From the Publishers Desk
Arson Issue in August Covers Areas of Fire Service Concern
By now, everyone in the fire service, and perhaps in this country, is aware of the toll that arson and particularly arson for profit is taking in lives and money. As our editor said a month or so ago,
“This crime threatens the welfare of a community—its homes, its families, its sources of income.” The fire service has been aware of this toll for a long time, long before the media picked it up. And within their limitations of manpower and money they have combated it. But their efforts have not been enough.
Training in arson investigation is one area that has been called deficient. But this comes about often just because there isn’t enough manpower to train. It would seem then that a crime that costs this country some $7 billion a year, not to mention lives, would justify an expense outlay of at least several million dollars. But the money is slowly coming as the public becomes aware of the magnitude of the problem.
Which leads us into our August issue which will be themed to Arson—America’s Malignant Crime. The major articles in this issue cover the four areas in which a fire department is most actively involved and concerned.
The first involves the psychology of the fire-setter as explained by Dr. Georgia Witkin-Lanoil, a teacher of psychology at a New York college, many of whose students have been fire fighters in a fire science degree program.
The second covers the methods of arson detection and investigation. It was written by John Stuerwald who was an arson investigator for the old National Board of Fire Underwriters.
The third gives the “role of the prosecutor” in arson cases and tells how the prosecutor and the fire investigator can and should work together. It was written by Robert McGann, former assistant district attorney in New York.
Finally, there is an article by a forensic laboratory scientist, Ronald Thaman, which among other items gives some sage advice on the preservation and handling of evidence.
There will be other arson-related articles in the issue.
