Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

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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