Using environmental criminology theories to compare ‘youth misuse of fire’ across age groups in New South Wales
| DOI | 10.1177/0004865815596794 |
| Date | 01 March 2017 |
| Published date | 01 March 2017 |
| Author | Claire E Ferguson,Kamarah Pooley |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Australian & New Zealand
Journal of Criminology
2017, Vol. 50(1) 100–122
!The Author(s) 2015
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DOI: 10.1177/0004865815596794
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Article
Using environmental
criminology theories to
compare ‘youth misuse of
fire’ across age groups in
New South Wales
Kamarah Pooley
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Claire E Ferguson
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Abstract
Youth misuse of fire is a substantive community concern. Despite evidence which indicates
youths account for a significant proportion of all deliberately lit fires within Australia, an
absence of up-to-date, contextually specific research means the exact scope and magnitude of
youth misuse of fire within Australia remains unknown. Despite research suggesting com-
monalities exist between youth misuse of fire and juvenile offending more broadly, misuse of
fire is rarely explained using criminological theory. In light of this gap, a descriptive analysis of
youth misuse of fire within New South Wales was performed. Routine Activity Theory and
Crime Pattern Theory were tested to explain differences in misuse of fire across age groups.
Results suggest these environmental theories offer useful frameworks for explaining youth
misuse of fire in New South Wales. It is argued that the Routine Activity Theory and Crime
Pattern Theory can be employed to better inform youth misuse of fire policy and prevention
efforts.
Keywords
Arson, crime pattern theory, firesetting, juvenile delinquency, routine activity theory,
youth crime
Youth misuse of fire (YMF) is a community concern which has attracted the attention of
authorities and researchers throughout the world. Although there exists a substantial
body of research pertaining to the study of YMF, a lack of theoretical and empirical
consensus means such research remains ungeneralisable (Williams, 2005). Furthermore,
Corresponding author:
Claire E Ferguson, Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Email: claire.ferguson@qut.edu.au
despite evidence which indicates YMF may exist within the realm of normative juvenile
delinquency, Australia-specific research predominantly derives from the field of psychol-
ogy, relying upon studies of clinical or incarcerated populations (Dadds & Fraser, 2006).
Because YMF continues to be one of the least understood forms of juvenile delinquency
(Brett, 2004; Stanley, 2010), systematic analysis within an Australian context, and the
application of criminological theory to enhance comprehension of empirical findings is
necessary.
YMF
‘Youth misuse of fire’ refers to any fire incident caused by a person under the age of 17
years. It is a psychological and clinical term (Johnson, Beckenbach, & Kilbourne, 2013),
which encompasses all forms of misuse of fire attributed to youths: from inquisitive
behaviour performed by 3–5-year-olds (defined as fire interest: Dolan, McEwan,
Doley, & Fritzon, 2011; Gaynor, 2002); to experimental behaviour committed by
6–9-year-olds (termed fire-play or fire-starting: Dolan et al., 2011; Gaynor, 2002;
Haines, Lambie, & Seymour, 2006; Putnam & Kirkpatrick, 2005); to the deliberate,
malicious behaviour of youths 10 years and over (referred to as firesetting: Britt,
2011; Dolan et al., 2011; Gaynor, 2002; Haines et al., 2006; Putnam & Kirkpatrick,
2005); to arson (the criminalisation of the latter). All youth-related fire incidents which
exist along this continuum are encompassed by the term YMF. It therefore eliminates
problems arising due to the interchangeable and arbitrary use of the above-mentioned
categorisations, which are yet to be empirically differentiated.
YMF within Australia has not been explicitly measured. This is primarily because
YMF is a covert and complex behaviour which does not lend itself well to empirical
inquiry. Nevertheless, a small number of studies have been performed which provide
partial insight into the magnitude of the YMF problem. Dadds and Fraser (2006)
conducted a study of 1359 Brisbane elementary school children aged 4–9 years.
Primary care giver reports revealed that 347 (25.6%) children had a history of fire
interest, 73 (5.4%) had a history of match play, while 24 (1.8%) had a history of fire
play (Dadds & Fraser, 2006, p. 584). Although this study measures YMF prevalence, the
generalisability of the findings to other jurisdictions remains unknown. Muller (2008)
conducted an analysis of 1232 arson defendants in New South Wales (NSW) between
2001 and 2006, revealing 288 (23.4%) were under the age of 17 years. Although young
people represent a significant proportion of this sample, Muller’s (2008) analysis only
considered YMF in its criminalised form (arson). Bryant (2008) conducted an
Australian-based study of deliberately lit vegetation fires as recorded by fire brigade
data. Findings revealed that between 1997/1998 and 2001/2002, youths accounted for
0.4% of all rural fires and 16.0% of all urban fires detected in NSW (Bryant, 2008,
p. 134). However, Bryant’s study did not include fires involving structures such as
residential dwellings. When considered in light of overseas evidence, indicating around
half of all structure fires occur as a result of YMF (Lowenstein, 2003, p. 193), such
findings provide only limited insight into the magnitude of the YMF problem within
Australia. In addition, these findings must also be considered in light of evidence sug-
gesting that for every three fires reported to authorities, one remains unreported
(Hardesty & Gayton, 2002), and that fires which occur outdoors are reported more
Pooley and Ferguson 101
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