A simple arson of property, that is not your own personal property, charged under California Penal Code Section 451(d) is a felony punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for 16 months, two, or three years .
What is 1st degree arson?
(1) A person is guilty of arson in the first degree if he or she knowingly and maliciously : (a) Causes a fire or explosion which is manifestly dangerous to any human life, including firefighters; or. (b) Causes a fire or explosion which damages a dwelling; or.
What are the consequences of arson?
Imprisonment – an individual convicted of arson usually faces significant prison time, depending on the circumstances. Simple arson can result in up to 7 years in prison, while residential or aggravated arson may be punishable by up to 15 to 30 years, respectively.
Is arson a mental illness?
arson. While pyromania is a psychiatric condition dealing with impulse control, arson is a criminal act. It’s usually done maliciously and with criminal intent. Pyromania and arson are both intentional, but pyromania is strictly pathological or compulsive.
Is arson a felony or misdemeanor?
Arson is a crime of willfully and maliciously setting fire to or charring property. ... The crime is typically classified as a felony , with instances involving a greater degree of risk to human life or property carrying a stricter penalty. A common motive for arson is to commit insurance fraud.
What are the types of arson?
Spree : Three or more fires set at different locations, but with no cooling off period between. Serial: Three or more fires set at different locations, with a period of time passing between them. 1. Vandalism: When the goal is to mischievously or maliciously harm property, typically abandoned buildings or schools.
What is the most common form of arson?
Types of arson motives identified are (1) pyromania , 10.1 percent; (2) revenge, 52.9 percent; (3) vandalism, 12.3 percent; (4) insurance fraud, 6.55 percent; (5) welfare fraud, 6.55 percent; (6) the psycho firesetter, 8.7 percent; and (7) crime concealment, 2.9 percent.
What are the elements of arson?
The main elements necessary to prove arson are evidence of a burning and evidence that a criminal act caused the fire . The accused must intend to burn a building or other structure. Absent a statutory description of the conduct required for arson, the conduct must be malicious, and not accidental.
What type of person commits arson?
Arson can also occur when a person sets property on fire in order to collect insurance money, which represents setting fires for monetary gain. According to legal experts, a person who commits arson is creating some sort of damage, and they set the fire with the intent of causing this damage.
Who typically commits arson?
Findings revealed that most serial arsonists were young white males ; 58.7 percent of fires were set by offenders before 18 years of age, and 79.7 percent were set before 29 years of age.
Why would someone start a fire?
People set fires for all kinds of reasons. They do it for the thrill, to cover up evidence of a crime, to collect insurance money , for revenge and because other people did it before them, says David Butry, an economist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology who studies wildfires.
How hard is it to prove arson?
A fire is only considered arson after all accidental causes have been ruled out, which means investigators have to prove an individual caused a fire deliberately and with harmful intent. This is why arson is both difficult to prove and prosecute in court.
How many years do you get for arson?
In the most egregious felony cases where someone starts a fire with the intent to harm or kill someone else, an arson conviction can bring a life sentence. In other situations, convictions for felony arson can bring sentences of anywhere from one to 20 years .
What happens if a minor commits arson?
In the event of being charged with arson, a juvenile will have options that an adult doesn’t have . ... Because arson can cause injuries, death and extensive property damage, any juvenile charged with the crime may be tried as an adult depending on the seriousness of the act.
What are the 3 elements of arson?
FORENSIC SCIENCES | Arson Residues
It can be defined as the deliberate and malicious burning of property having three main elements. First, there has been a burning of property. Second, the burning is incendiary in origin, and finally, the burning was started with the intent of destroying the property.
What are the 3 types of arson?
The classifications are: serial arson, spree arson and mass arson . Serial arson is as many as three fires set at different locations and each fire has a cooling off period between the sets.
