Sadly, arson in America is classified as a property crime and not as a crime of violence even though it injures thousands of people each year and causes hundreds of deaths each year. Few Americans realize the extent to which firesetting behaviors are prevalent in children. The significance of this problem is almost overwhelming. More than 400 deaths and over 3,000 injuries directly related to children using matches, lighters and other sources of ignition. . A statement made by Mary Corso, now Washington State Fire Marshal sums up these feelings into one powerful sentence.
Fire is the only weapon of mass destruction that is available to everyone - man, woman and child.
The scope of the youth firesetting problem is extremely broad and warrants careful examination and due attention. Youth firesetting is an issue that affects all facets and levels of society. From the inner city to the country club, from the urban hubs to the rural countryside, the problem of youth firesetting touches us all. Our schools are particularly affected. Hundreds of fires occur in schools across America every day.