MFIRS 11 Arson Module

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MFIRS 11 Arson Module
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Objectives

• The participants will be able to
• describe when the Arson Module (NFIRS 11) is to
  be used
• demonstrate how to correctly complete the Arson
  Module given an incident scenario

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Purpose of Arson Module
An indispensable tool in the war against arson
is the ability to identify where the crime takes
place, what form it takes, and the
characteristics of its targets and
perpetrators
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Use of Arson Module

• The Arson Module may be used whenever the Cause
  of Ignition is coded as intentional or under
  investigation
• No determination must be made as to criminal
  intent or whether or not a crime has occurred

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Additional Uses of Arson Module

• The Arson Module may also be used
• when the fire is under investigation, or in cases
  where the cause is undetermined after
  investigation
• to document juvenile-set fires, whether
  determined to be intentional or not

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Arson Defined

• To unlawfully and intentionally damage, or
  attempt to damage, any real or personal property
  by fire or incendiary device

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A - Header Information

• Header information is repeated on all modules .
  . .
• In an automated system, this information is
  entered once and imported into all modules

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B - Agency Referred to

• Identifies the agency, if any, the incident was
  referred to for follow-up investigation

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Definitions

• ORI is the unique identification number
  assigned to law enforcement agencies
  participating in the FBIs Uniform Crime
  Reporting (UCR) system or the National Incident
  Based Reporting System (NBIRS)
• FID is a two-character identification number
  used by departments to submit crime data to
  UCR/NBIRS gathered by its dependent
  bureau/agencies
• The ORI plus the FID and the incident number
  provide the necessary uniqueness to avoid the
  duplication of reported incidents

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C - Case Status

• Identifies the status of the investigation at
  the time the report was filed

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D - Availability of Ignition Source

• Identifies the availability of the ignition
  source (including matches and lighters) to the
  subject

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E - Suspected Motivation Factors

• Indicates the suspected factors that caused the
  subject(s) to burn, or attempt to burn

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F - Apparent Involvement

• Indicates whether the suspect(s) was motivated
  to commit the arson act because of involvement in
  a group or as a means to promote the cause of a
  group

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G1 - Entry Method

• Indicates how the offender(s) gained access to
  the property

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G2 - Extent of Fire Involvement on Arrival

• Indicates the fire departments observation of
  the extent of the fires involvement upon arrival

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H - Methods/Devices

• Identifies the components, methods and/or
  devices that were used in the incident

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I - Other Investigative Information

• Identifies other investigative information
  pertinent to the case

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J - Property Ownership

• Identifies the ownership of the property
  involved in the arson

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K - Initial Observations

• Identifies important initial observations made
  at the incident scene
• Provides useful information relating to
  the propertys security status and circumvention
  of security systems

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L - Laboratory Used

• Identifies the laboratory, if any, that
  conducted analysis of evidence
• Provides the means for the collection and
  analysis of laboratory data associated with a
  specific incident.

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NFIRS 11 Juvenile Firesetter

• Blocks M1 - M8 are optional fields to be used if
  the person(s) involved in the ignition of the
  fire was a juvenile under the age of 18 -- to
  permit tracking and analysis of juvenile
  firesetter trends

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A - Header Information

• Header information is repeated on all modules .
  . .
• In an automated system, this information is
  entered once and imported into all modules

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M1 - Subject Number

• A number assigned to each juvenile subject
  involved in the fires ignition

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M2 - Age or Date of Birth

• Identifies the age or date of birth of the
  juvenile identified as being responsible for the
  fire

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M3 - Gender

• Identifies the gender (sex) of the juvenile
  identified as responsible for the fire

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M4 - Race

• Identifies the juvenile subject as a certain race
  (based on U.S. Census Bureau categories)

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M5 - Ethnicity

• Identifies the ethnicity of the juvenile subject
  (based on U.S. Census Bureau categories)

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M6 - Family Type

• Information on family type will assist
  researchers in determining those risk factors
  that may be a predictor of juvenile firesetting

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M7 - Motivation/Risk Factors

• Identifies the stimulus and/or risk factors that
  were present and constituted a possible
  motivation for the incident

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M8 - Disposition of Person Under 18

• Permits analysis of how juvenile offenders are
  handled -- is particularly useful in tracking
  juvenile firesetter trends

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Summary

• The optional Arson Module (NFIRS 11) is used
  whenever the Cause of Ignition is coded as
  intentional or under investigation
• The Arson Module may also be used
• when the fire is under investigation, or in cases
  where the cause is undetermined after
  investigation
• to document juvenile-set fires, whether
  determined to be intentional or not