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- Arson (11)
- Firesetting (6)
- Fire-setting (3)
- Adult offender (2)
- Assessment (2)
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- Australia (2)
- Deliberate firesetting (2)
- Durable return to work (2)
- Motive (2)
- Predictive factors (2)
- Recidivism (2)
- Repeat offending (2)
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- Arsonists (1)
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- Child fire involvement (1)
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- Coping (1)
- Copycat (1)
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Articles 1 - 23 of 23
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Copycat Firesetting: Bridging Two Research Areas, Rebekah Doley, Claire Ferguson, Ray Surette
Copycat Firesetting: Bridging Two Research Areas, Rebekah Doley, Claire Ferguson, Ray Surette
Rebekah Doley
Deliberate firesetting costs our community in destruction to property and lives. Public concern heightens when similar fires occur in a series, raising the specter of copycat firesetting. Difficulties associated with researching copycat crimes in general mean that not a lot is known about copycat firesetting. As an initial step toward filling this research gap, we explore connections between research on copycat crime and research into deliberate firesetting. The intention is to extract salient features from what is known about the phenomena of deliberate firesetting and copycat crime, map them together, and point out shared and unique characteristics. It is argued …
An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms And Coping In Australian Volunteer Firefighters, Rebekah Doley, Ryan Bell, Bruce Watt
An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms And Coping In Australian Volunteer Firefighters, Rebekah Doley, Ryan Bell, Bruce Watt
Rebekah Doley
This study examined the relationship between coping style and longterm posttraumatic stress symptoms in an Australian sample of volunteer firefighters 84 months following a bushfire disaster. A total of 277 firefighters completed 4 questionnaires to assess patterns of psychiatric morbidity. A 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to investigate the effect of time and disorder on coping. Firefighters evidencing distress were more likely to use both problem- and emotion-focused methods of coping. Based on previous research, it was hypothesized that problem-focused coping strategies would be used after 84 months. The use of both problem- and emotion-focused coping may be …
The Role Of Fear Avoidance Beliefs In Return To Work Post-Injury, Bruce Watt, Lucas Ford, Rebekah M. Doley, Sabrina Ong, Katarina Fritzon, Richard Hicks, Tony Cacciola
The Role Of Fear Avoidance Beliefs In Return To Work Post-Injury, Bruce Watt, Lucas Ford, Rebekah M. Doley, Sabrina Ong, Katarina Fritzon, Richard Hicks, Tony Cacciola
Rebekah Doley
BACKGROUND: Fear avoidance beliefs have been demonstrated significant predictors of disability and work status post occupational injury and appear particularly important in explaining the transition from acute to chronic disability. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationship between fear avoidance beliefs, health-related quality of life, and their influence on return to work (RTW) outcomes, including durable RTW, post-occupational injury. METHODS: A total of 1179 questionnaires were posted to clients previously receiving vocational rehabilitation services from the Return to Work Assist program in Queensland, Australia. Participants were asked to indicate their current RTW status in addition to completing questionnaires measuring fear avoidance …
Prevalence And Correlates Of Firesetting Behaviours Among Offending And Non-Offending Youth, Bruce Watt, Kerry Geritz, Tasneem Hasan, Scott Harden, Rebekah Doley
Prevalence And Correlates Of Firesetting Behaviours Among Offending And Non-Offending Youth, Bruce Watt, Kerry Geritz, Tasneem Hasan, Scott Harden, Rebekah Doley
Rebekah Doley
Purpose: Adolescents represent a disproportionate number of firesetters relative to their adult counterparts. There is limited understanding, however, in the differing rates of firelighting behaviours between subgroups of youth. Method: Utilizing the recently developed Youth Fire Behaviours and Interests Scale, the differences in firesetting behaviours between adolescents adjudicated as offenders and non-offenders were evaluated. The associations for firesetting behaviours with antisocial behaviours and callous-unemotional traits (CUT) were examined utilizing items from the Antisocial Process Screening Device and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Participants were recruited across south-east Queensland; young offenders on community orders or in a youth detention centre (n …
Investigating The Relationship Between Social Support And Durable Return To Work, Bruce Watt, Lucas Ford, Rebekah Doley, Sabrina Ong, Richard Hicks, Katarina Fritzon, Tony Cacciola
Investigating The Relationship Between Social Support And Durable Return To Work, Bruce Watt, Lucas Ford, Rebekah Doley, Sabrina Ong, Richard Hicks, Katarina Fritzon, Tony Cacciola
Rebekah Doley
The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between social support and durable return to work (RTW) post occupational injury. A total of 1,179 questionnaires were posted to clients previously receiving vocational rehabilitation services from the Return to Work Assist program in Queensland, Australia. Participants were asked to indicate their current RTW status, in addition to completing questionnaires measuring their relationship with their superior, relationships with colleagues, and social support external to the workplace. The statistical analysis included 110 participants. An ANOVA indicated that participants in the RTW group reported significantly better relationships with their superiors and …
Risk Factors For Recidivistic Arson In Adult Offenders, Rebekah Doley, Kenneth Fineman, Katarina Fritzon, Mairead Dolan, Troy Mcewan
Risk Factors For Recidivistic Arson In Adult Offenders, Rebekah Doley, Kenneth Fineman, Katarina Fritzon, Mairead Dolan, Troy Mcewan
Rebekah Doley
This article reviews the current literature on known risk factors for recidivistic arson, with a particular focus on factors that could be used to differentiate serial from ‘‘oneoff’’ arson offenders. The relevance of risk factors for general reoffending to recidivistic arson is discussed, including the role of criminal history, mental illness, and sociodemographic factors. The specific roles of offence-related affect, cognitions, and the offender’s interest in fire are considered, with recommendations for how theories from other areas of forensic psychology, such as the sex offender assessment and treatment literature, might be applied to the issue of deliberate fire-setting. Finally, protective …
Juvenile Fire-Setting: A Review Of Treatment Programs, Katarina Fritzon, Mairead Dolan, Rebekah Doley, Troy Mcewan
Juvenile Fire-Setting: A Review Of Treatment Programs, Katarina Fritzon, Mairead Dolan, Rebekah Doley, Troy Mcewan
Rebekah Doley
The current paper provides a review of the literature on juvenile fire-setting, focusing on psychological contributions to the assessment and treatment of this population. The paper discusses research on the actions associated with deliberately lit fires by juveniles, as well as the psychological characteristics of the perpetrators. International perspectives on intervention are reviewed, and in conclusion the paper highlights the need to develop standardised protocols for intervention, which include a systematic assessment strategy for identifying high risk individuals, as well as a structured evidence-based approach to treatment incorporating psychological and fire-educational components.
Variations In The Offence Actions Of Deliberate Firesetters: A Cross-National Analysis, Katarina Fritzon, Rebekah Doley, Kerrilee Hollows
Variations In The Offence Actions Of Deliberate Firesetters: A Cross-National Analysis, Katarina Fritzon, Rebekah Doley, Kerrilee Hollows
Rebekah Doley
Since Canter and Fritzon first introduced their “4D” classification system for arson, many studies have replicated the model with samples of arsonists from around the world. However, scholars have reported differences in the offence actions of arsonists across samples. No study as yet has attempted to statically examine the relevance of these differences. Using multidimensional scaling procedures and two-way chi-square contingency analyses, this study examined whether cross-national differences in arson variables existed between Australian and British arsonists. The results indicated that differences did exist and, furthermore, that differences reflected the environmental characteristics of the country from which each sample was …
Profiling Arson, Katarina Fritzon, Rebekah Doley, Ryan Bell
Profiling Arson, Katarina Fritzon, Rebekah Doley, Ryan Bell
Rebekah Doley
Overview: Criminal psychological profiling is the forensic technique of inferring personal, psychological, demographic, and behavioral characteristics of offenders based on crime scene evidence. While the majority of research concerning criminal pro-filing has been focused on the investigation of crimes of sexual violence such as murder and rape, criminal psychological profiling is frequently described as being applicable to the investigation of serial arson crimes, and the frequency with which psychological profiling has been used in the investigation of arson crimes has been growing steadily over the past 30 years (Drabsch 2004; Kocsis 2004, 2006; Turvey1999). This current entry reviews the growing …
Antisocial Personality Disorder And Therapeutic Justice Court Programs, Andrew Cannon, Rebekah Doley, Claire Ferguson, Nathan Brooks
Antisocial Personality Disorder And Therapeutic Justice Court Programs, Andrew Cannon, Rebekah Doley, Claire Ferguson, Nathan Brooks
Rebekah Doley
It has become commonplace for courts to supervise an offender as part of the sentencing process. Many of them have antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). The focus of this article is how the work of specialist and/or problem solving courts can be informed by the insights of the psychology profession into the best practice in the treatment and management of people with ASPD. It is a legitimate purpose of legal work to consider and improve the wellbeing of the participants in the legal process. Programs designed specifically to deal with those with ASPD could be incorporated into existing drug courts, or …
Arsonists In Our Midst, Rebekah Doley
Risk Factors For Recidivistic Arson In Adult Offenders, Rebekah Doley, Kenneth Fineman, Katarina Fritzon, Mairead Dolan, Troy E. Mcewan
Risk Factors For Recidivistic Arson In Adult Offenders, Rebekah Doley, Kenneth Fineman, Katarina Fritzon, Mairead Dolan, Troy E. Mcewan
Rebekah Doley
This article reviews the current literature on known risk factors for recidivistic arson, with a particular focus on factors that could be used to differentiate serial from ‘‘oneoff’’ arson offenders. The relevance of risk factors for general reoffending to recidivistic arson is discussed, including the role of criminal history, mental illness, and sociodemographic factors. The specific roles of offence-related affect, cognitions, and the offender’s interest in fire are considered, with recommendations for how theories from other areas of forensic psychology, such as the sex offender assessment and treatment literature, might be applied to the issue of deliberate fire-setting. Finally, protective …
Risk Factors And Risk Assessment In Juvenile Fire-Setting, Mairead Dolan, Troy Mcewan, Rebekah Doley, Katarina Fritzon
Risk Factors And Risk Assessment In Juvenile Fire-Setting, Mairead Dolan, Troy Mcewan, Rebekah Doley, Katarina Fritzon
Rebekah Doley
This article provides an overview of the literature on risk issues in juvenile fire-setting behaviour. In particular, we highlight the importance of acknowledging the differences in terminology used in current studies and outline the importance of developmental issues in understanding when fire-related activities should be considered pathological. The estimated prevalence of fire interest, fire play, fire-setting and arson are discussed. The key sociodemographic, individual and environmental factors that are associated with pathological fire-setting are discussed in the context of general delinquency. The limited findings, to date, suggest that fire-setting in the main is similar to non-fire-setting delinquent behaviour in juveniles …
The Multi-Trajectory Theory Of Adult Firesetting (M-Ttaf), Therese A. Gannon, Caoilte Ó Ciardha, Rebekah M. Doley, Emma Alleyne
The Multi-Trajectory Theory Of Adult Firesetting (M-Ttaf), Therese A. Gannon, Caoilte Ó Ciardha, Rebekah M. Doley, Emma Alleyne
Rebekah Doley
The assessment and treatment of adults who set fires deliberately are underdeveloped relative to other areas of forensic-clinical psychology. From a scientist–practitioner perspective, all clinical assessment and treatment should be guided by a theoretical and empirically based understanding of the presenting clinical phenomena. In this paper, we critically review current typologies, motives, and theories regarding the etiological features of deliberate adult firesetting. Then, using a theory knitting perspective, we synthesize the prime parts of this information into a comprehensive multifactorial framework of deliberate firesetting. The resulting Multi-Trajectory Theory of Adult Firesetting (M-TTAF) is an integration of current theory, typological, and …
Looking At The Characteristics Of Adult Arsonists From A Narrative Perspective, Katarina Fritzon, Heather Lewis, Rebekah Doley
Looking At The Characteristics Of Adult Arsonists From A Narrative Perspective, Katarina Fritzon, Heather Lewis, Rebekah Doley
Rebekah Doley
This article reviews literature on the characteristics of adult arsonists as well as clinical and theoretical perspectives on explaining the psychology of adult fire-setting. A model of fire-setting is presented that addresses the functions of the behaviour, following a general discussion of other approaches to classifying arsonists, emphasising empirically derived classifications. Finally, a possible explanatory framework is provided in the form of a narrative theory account of fire-setting, with case examples presented to illustrate the main themes that emerge in the role that the arsonists assign to themselves as the main character in their own life story. The review concludes …
Assessment Of Firesetters, Rebekah Doley, Bruce Watt
Assessment Of Firesetters, Rebekah Doley, Bruce Watt
Rebekah Doley
Extract This chapter will equip readers with the information required to screen and assess arsonists effectively using a number of modalities. The appropriate tools are presented and discussed, along with the evidence base underlying them. The focus of the discussion is on risk assessment, recidivism and dangerousness. In particular, these issues are discussed with reference to mental health and psychiatric patients as arsonists. The terms ’arson’ and ’firesetting’ will be used interchangeably throughout this chapter; the term ‘arson’ is commonly acknowledged to have a legal definition, while firesetting describes the behaviour itself.
Power And Excitement In Arson: The Case Of Firefighter Arson, Rebekah Doley, Kenneth Fineman
Power And Excitement In Arson: The Case Of Firefighter Arson, Rebekah Doley, Kenneth Fineman
Rebekah Doley
Extract Perhaps more than most crimes, the crime of arson is often shrouded in anecdotal descriptions concerning what actually motivates the offender. Arson in any form is repugnant, but even more so when the individual involved is a serving member of the fire service. Fire department personnel and the community alike abhor incidents of this nature. Although the incidence of fire-fighter arson is low in comparison with the total number of currently serving fire-fighters, the impact on community faith and fire service morale is disproportionately great. The integrity of the service is demonstrated in the performance of its personnel. While …
Bushfire And Wildfire Arson: Arson Risk Assessment In The Australian Context, Troy Mcewan, Rebekah Doley, Mairead Dolan
Bushfire And Wildfire Arson: Arson Risk Assessment In The Australian Context, Troy Mcewan, Rebekah Doley, Mairead Dolan
Rebekah Doley
Extract Deliberately lit vegetation fires have the greatest destructive potential of any intentionally lit blaze. The ’Black Saturday’ bushfires of 7 February 2009 in Victoria, Australia, killed 173 people, injured 414 and destroyed 3500 buildings, including two entire towns (Teagne et al, 2010). Even before the fires had abated police and fire-fighters revealed that several had been deliberately lit (Silvester, 2009). The subsequent Royal Commission attributed four of the large fires to arson. These four fires caused 52 deaths and burnt approximately 2000 km2 of land, an area slightly larger than that of Greater London (Teague et aI, 2010). The …
A Snapshot Of Serial Arson In Australia, Rebekah Doley
A Snapshot Of Serial Arson In Australia, Rebekah Doley
Rebekah Doley
Studies into arson commonly have two underlying assumptions: 1) that arsonists are in some way different from non-arsonists; and, 2) that repeat arson offenders are quantifiably different from one- time arson offenders. In general these suppositions have remained implicit in the research, with few empirical investigations examining their veracity or otherwise against a sound theoretical model. The current project sought to establish how applicable these assumptions are in the Australian context. In the process a profile of Australian arsonists has been clarified and the concept that arsonists can be differentiated from each other and from other types of offender on …
Assessment And Treatment Of Fire-Setters, Rebekah Doley, Katarina Fritzon
Assessment And Treatment Of Fire-Setters, Rebekah Doley, Katarina Fritzon
Rebekah Doley
Extract: I am malicious because I am miserable. -Frankenstein, Mary Shelley Within clinical literature there has been an assumption that the above quote typifies a large proportion of individuals who deliberately commit arson. In other words, that psychological disorders of some kind can be found in the majority of such persons (Geller, Fisher, & Moynihan, 1992). For example, early conceptualisations of the condition pyromania meant that any individual who set more than one fire was considered to suffer from an 'irresistible impulse'- merely for the fact that they did not resist the impulse to set a fire. Now, however, a …
The Evolution Of Child Fire Involvement, Rebekah Doley
The Evolution Of Child Fire Involvement, Rebekah Doley
Rebekah Doley
Extract:
In a legal context the term “arson” is often not applied to child fire-setting because it is generally accepted that children as young as 10 years cannot form an “intention” to commit a crime. Sometimes the term “fire-play” is used as an alternative, yet many child development specialists and educators see this as a misnomer because, the word “play” connotes positive, learning activities. Statistically, however, it seems a consistent trend world-wide that a significant number of deliberately lit fires are started by juveniles. It raises the question, then, whether these young people have “always” lit fires or whether this …
Making Sense Of Arson Through Classification, Rebekah Doley
Making Sense Of Arson Through Classification, Rebekah Doley
Rebekah Doley
Arson classification efforts are an attempt to make sense of a complex whole. To a greater or lesser extent typologies offered to date have relied on assumed motive. More recently, systems that combine information about offender characteristics and/or offence features have become increasingly popular. The ability to categorise arsonists accurately has significant implications for both mental health professionals and fire authorities. It is important to understand the limitations of arson classification systems generally to be able to apply them judiciously. This article discusses arson classification systems and examines three key approaches before providing an overview of some of the limitations …
Pyromania: Fact Or Fiction?, Rebekah Doley
Pyromania: Fact Or Fiction?, Rebekah Doley
Rebekah Doley
The issue of deliberate firesetting is a growing concern in Australia. Every hour of every day in Australia at least one arson fire is lit and this type of criminal behaviour is costing the country over $157m annually in property losses alone. Although much has been written on the subject of arson there remains substantial confusion about the nature and extent of pyromania within the arsonist population. This paper explores some of the common misperceptions that exist in the literature and attempts to clarify the true magnitude of pyromania in Australia's arsonist population.
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