest and incarceration by diverting 
them to mental health counseling. Mental health can suggest to firesetting youth 
and their families that their quality of life is likely to improve as a result 
of participation in treatment. Schools can refuse to accept firesetters in their 
classrooms. There are a number of leverages which can be successfully 
implemented in certain circumstances to help insure follow-through with the 
intervention plan.

Resource List 

Primary Prevention 

School Curriculum and Programs 

1. CTW'S Fire Safety Project Sesame Street Fire Safety Resource Book 

Contact:
Children's Television Workshop 
1 Lincoln Plaza 
New York, NY 10023 
(212) 595-3456 

2. Learn Not to Burn 

Contact: 
National Fire Protection Association 
1 Batterymarch Park, 
P. O. Box 9101 
Quincy, MA 02269 
(617) 770-3000 

3 . Knowing About Fire 
Contact: Paul Schwartzman 
National Fire Service Support Systems, Inc. 
20 North Main Street 
Pittsford, NY 14534 
(716) 264-0840 

26 

4. Fire Safety Skills Curriculum 
Contact: Judy Okulitch 
Program Manager 
Office of the State Fire Marshal 
3000 Market Street, NE, #534 
Salem, OR 97310 
(503) 378-3475 

5. The Juvenile Crime Prevention Curriculum 

Contact: 
Public Relations Department 
The St. Paul Companies 
385 Washington Street 
St. Paul, MN 55102 

6 . Follow the Footsteps to Fire Safety 

Contact: 
City of St, Paul 
Department of Fire and Safety Services 
Fire Prevention Division 
100 East Eleventh Street 
St. Paul, MN 55101 
(612) 228-6203 

7. Project Open House 

Contact: 
Richard A. Marinucci 
Farmington Hills Fire Department 
28711 Drake Road 
Farmington Hills, MI 4833l-2525 
(313) 553-0740 

8. Kid 's Safe Program 

Contact: 
Fire Safety Education Curriculum for Preschool Children 
Oklahoma City Fire Department 
Public Education 
820 N. W. 5th 
Oklahoma City, OK 73106 
(405) 297-3314 

27 

Fire Service Programs 

1 . National Fire Prevention Week 

2. Curious Kids Set Fires 

Contact: 
US Fire Administration 
National Fire Academy 
16825 South Seton Avenue 
Emrnitsburg, MD 21727 

3. Big Fires Start Small 

Contact: National Fire Protection Association 
1 Batterymarch Park, 
P. O. Box 9101 
Quincy, MA 02269 
(617) 770-3000 

4. Firebusters 

Contact: Earl Diment 
Office of Community Relations 
Portland Fire Bureau 
55 Southwest Ash 
Portland, OR 97204 
(503) 823-3700 

5. Public Fire Education Today 
Contact: US Fire Administration 
National Fire Academy 
16825 South Seton Avenue 
Emmitsburg, MD 21727 

Fire Department Programs in Schools 

1. Slide Presentations 

Contact: Office of the Fire Chief 
Fourth Floor East 
Largo Government Center 
9201 Basil Court 
Landover, MD 20785 

2. Films 

Contact: Juvenile Firesetter Program 
Fire Prevention Division 
Fire Marshal's Office 
301 2nd Avenue South 
Seattle, WA 98104 
(206) 296-6670 

28 

3 . Assemblies 

Contact: Juvenile Firesetter Program 
Fire Prevention Division 
301 2nd Avenue South 
Fire Marshal's Office 
Seattle, WA 98104 
(206) 296-6670 

Contact: Captain Henry Begroot 
Fire Prevention 
San Jose Fire Department 
4 North 2nd Street, Suite 1100 
San Jose, CA 95113 
(408) 277-4444 

Law-Enforcement Programs 

1. McGruff 

Contact: The National Crime Prevention Council 
1700 K Street, N. W., Second Floor 
Washington, DC 20006 

Early Intervention 

Evaluation Education and Referral Programs 

1. The Juvenile Firesetter Program, Columbia, Ohio 

Contact: Lonnie Poindexter 
Juvenile Firesetter Program 
Bureau of Fire Prevention 
300 N. Fourth Street 
Columbia, OH 42315 
(614) 645-7641 

2 . Operation Extinguish, Montgomery County, Maryland 

Contact: Mary Marchone 
Division of Fire Prevention 
101 Monroe Street 
Rockville, MD 20850 
(301) 271-2442 

3. Fire Related Youth (FRY) Program, Rochester, New York 

Contact: Jerold Bills 
FRY Program 
Rochester Fire Department Room 365 
Public Safety Building Civic Center Plaza 
Rochester, NY 14614 
(716) 428-7103 

29 

4. Juvenile Firesetter Program, Portland Oregon 

Contact: Don Porth 
Portland Fire Bureau 
55 Southwest Ash 
Portland, OR 97204 
(503) 823-3700 

5 . Operation Fire S. A. F. E. 

Contact: Jane Sutter 
Association of Central Oklahoma Governments 
6600 North Harvey Place, Suite 200 
Oklahoma City, OK 73116 
(405) 848-8961 

30 

CHAPTER 4: REFERRAL MECHANISMS 

Introduction 

Juvenile Firesetter Programs should occupy a central position between the 
sources of juvenile firesetters (fire service, schools, parents) --the people 
who detect the firesetter --and the target agencies (counseling services, 
juvenile court, etc.) --the agencies or people who provide specialized treatment 
or sanctions to the juvenile firesetter.

In most programs a substantial number of firesetters will be detected by fire 
service personnel and brought to the program for some education/ intervention; 
consequently, many of the "referrals" occur within the fire service and do not 
require the assistance of others, either in finding the firesetters or 
addressing their problems. The typical case of this kind is the young child 
without any significant pathology who is identified by a fire investigator, 
referred to the program, screened by the fire service, provided fire safety 
education, and released. In many jurisdictions these may be the most frequent 
kind of cases. However, all other cases require effective referral systems so 
that (a) people outside the fire service will bring the firesetter to the 
attention of the program, and (b) the juvenile firesetter who exhibits serious 
problems of adjustment or delinquency can receive the appropriate additional 
resources. The screening and intervention activities conducted within the 
program represent the very heart of any program, but they are not at all 
sufficient to insure that all firesetting youths are receiving the help (or 
sanctions) they deserve. Indeed, without a wide range of referral sources the 
program will never see a sizable segment of the juvenile firesetter population, 
and without the appropriate agencies and individuals to whom youths can be sent 
for additional help, many firesetters (especially the more troubled youths) will 
never receive the services they need.

A graphic depiction of the desired referral network is shown in Figure 4.1. 
Typical sources of referrals are shown on the left, with the fire service 
typically providing most of the referrals, followed by parents, schools, etc. On 
the right are the major types of referral targets, agencies that can provide the 
appropriate additional services to the juvenile tiresetter and the family.

Several points of this figure deserve special attention. First, it shows a large 
number and variety of possible referral sources and target agencies. Although 
these may vary widely across jurisdictions, it is important that the program 
give serious consideration to developing referral arrangements with all such 
agencies and groups. Second, two of the three key target agencies --social 
services and mental health agencies --may also serve as referral sources as 
well. Third, this depiction is neces-sarily an over simplification of the actual 
sequence of events involved in many referrals. For example, as shall be 
discussed below, the arrangements among the criminal justice agencies, the 
program, and the mental health and social service agencies can be quite 
complicated, involving several decision points and transfers for any one case. 
Fourth, some referral mechanism will be for the purpose of Fig. 4.1 here merely 
recording and tracking juvenile firesetter cases that are not actually seen by 
the program. Although we feel that the juvenile firesetter program should be 
able to screen all firesetters, often they do not. At a minimum, ISA feels that 
the juvenile firesetter program should be aware of every fire set by a juvenile 
in its jurisdiction.

31 

Identifying Referral Sources and Target Agencies 

The foundation for the referral mechanisms is laid in the early stages of 
program planning and development. The first step in the development of effective 
referral mechanisms is the identification of all potential referral sources and 
target agencies. The types of agencies and groups shown in Figure 4.1 should 
serve as a start for the identification of referral sources and agencies to be 
developed. Once a list of referral types is developed, the program should 
complete a worksheet providing the names of specific organizations, a 
description of the preferred referral arrangement, the individuals who will 
serve as the primary contact or liaison to the program, and their address and 
telephone number.

To some degree, much of the identification process will have been accomplished 
during the planning and coordination stage. However, the individuals from the 
various agencies who will serve as the functional contacts for referrals may be 
different from those who are first involved in planning and coordination and the 
actual approval of the referral relationship. Therefore, it is likely that at 
least two levels of agency officials will be involved in the development of 
these mechanisms: (1) Relatively high-level officials with the authority to bind 
the agency to a referral agreement, and (2) individuals who will have continuing 
responsibility for the operation of the referral mechanism.

Although the selection of referral agencies will depend on the particular nature 
of the juvenile fire setter problem in the area, virtually all programs in 
jurisdictions of medium-to-large size should explore the possibility of referral 
arrangements with all the types of agencies listed in Figure 4.1. The only 
exceptions will be small jurisdictions that do not have social and mental health 
service agencies or the multiple levels of the criminal justice system. If 
counseling and therapy services are not available locally, the program should 
investigate the possibility of referral arrangements with such agencies in 
neighboring towns and cities.

The target agencies selected will also be dependent, at least to some degree, on 
the nature and severity of the problems of the juvenile firesetters; e. g., the 
extent to which the youths display serious problems of adjustment and 
delinquency, whether family counseling is required, etc. We suggest, however, 
that the referral mechanism be arranged (at least the groundwork laid) for all 
the major target agencies so that if the need arises, the resources will be 
there.

Target referral agencies --places to which the firesetters are to be sent for 
special services --should be screened carefully for quality. If they are 
government operated (e. g., a community mental health center) there is less 
concern about quality, since these organizations typically have to meet 
standards that are carefully developed and regularly monitored. Private social 
service and mental health orga-nizations (which are increasing in number) and 
individual practitioners should be carefully screened before sending them 
referrals. Practitioners should be certified and/ or licensed in their 
respective fields --social worker, psychologist, etc. If the organizations have 
referral relationships with other programs or institutions in the area, you can 
call them and ask for their opinion of the quality of services.

You should also examine the particular capabilities and capacities of the target 
referral agencies --are they equipped to handle the cases you may be sending 
them?

32 

Contacting Referral Agencies 

The source and target agencies should first be contacted by telephone and mail 
to present the basic idea to them. The emphasis should be placed on the special 
needs of the firesetter population and the mutual benefits of a referral 
arrangement for the program, the agency, the firesetter and his/ her family, and 
the community at large. Face-to-face meetings should then be arranged to discuss 
the desired referral arrangement. The central purpose of these meetings is 
twofold: (1) To convince the agency of the importance of a referral arrangement; 
and (2) to communicate the nature of the referral relationship. For source 
referrals, it is important to provide detailed guidance on the characteristics 
of the youths to be sent to the program and the circumstances under which they 
are to be referred. For target agencies, it is important to describe the types 
of youth that will sent to them and the services they are likely to need.

Some juvenile firesetter programs have gone to extreme lengths to convince 
agencies to send referrals to the program. In Rochester, the program told 
agencies that if they did not agree to send referrals to the program, "the next 
death caused by a juvenile firesetter would be on their conscience. ' Although 
this tactic is not appropriate for all circumstances, programs should adopt a 
programmatic approach, doing whatever works (within ethical boundaries). Another 
approach is to make use of the personal and political connections that the 
program has with influential officials at the agencies. For example, the Fire 
Chief can be very influential in securing the cooperation of other public safety 
officials. Once the program has gained a toehold in the mental health or 
educational community, supportive members of those communities can be helpful in 
recruiting other individuals and agencies into the referral network.

Developing Detailed Referral Agreements 

After the agencies have agreed in principle to the referral arrangement and the 
details of the arrangement have been discussed, a written agreement should then 
be drawn up that specifies clearly the nature of the relationship and the 
specific responsibilities of each party. These agreements need not be elaborate 
legalistic documents; in most situations a single-page agreement will suffice. 
In some instances, initial agreements may be unwritten, oral agreements, but 
written statements of understanding should be developed at some point. 

At some point in the discussions, the liability issue should be discussed in 
some detail with the agency. Written waivers of liability may be appropriate in 
certain cases. If in doubt about the proper course of action with respect to 
liability, you may want to consult a knowledgeable attorney.

The establishment of a referral agreement is only the beginning of a referral 
relationship between the program and the agency. The arrangement will be 
effective only so long as it is cultivated and maintained through continuing 
contact with agency officials. In particular, it is important to provide timely 
and informative feedback to the source referral agencies about the status of 
youths referred to the program --results of screening, intervention outcomes, 
referrals out to other agencies, etc. Periodic meetings with the representatives 
of all agencies who are part of the juvenile firesetter referral network will 
also help to maintain the relationships, and will also provide a vehicle for 
addressing any problems before they become serious. Cases conferences are one 
possible strategy for maintaining communication and strengthening the referral 
network.

33 

Some juvenile firesetter program have parents sign waivers allowing the referral 
agencies (both referral source and target referral agencies) to share 
information with the juvenile firesetter program. These waivers or releases 
permit the juvenile tiresetter program to inform the referral source that the 
youth was assessed by the program staff and allows the program to forward the 
results of their assessment to a treatment agency. In addition these releases 
allow target agencies, such as mental health facilities and child protective 
services, to apprise the juvenile firesetter program of the status of a case. 
This exchange of information will enable program staff to monitor each case and 
ensure that referral linkages are successfully accomplished and no youth falls 
between the cracks. Problems have developed in some jurisdictions when youth are 
referred to the juvenile firesetter program and the referral source is never 
informed about the outcome of the case.

Differences Across Types of Jurisdictions 

As with virtually any facet of the juvenile firesetter program, the nature and 
extent of referral mechanisms will be dependent upon the characteristics of the 
community in which it operates. Key characteristics influencing the referral 
mechanisms include: (a) the nature and severity of the juvenile arson problem, 
(b) the size of the jurisdiction, and (c) the availability of relevant 
resources.

The central factor in this regard is probably the size of the jurisdiction, 
which may range from small towns in rural areas to major metropolitan areas. The 
discussion above is most relevant to the medium-to-large cities where most of 
the juvenile firesetting is concentrated. In small, rural towns the problem of 
juvenile firesetting is likely to be less severe than in the larger cities --
both the incidence of firesetting and the seriousness of the youth's problem --
so a huge network of complex referral networks will probably be neither needed 
nor available. The major types of refer-rals as shown in Figure 4.1 are 
applicable to small towns as well, although the sheer number of agencies and 
individuals will be considerably fewer than in the larger cities. Consequently, 
the work of developing and maintaining the referral network is likely to be less 
difficult and time-consuming. On the other hand, many of the target agencies 
where the youths are sent for special services may be located in other towns and 
cities. Identifying these agencies and working out practical referral 
arrangements with them may require considerable time and effort tracing down the 
best and most appropriate resources. With respect to the counseling and therapy 
resources, the program may consider identifying one or two individual therapists 
(rather than entire agencies) who could provide most of the services.

34 

CHAPTER 5: PUBLICITY AND OUTREACH 

Purpose 

This chapter describes how juvenile firesetter programs can develop a public 
information and education campaign to raise the public awareness about juvenile 
tiresetting and the juvenile firesetter program. Surprisingly, many communities 
are often unaware of the juvenile firesetter problem or misinformed about the 
characteristics of firesetters. Parents may be reluctant to obtain help for 
their children suspected of firesetting for fear that they will be "put away." 
What many parents do not realize is that the majority of fires set by children 
are set out of curiosity. Without proper identification and education, however, 
simple curiosity can have deadly consequences.

The juvenile firesetter program has a responsibility to the community to inform 
them that a program exists to help juvenile firesetters. It is important for the 
community to understand that juvenile firesetter programs are designed to 
provide education for young firesetters and identify and refer troubled 
firesetters to counseling if necessary. Many juvenile firesetter programs are 
hindered because the community is unaware of the services they provide. This 
component will outline strategies that can be used to inform and educate the 
public about the program and the services it provides.

A note of caution --juvenile firesetter programs must be fully prepared to 
handle the requests for information and referrals generated from a publicity 
campaign. Programs must take care not to publicize anything they are not 
prepared to provide. The juvenile firesetter program will lose credibility 
quickly if the program staff say they can provide prompt assessment and 
education to firesetters and then place juveniles on waiting lists because they 
do not have adequate staff.

Strategies 

Pamphlets, brochures, and posters. At a minimum, juvenile firesetter programs 
should develop a simple brochure to describe the program and provide parents and 
other members of the community with a telephone number to call for additional 
information. For brochures, pamphlets, and posters, the old adage "less is more" 
applies. The materials should be simple, with one or two major messages. These 
materials should briefly high-light the juvenile firesetter program's services 
and provide a contact for individuals to call. The juvenile firesetter program 
staff should consider soliciting funds, services (e. g., printing), or in-kind 
contributions from local businesses to defray the cost of design, production, 
and mailing. The coordinating council described in the Program Management 
component may help the juvenile firesetter program with fund-raising for these 
types of public relations activities. 

The brochures can be distributed through the schools, local Parent/ Teacher 
Associations, pre-schools, day-care centers, and pediatricians' offices. Stores 
may allow the brochure or poster to be displayed in a store window or cashier's 
desk. Brochures or pamphlets should also be sent to all community organizations, 
service organizations, hospitals, physicians, and government agencies that work 
with juveniles.

Newspaper; TV, and radio exposure. The most effective way to publicize a 
juvenile firesetter program is through local news media exposure. For example, 
Columbus, Ohio's juvenile firesetter program was suffering because the public 
was unaware of its existence. With the help of the local television news media 
and newspapers, the fire department was able inform the public about the problem 
of juvenile firesetting and the services offered by the program. Program staff 
gave interviews about the local juvenile tiresetter problem and explained how 
the community could use the Columbus Juvenile Firesetter Program.

35 

The juvenile firesetter program staff cannot wait for the media to come to them. 
They must go to local newspapers, radio stations, and television stations. If 
the juvenile firesetter program wants to use the local media, the program 
coordinator or spokesperson will have to call or meet with news reporters, 
assignment editors, and local news show producers. It is the spokesperson's job 
to "sell" the story to local media, explaining the importance of getting 
information about the juvenile firesetter program to the community. The 
spokesperson needs to have a clear understanding of the message the program 
wants to convey to the public and be able to convey that message to the local 
media.

The spokesperson should have three or four key pieces of information to convey. 
Examples may include messages such as, 1) the majority of firesetters are 
curious children who need education, 2) the key to providing services to 
firesetters, whether curious or troubled, is identification and assessment, 3) 
children playing with fire is a very real and dangerous problem, 4) parents 
should not be afraid to seek assistance if they suspect that their children are 
playing with fire, or 5) the juvenile firesetter program is designed to provide 
assessment, education and referral for firesetters. Local communities may have 
messages that apply to their specific jurisdiction. A second key requirement is 
knowing the target audience. A message targeting parents may be different than a 
message targeting community agencies. The issue of target audience will be 
discuss further in the section on Public Service Announcements.

Juvenile firesetter programs should consider writing brief fact sheets and press 
releases which can be made available to the local media. Fact sheets can be used 
to give the media background information about the juvenile firesetter program. 
Fact sheets are usually brief and can be updated as necessary. A press release 
is a brief (one page) announcement of a newsworthy story or event. The release 
gives the important information about the event to the media. Every release 
should have the name, address and telephone number of the juvenile firesetter 
program.

An excellent resource on how to work with the media was written and published by 
the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC). The book, Ink and Air-time, 
provides ideas and step-by-step guidelines on how to write press releases, fact 
sheets and articles. The book also tells readers how to get their information on 
radio and television and how to systematically develop a media campaign.

Juvenile firesetter programs can also benefit from the information in media kits 
developed by the U. S. Fire Administration (USFA) and the National Fire 
Protection Association (NFPA). Both media kits contain information on the nature 
and extent of juvenile firesetting which can be used to educate communities 
about the problem of juvenile firesetting.

One way to get media attention is when a juvenile firesetting incident has 
occurred. Parental interest and media awareness are heightened after such an 
event. A description of the program and its services can be use as a sidebar to 
the story about the incident. In addition, if the juvenile firesetter program 
staff have identified themselves to the media, they may be interviewed and asked 
to give an expert opinion about juvenile firesetting. This is again an excellent 
opportunity to discuss the juvenile firesetter program. The important thing to 
remember is that no juvenile firesetting incident should be reported in the 
media without also mentioning the juvenile firesetter program.

36 

In addition to newspapers, radio, and television, juvenile firesetter programs 
can also use community newsletters or magazines, newsletters of major 
corporations, and university and college newspapers to publicize the program. 
The program staff can write short articles about the juvenile firesetter problem 
and the steps the program has taken to alleviate the problem. Program staff can 
then meet with the editors of the newsletters and magazines to discuss the 
articles. These types of publications are designed to serve the community and 
highlight community programs and activities and can be an excellent way to 
educate the community about the juvenile firesetter program.

Public Service Announcements. Public service announcements (PSAs) can also be 
used to inform the community about the juvenile firesetter program. They have 
the potential to reach a wide audience. PSAs provide information about a problem 
or program without trying to sell a product. One of the greatest advantages of 
PSAs is that the radio and television time are donated by the media. Competition 
for media time and space, however, is very tough and stations are cutting back 
on the amount of airtime they are willing to devote to PSAs. PSAs must, 
therefore, be well thought out and creative.

Several fire departments and the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) have 
developed "generic" or open-format PSAs. These are PSAs that describe the 
problem of juvenile firesetting in general, but allow the local program to 
"customize" the PSA by leaving space at the end for information about how to 
contact the local juvenile firesetter program. The PSA developed by the NFPA 
entitled, "Got a light, keep it out of sight," can be ordered through local NFPA 
representatives. The Phoenix Fire Department also has an open-format PSA 
developed by Fire-Pal. The Phoenix Fire Department has made the PSA available to 
local juvenile firesetter programs for a reproduction fee.

Juvenile firesetter programs may want to develop their own PSAs. Before 
developing a PSA, the juvenile firesetter program staff must decide who they 
want to reach --their target audience --and the best way to reach them. Two of 
the largest, relatively untapped, sources of referrals are parents and school 
personnel. PSA should be designed to capture the attention and support of these 
two groups.

The juvenile tiresetter program staff will need to decide on the content of 
their message. PSAs are usually short, 15-30 second ads that focus on a specific 
message. The content of the PSA message will vary according to a number of 
different criteria, including target audience (parents, children, teachers, 
etc.), nature of the juvenile firesetting problem in the community, and the goal 
of the PSA (education, referral to the program, etc.). Some PSAs, targeted 
toward parents, describe misconceptions about juvenile firesetters. One such 
misconception is that they are "bad" kids or that they have deep-rooted 
psychological problems. Although some juvenile firesetters are troubled and need 
counseling, the majority are young children who need fire safety education. 
Other PSAs are used to inform the public that juvenile firesetting is a real and 
deadly problem that, in many cases, can be avoided. Still others may address 
kids and warn them about the dangers of playing with matches and lighters. 
Regardless of the message, the PSA should give the audience a specific name and 
telephone number to contact for more information.

Unfortunately, although the media donates PSA time and space, developing a PSA 
is not a low cost venture. Programs with limited funds will need to look to the 
community for funds or services. Companies may be able to donate paper, tapes, 
personnel, video equipment or other valuable materials in lieu of money. 
Programs unfamiliar with producing audio and video tapes may want to consider

37 

using PSAs which have already been developed. The vehicle used to promote the 
juvenile firesetter program (radio or television) will depend largely on the 
amount of resources available.

If the resources and expertise are available, the juvenile firesetter program 
will still have to compete with other agencies for the media time and space. 
Program personnel should address this problem directly by going to local 
newspapers and radio and television stations and meeting with the public service 
staff. The juvenile firesetter program director or another staff member will 
need to explain the severity of the problem and the importance of eliciting 
community support for the juvenile firesetter program. Ink and Airtime advises 
program staff to go to these meetings armed with all of the information 
available, including local and national statistics, evidence of program success, 
and endorsements from prominent members of the community.

Speakers bureaus, hot lines, and other services. The juvenile firesetter program 
or the coordinating council can establish other services to promote the program. 
For example, juvenile firesetter programs in Columbus, Ohio and San Jose, 
California have established speakers bureaus. These bureaus are comprised of 
individuals who have expertise in one or more areas of fire safety and 
prevention. These individuals volunteer their time to speak to community groups, 
schools, service organizations, and other interested groups. The speakers can 
provide valuable information and promote the use of the juvenile tiresetter 
program.

The Juvenile Firesetter Prevention Task Force, Inc. in Columbus, Ohio also 
maintains a Juvenile Firesetter Care Line where parents can receive information 
and help for their children. Volunteers from the community can be trained to man 
the hot-line and assist parents.

Partnerships 

The nature and extent of the juvenile firesetter program publicity and out-reach 
campaign will be limited to the resources available to the program. Programs 
with limited money and manpower have formed partnerships with community 
organizations and local businesses to acquire the necessary services, materials, 
and funds. The community can offer an unlimited wealth of resources. 
Corporations may donate money or sponsor specific promotional activities or 
products. As noted in the Program Management component, the juvenile firesetter 
program staff should appeal to a corporation's sense of civic mindedness and 
self-interest when attempting to solicit donations from corporations. 
Contributing money to better the community is basically good business. The 
juvenile firesetter program coordinator should also request assistance from 
individual community members. Individuals with expertise in writing, 
advertising, audio and visual communications, design, and other skills can be 
asked to donate their skills. The problem of juvenile firesetting is a community 
problem that cannot be alleviated without the assistance of the community.

38 
 
Resource List 

Ink and Airtime: 
National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) 
1700 K. Street, N. W., Second Floor 
Washington, DC 20006 

Public Service Announcements: 
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c/ o Phoenix Fire Department 
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Phoenix, AZ 85003 

National Fire Protection Association 
1 Batterymarch Park 
Quincy, MA 02169 
(6 17) 770-3000 

Media Kits 

"Curious Kids Set Fires" 

U. S. Fire Administration 
National Fire Academy 
16825 South Seton Avenue 
Emmitsburg, MD 21727 

"Big Fires Start Small" 

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1 Batterymarch Park 
Quincy, MA 02169 
(6 17) 770-3000 

Newsletters 

"Hot Issues" 
State Fire Marshall 
4760 Portland Road, N. E. 
Salem, OR 97305 

 39 

CHAPTER 6: MONITORING SYSTEMS 

The purpose, content, format, and use of systems for monitoring juvenile 
firesetters and firesetting incidents are covered in this component. While many 
juvenile firesetter programs have developed some internal system to monitor 
their caseloads, others simply maintain individual case files with no systematic 
way to track cases, determine final dispositions, report to funding agencies, 
etc. Very few have systems capable of being used for evaluation purposes. As 
described in this component, simple monitoring systems are recommended for all 
juvenile firesetting programs regardless of size. They need not be elaborate, 
expensive, semi-comprehensible computerized systems; both manual and simplified 
computer systems can be perfectly adequate for careful monitoring.

Purpose 

Monitoring systems serve different purposes, depending on the information they 
contain and the uses to which they are put. At the most elemental level, a 
management information system is needed for case tracking, caseload analysis, 
and reporting of program operations and results. A Management Information System 
(MIS) should include case characteristics of the firesetter and the firesetting 
incident, services rendered, dates of key events, and the final disposition of 
the case. It is used as a management tool to monitor individual cases, 
determining the status of each case at any given point and ensuring that needed 
treatment has been completed. An MIS provides the means for summarizing and 
analyzing the program's caseload (the number of cases handled, case type, 
firesetter characteristics, number and type of services rendered, etc.), 
tracking and reporting the number and type of program activities (presentations 
given, etc.), and providing data for annual reports, evaluations, and funding 
agencies. Most juvenile firesetter programs maintain some version of an MIS, or 
at least have the basic ingredients (such as case records) for the making of 
one.

Extending the MIS to include recidivism and other follow-up data provides the 
basic building blocks for an evaluation system. An evaluation system would 
contain all of the information above plus follow-up data on firesetting 
recidivism and other problems such as delinquency, school or family problems, 
etc. The evaluation system is an extension of the MIS, rather than a separate 
system. Much of the data in such an evaluation system may come from the 
program's routine follow-up contacts with families of firesetters and the 
referral agencies to which they are referred. It provides the basic data needed 
for self-evaluation and program monitoring, as well as those needed for an 
independent evaluation of the program. Some juvenile firesetter programs have 
routinized systems for tracking recidivism and judging the effectiveness of 
program efforts, and will be used to illustrate the purposes and use of an 
evaluation system.

The third type of monitoring system suggested for juvenile firesetter programs 
is an incidence reporting system. The purpose of an incidence reporting system 
is to record basic information on all known juvenile firesetting incidents, 
whether or not the tiresetter is identified and handled by the juvenile 
firesetter program. This system would provide the basic data needed to monitor 
jurisdiction-wide rates ofjuvenile arson and firesetting and gauge the 
effectiveness of education and outreach efforts of the program. The incidence 
reporting system would be an extension of the routine records kept by fire 
service officials, and ideally, would include firesetting incidents that have 
not come to the attention of law enforcement and fire officials.

40 

As noted earlier, we believe that, at a minimum, the juvenile firesetter program 
should be aware of every juvenile-set fire in its jurisdiction. Sometimes 
schools and other agencies choose to handle a juvenile firesetter internally 
without contacting the juvenile firesetter program, particular if the fire did 
not warrant fire suppression. It is very important for the juvenile firesetter 
program to have that information, because if a child ultimately does set a fire 
that warrants the attention of the fire department, it is likely that the fire 
service will treat that individual case differently if they believe it is a 
first offense versus if they know that the child in question has been lighting 
numerous fires in school. In order to provide the child with the services he or 
she needs, the juvenile firesetter program needs to be aware of the child's 
firesetting history. Developing strong referral networks should facilitate 
obtaining the necessary information.

Central Elements of the Monitoring Systems 

The case information and other data to be kept in each of the proposed three 
systems are described in this section. The development, form, and use of these 
systems --data collection issues, whether systems should be manual or computer-
ized, which agency should maintain the system, analysis and reporting, etc. --
are described in the following section, "System Development and Use".

Management Information System. The data to be included in the Manage-ment 
Information System are drawn from the individual case files, primarily from 
intake, screening, and assessment instruments, and from other program records 
(per-haps newly created for this purpose). There are four categories of data 
included in an MIS:

I . Case characteristics 

a. Source of referral
b. Age, sex, race, family status of firesetter 
 c.Details of the firesetting incident--motive, presence of others, location of 
fire, materials used, damage estimate, injuries, deaths
d. Past firesetting incidents 
e. Initial assessment after screening (e. g., little, definite, or extreme risk)

II. Services rendered

dates, content, and length of educational sessions; dates, purposes, and 
agencies of referral( s); number and type of counseling sessions; details of 
other services (restitution, community service, etc.)

III. Case disposition 

a. Dates and outcomes of all services rendered, gathered through routine 
reporting by all cooperating agencies or direct follow-up
b. Status of case in criminal justice system 

41 

IV. Program Activities 

a. Education/ prevention activities, school-based or commu-nity or other --type, 
number, attendance, content 
b. Training for others in the field --type, curriculum, number trained 
c. Resource/ materials development 
d. Other --media coverage, Task Force participation, etc. 

The first three categories, case characteristics, services rendered, and case 
disposition information, are the most important elements of the Management 
Information System. The data will be as accurate and complete as the individual 
case files and other program records. Each case should have a case file which 
would contain intake forms, screening instruments, and disposition information 
in each case file.

Evaluation system. Data for an evaluation system requires follow-up activities 
with police, fire, prosecution, courts, and probation agencies; schools; 
parents; social service agencies; and private treatment facilities. Data 
collection procedures are discussed in the following section. The following 
information on all cases handled is to be included in the evaluation system: 

Firesetting recidivism --information on any further firesetting incidents. 

Delinquency --any and all acts of vandalism, stealing, etc. 

School problems --truancy, chronic tardiness, disciplinary problems, academic 
and behavioral problems, etc.

Family/ home problems --running away, lack of parental control, etc. 

Personal and interpersonal problems --emotional and behavioral prob lems, poor 
peer relationships, etc. 

Incidence reporting system. Like the evaluation system, the incidence reporting 
system requires information from a variety of sources, although the fire 
department is clearly the primary source. The incidence reporting system should 
cover the jurisdiction of the juvenile tiresetter program --e. g., a city, 
county, etc. It will include all known or suspected juvenile firesetting 
incidents, whether or not they are reported to the authorities (data collection 
is discussed in the following section). The system would include information on:

Firesetting incidents --date, location, ignition materials used, items/ strut 
tures ignited, damage estimate, injuries, death, reported or not, reasons for 
not reporting if known. 

Known or suspected firesetters --age, sex, motive, presence of others, past 
incidents. 

System Development and Use 

Management information and evaluation systems. The development and use of the 
management information and evaluation systems will be covered here under one 
heading. The evaluation system should be considered simply an extension of the 
MIS because the data collection, computerization, and other issues are quite 
similar. The fire department is best equipped to build and maintain these 
systems.

42 

Cooperation and coordination from all agencies is needed to build and maintain a 
comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system. The responsibility of each 
agency in regard to reporting requirements and providing data should be spelled 
out in interagency agreements. For a developing program, monitoring issues 
should be identified from the start and built into discussions among involved 
agencies from the inception of program planning. These issues include 
confidentiality, policies or regulations that prohibit sharing information, 
routinized data collection procedures, and resistance to participating in data 
collection because of time constraints or lack of resources.

Each agency may have confidentiality concerns, at minimum, or statutory 
regulations that limit the individual information they may share with others. 
Schools, in particular, will be very concerned about releasing any information 
on students. Law enforcement agencies, particularly probation and the courts, 
are severely limited in the extent to which any information on juveniles can be 
provided to outsiders, and in some jurisdictions, the fire and police 
departments are considered outsiders. While these concerns may be mitigated if 
the monitoring system is maintained by fire officials within the juvenile 
firesetter program, confidentiality protections should be reviewed and 
safeguarded. Access to records should be controlled whether the system is manual 
or computerized, and only grouped results should be reported outside of the 
program. Each agency involved in the juvenile firesetter program must make a 
com-mitment to inform the program about particular events concerning youth in 
the program. The data collection effort should not be burdensome; simple 
reporting forms can be developed to facilitate case tracking and disposition. In 
one program, for example, counseling agencies submit monthly reports on clients 
referred to them by the juvenile firesetter program and Child Protective 
Services reports quarterly on the number of family sessions held and progress 
made. When a family terminates counseling, the entire case file kept by the 
counselor is returned to the juvenile firesetter program. In another program, 
the program follows up with both the parents and the referral agencies within a 
month or two after referral to confirm that the recommended contact has 
occurred.

The management information and evaluation system may be kept manually, but since 
personal computers have become increasingly prevalent in the workplace, 
computerization is advised. A manual system may suit a small program perfectly, 
if its caseload is not large and its reporting requirements are small. Simple 
logs, carefully organized and kept up to date, will provide a small program with 
basic information very quickly. Computerization is needed when either the 
caseload is too large to handle summary computations easily and accurately or 
when reporting requirements are frequent and/ or detailed, making interim 
computations and status reports cumbersome to produce. When a program reaches 
somewhere between 75 and 100 cases per year, computerization is probably 
warranted.

If operating on a manual system, key information from case files should be 
placed on monthly activity logs that enable summaries to be easily calculated. 
For example, the sample log on the following page will tell you at a glance the 
number of cases handled in July, their referral sources, and initial 
intervention steps. With minor calculations, the average age and other 
information about the firesetter and firesetting incident can be summarized. A 
program developing a manual MIS should decide what information is to be kept on 
logs, after reviewing their management and reporting needs. Perhaps two logs 
will be needed, one to describe basic case information (dates, referral sources, 
individual and incident characteristics) and one to

43 

record referral, intervention, and disposition data. A log should be used as a 
"tickler system", enabling program staff to quickly view the status of a case 
and monitor it for the delivery of intervention services.

In a computerized system, information from case records would be entered 
directly into a computer using a database management program (e. g., Dbase). 
Simple queries on a case by case basis can be made through the database program, 
such as the date of referral to the program, and many database programs enable 
more complex queries to be made easily, such as the number of cases referred to 
the Community Mental Health Center. Tables, summary statistics, and routine 
reports can be produced by programming through the data-base program. 
Statistical packages such as SPSS are probably not needed for monitoring 
purposes, although their statistical capabilities may be helpful in producing 
specific information needed by a juvenile firesetter program.

One advantage of a computerized system is that it provides a basic database from 
which information can be drawn, sliced anyway the program desires. For example, 
manually kept logs can provide a program with a running total of the years' 
caseload. But if new questions or needs arise --to look at referral sources 
during a given quarter or investigate

July 1993 

44 

whether kids 13 or over have caused more serious fires than those under 13, for 
example --the hand tallies can become burdensome and inaccurate. Such 
information would be at your fingertips in a computerized system. To maintain an 
MIS capable of providing a full picture ofjuvenile firesetting in a given 
jurisdiction, computerization is needed. A computerized database can contain 
much more information than a manual system (the results of screening tests and 
details of the firesetting incident, for example) and therefore answer much more 
complex questions (such as do second-time firesetters improve more with 
inpatient or outpatient treatment). Without a computerized system, these 
questions require the hand-culling of individual case files. On the other hand, 
computerized systems require more care. Data must be entered on a timely basis 
and one must know how to get information out of it without expending substantial 
time in training or programming.

A generic computer system could be developed by a central agency (such as the U. 
S. Fire Administration/ FEMA) at relatively low cost and tailored to each 
program as needed. Alternatively, a juvenile firesetter program might hire local 
experts (or find volunteers among local computerniks) to develop a computer 
program. We feel most juvenile firesetter programs will have the in-house 
expertise needed to enter data and operate the system on an ongoing basis. It 
should not be a time-consuming job; rather only an hour or two a week should 
keep the system current.

The analysis produced via the computerized system or summarized manually in 
regard to the management information system should enable a program to answer 
questions such as the following:

1. How many cases have been handled this year relative to last year? 
2. What are the individual and family characteristics of the juveniles handled? 
3. What are the characteristics of the fires set by the juveniles handled by the 
program? 
4. Which referral agencies are used the most? 
5. How long, on the average, are juveniles and families in treatment? 

To extend the MIS to become an evaluation system, follow-up activities must take 
place with a number of key agencies to determine the long-term effectiveness of 
the intervention strategies in terms of recidivism. For evaluation purposes, a 
program needs to know, minimally, of any recurrence of firesetting behavior, and 
should want to know about juvenile delinquency, continued problems at school or 
home, etc. Quarterly contacts should be made with the family and key agencies 
for a year or two after the precipitating incident to inquire about recidivism 
and related problems. In the Houston program, cross-reference checks are made 
among participating agencies to look for recidivists and the program director 
makes monthly phone calls to the family for a year to check on the juvenile's 
progress. Other programs have formally conducted surveys of families to explore 
recidivism issues and what the family felt about the juvenile firesetter program 
and the referral services that may have been offered. Examples of these surveys 
can be found in the Guidelines for Implementation

The key agencies include the police and fire departments, courts and probation, 
schools, parents, social service agencies, and public treatment facilities. The 
follow-up may consist of routine reporting or periodic telephone calls to 
determine if the agency has had any further contact with the juvenile and, if 
so, for what reasons. Parents are probably the best single source of follow-up 
information, if sufficient rapport has been built to enable the parents to 
report any additional delinquent behaviors or other prob-

45 

lems. Telephone contact should be made with the parents rather than sending an 
impersonal form. 

These recidivism data should be added to the computerized database or manual 
logs as they are gathered. Together with the MIS data, this information forms 
the basis for a comprehensive evaluation. The information is obviously valuable 
to the program, to assess its own effectiveness and effectiveness of 
participating agencies. An independent evaluator will want to verify the 
information and collect more detailed information on treatments and outcomes, 
but the MIS will provide the basic building blocks for an outside evaluation. 
Finally, the MIS data are easily available when preparing annual reports, 
proposals, news releases, etc.

Incidence reporting system. Incidence reporting systems, as discussed pre-
viously, are valuable for analyzing the full problem ofjuvenile firesetting and 
determining where services are needed and where services (education, 
particularly) have been effective. Since fire departments will have the basic 
systems in place needed to maintain an incidence reporting system, the real 
challenge is in data collection. In too many jurisdictions, there is no means to 
identify fires set by juveniles versus those set by others.

A juvenile firesetting incidence reporting system should contain fire and 
individual information as previously presented. The data should be gathered via 
existing records or new forms developed for this purpose, from all fire 
departments covering jurisdictions of interest depending on the areas served by 
the juvenile firesetter program. The Portland, Oregon program is building a 
statewide database on juvenile firesetters. Portland has also conducted a risk 
analysis of the city to identify high-risk areas for juvenile firesetters and 
implement education/ intervention strategies as appropriate. The state of New 
York, in conjunction with the Rochester program, is also developing a statewide 
computer system.

In addition to gathering and analyzing reported juvenile firesetting incidents, 
methods to assess the incidence of unreported fires are needed. Several options 
are available. One way is to identify and survey organizational entities 
(primarily schools and parents organizations) that record firesetting incidents 
that are small and not reported to the fire department.

Another, more basic assessment of the juvenile firesetting problem is to survey 
youth directly to gather information on their firesetting behavior. Juvenile 
firesetting is substantially underreported, and many youth set fires that never 
come to the attention of parents or authorities. Anonymous surveys of students 
in the schools (as conducted by the Rochester program) are probably the best 
single source of information on juvenile firesetting incidents as well as 
fireplay activities that do not result in actual fires. Strict anonymity must be 
upheld for truthful self-reports to result. This type of survey will provide 
information on the full extent of the juvenile firesetting problem in a 
jurisdiction and is as valuable as reported fire statistics.

Because of the volume of data and need for summary statistics, the inci-dence 
reporting system should be computerized. In many departments, the creation of 
this system will be relatively easy. Fire incidence reports that are routinely 
com-puterized may be sorted to reflect just the juvenile problem.

46 

CHAPTER 7: DEVELOPING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM 

The juvenile firesetter program needs to develop relationships with all of the 
key agencies that work with juvenile firesetters. As noted in the Referral 
Mechanisms component, these agencies include police, social services, schools, 
mental health, and the juvenile justice system. It is the relationship with the 
juvenile justice system which will be the focus of this component. Too often 
juvenile firesetters are referred to the juvenile justice system and never come 
to the attention of the juvenile firesetter program. Juvenile firesetter 
programs need to be aware of all incidents of firesetting so that no juvenile 
tiresetter falls through the cracks. The juvenile firesetter program is in a 
unique position of being able to assess all firesetters and track them through 
referral agencies. In addition the juvenile firesetter program can be a resource 
for probation, juvenile court, and correctional facilities. The juvenile 
firesetter program's potential as a resource to the juvenile justice system, 
however, is based on strength of relationship between the program and the 
justice agencies.

Purpose 

The purpose of this component is to provide information to assist programs in 
developing effective relationships between the juvenile firesetter program and 
the justice system. 

Specific objectives of this component are the following: 

to help the juvenile firesetter program identify deliquent firesetter; 

to develop working relationships between the juvenile firesetter program and 
specific agencies of the criminal justice system including probation, family 
court, prosecutor's office, and juvenile court; and 

to help the juvenile firesetter program better assist delinquent firesetters in 
residential correctional facilities. 

Model approaches that have been used in three cities -Rochester, NY, Charlotte, 
NC, and Portland, OR -are summarized below. Recognizing that each program will 
differ in such areas as state law, program structure and manpower, programs 
should review these models and consider the procedures most appropriate to their 
particular program and jurisdiction.

47 

Rochester, New York 

All tires set by juveniles are investigated by fire investigators assigned to 
the Fire Related Youth (FRY) Program. Investigators approach every case of 
juvenile firesetting as a criminal investigation. After collecting information 
about the case, the investigators meet with the youth and provide fire safety 
education. In Rochester, all juvenile firesetters come to the attention of the 
FRY program prior to being referred to other agencies, including juvenile 
justice. Cases may be referred to prosecution as a last resort to get services 
to children in need or when the child has engaged in numerous other delinquent 
activities. The FRY investigators work very closely with the Probation Office 
and the Presentment Agency. The Probation Intake Unit will handle the case 
first. Intake Unit staff will decide whether the case can be "adjusted" without 
going to court or whether the case will be referred for prosecu-tion. If 
adjustment is being considered, the probation department will consider the 
youth's risks and strength. Probation staff may refer the juvenile to a mental 
health or social service facility. Cases referred to prosecution are petitioned 
through the Presentment Agency to Family Court. The presentment attorneys work 
very closely with the FRY investigators and rarely lose a case sent to 
prosecution. Before a case gets to court, the judge assumes that every effort 
has been made to keep the youth out of court. If the judge finds that there is 
enough evidence to justify the charge, s/he will ask Probation to conduct a 
family evaluation and make a recommendation to the court. Often the judge will 
also consider the FRY investigator's recommendation.

Charlotte, North Carolina 

All arson or suspicious fires are investigated by the Arson Task Force. If a 
juvenile is suspected, the Task Force members often try to persuade the youth to 
confess to setting the fires. How the case proceeds often depends on whether the 
juvenile confesses. If the juvenile does not confess, the case is referred to 
the District Attorney's Office for prosecution. If the juvenile does confess, 
the Task Force then decides whether to proceed with prosecution or refer the 
juvenile directly to the juvenile firesetter program which is housed in another 
division of the fire service. The decision is based on a number of 
considerations including whether the incident is a first offense and whether the 
youth destroyed another's property. If the youth is referred to court, the case 
is referred to a Court Intake Counselor. The intake officer will meet with the 
parents and the youth and decide whether the petition for prosecu-tion is 
warranted. The intake officer can recommend a deferred sentence under the 
condition that the youth participate in the juvenile firesetter program. If the 
case goes to court, the youth is interviewed by a court counselor who makes a 
recommendation to the court. The court counselor can also recommend that the 
youth participate in the juvenile firesetter program. If such a recommendation 
is accepted by the court, it then becomes a court order. The judge may also 
court order the youth to other agencies or facilities.

Portland, Oregon 

In Portland, Oregon, all juvenile firesetters are reported to and, inves-tigated 
by, the Portland Fire Bureau. In 1986, the Fire Bureau developed a program to 
reduce the incidence of juvenile firesetting. Juveniles apprehended for fire 
related offenses may be referred directly to the juvenile firesetter program or 
they may be referred to the program via the juvenile justice system. Those 
referred to the justice system are more likely to be the older juvenile who has 
been 1) involved in a more

48 

serious incident, 2) identified as a "troubled firesetter," or 3) identified as 
a repeat offender. If a youth is referred to juvenile court, the case is 
assigned to an intake probation officer. The intake officer will review all of 
the records and make a decision to close the case; divert the case to the 
juvenile firesetter program, social service agency, mental health professional, 
or another diversion program; or refer the case to the District Attorney's 
Office. If the district attorney chooses to prosecute the case, a petition of 
charges is filed with the juvenile court. At this point the case is assigned to 
an adjudication officer, who prepares the case summary and recommendations. If 
the judge finds that a crime was committed, s/he must decide whether to sentence 
the juvenile to a correctional facility, mental health facility, or place the 
juvenile on probation. As a condition of probation, the juvenile may be court 
ordered to attend fire safety education through the juvenile firesetter program, 
or participate in mental health counseling.

Relationships with the Probation Department 

Within the justice system, a representative of the probation department (in-take 
unit) is usually the first person to encounter the juvenile firesetter. 
Therefore, the juvenile firesetter program must inform and educate the probation 
department, especially those assigned to the intake unit, about the program. For 
example, a representative from the juvenile firesetter program should make an 
in-service education presentation to the staff of the probation department.

The staff of the probation department should receive periodic updates, fact 
sheets, newsletters or yearly updates as to the status of the juvenile 
firesetter program. Prepared by the juvenile firesetter program staff, these 
communications can contain statistics, case studies, intervention techniques, 
list of placement facilities, referral methods, etc. The updates are designed to 
keep the probation department abreast of what the juvenile firesetter program is 
doing.

The juvenile firesetter program should plan and coordinate a procedure by which 
the probation department refers all juvenile firesetters to the program for an 
evaluation if such an evaluation is warranted. This process will ensure that all 
juveniles are identified and evaluated and offered educational intervention, if 
appropriate. One way to plan and coordinate such a procedure which has been used 
is some jurisdictions would be for the probation department to assign a 
particular pro-bation officer (most likely in the intake unit) to handle all 
cases involving juvenile firesetters. That intake officer would be able to work 
closely with the juvenile firesetter program staff.

In addition, a representative from the juvenile firesetter program routinely 
should be present at all conferences concerning the treatment and/ or placement 
of a juvenile firesetter. Input from the juvenile firesetter program will be 
invaluable in discussions with child protection agencies, mental health 
agencies, correctional facilities, and representatives from community 
placements.

Relationship with the Law Enforcement, Legal and Judicial Community 

The members of the law enforcement, legal (prosecutive and defense), and the 
judicial community must be aware of, and educated about, the juvenile firesetter 
program. Certainly, the juvenile firesetter program can be an invaluable 
referral source for the district attorney's office, trial lawyers, and juvenile 
judges.

49 

Effective methods of informing and educating the members of these professional 
communities include supplying them with brochures explaining the program, 
conducting in-service education seminars, and sending fact sheers, periodic 
newsletters, and annual reports about the activities of the program. These 
methods will not only inform and educate, but will also continue to enhance the 
professional image of the juvenile firesetter program. Such an image is 
imperative if the professional community is to utilize the services of the 
juvenile firesetter program. Relationships with the Juvenile Correctional 
Institutions Some juvenile tiresetters will be placed in juvenile correctional 
institutions for rehabilitation. The juvenile firesetter program can also 
educate the various correctional institutions about the existence and the 
contents of the program. Similar relations should be fostered with the 
correctional institutions as with the probation department.

For example, the juvenile tiresetter program should be aware that a juvenile 
firesetter is being held at a particular correctional institution. Also, the 
juvenile firesetter program, once it is aware that a juvenile firesetter is to 
be admitted to a correctional institution, should inform the institution that 
the program has evaluated and/ or educated the juvenile. A dual waiver, which is 
signed by the juvenile firesetter's parent or guardian, would allow the juvenile 
firesetter program to share information they may have about the juvenile with 
the correctional facility and allow the facility to share information with the 
program.

The juvenile firesetter program should provide periodic in-service education 
programs to appropriate staff of the correctional facilities, many of whom are 
likely to hold inaccurate perceptions of the juvenile tiresetter. For example, 
the overwhelming majority of correctional facilities, as well as community 
placements such as halfway houses, believe that the juvenile firesetter is a 
highly dangerous individual. They perceive the juvenile firesetter as one who is 
always on the verge of acting out and starting a fire. In actuality, the 
juvenile firesetter is less likely to act out by starting a fire once he/ she is 
placed in a structured environment and away from the psychological and 
sociological factors that helped produce the original firesetting behaviors.

The juvenile firesetter program should maintain an open line of communica-tion 
with the correctional facilities. Correctional facilities rarely maintain 
specific treatment programs for juvenile firesetters. One such program, is 
operated by the Upper Arlington, Ohio Juvenile Firesetter Program. The Upper 
Arlington program offers a 12 week educational program to juveniles incarcerated 
for arson. Juvenile firesetter programs should encourage and participate in the 
development of similar programs for juveniles. If a structured program is not 
possible within the correctional facility, then juvenile firesetter programs 
should make its staff readily available to the staff of the correctional 
facility to establish individual treatment plans for specific cases.

United States Fire Administration /Federal Emergency Management Agency 
50 *U. S. G. P. 0.: 1994-521-515: 81159