A new report from the National Fire Protection Association released in March dispels the myth that arson is the fastest-growing crime in America.

To the contrary, arson crimes have been trending downward in recent years, according to the report. In 2003, the 37,500 arson fires in the United States were the fewest the NFPA has ever recorded, and the rate of arson offenses relative to population decreased by 6% from the previous year. (The number of arson fires does not include suspicious fires or fires with undetermined causes, but if those are included, recent numbers are still the lowest on record.)

The report offers synthesized data from NFPA, NFIRS and FBI on intentional fires and arson crimes, as well as data from Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom.

Other findings of the report include:

• Civilian deaths and property damage in intentional structure fires in 2003 also dropped to historic lows of 305 and $692 million, respectively.
• Juvenile fire-setters — for the ninth consecutive year — accounted for half or more (50.8%) of those arrested for the crime in 2003.
• Relative to population, the rates of intentional structure fires are highest in large cities, but rural communities have higher rates than do small towns.

To keep this trend going, NFPA suggests extending anti-arson programs across the country, improving inter-agency cooperation to make arson task forces and strike force programs more effective, and following new models for juvenile fire-setter counseling programs that tailor treatment to the circumstances of each fire-setter.

For more details, see “Intentional Fires and Arson” by John R. Hall Jr. at the NFPA's One-Stop Data Shop, www.nfpa.org/osds. You can also order the report by e-mailing osds@nfpa.org or by phone at 617-984-7450.