Arson Fact Sheet Arson is a criminal offense in which a person knowingly or negligently damages a building or property by starting a fire or causing an explosion. Arson is a form of vandalism. There are many different motives for arson. Revenge is the motivating factor behind almost half of all intentionally set structural fires in the country. The second most common reason is profit.
Pyromaniacs exhibit severe deviations from normal behavior.
They set fires for no apparent rational reasons. Most pyromaniacs are men. Pyromaniacs exhibit a severe inability to relate normally to other people. They are generally loners and often drink alcohol heavily. They often use exaggerated facial expressions to prove their innocence when answering questions.