Arson in structures decreased 5% in 1999 to the lowest total in the 23 years studied, according to a report released by the National Fire Protection Association.

For the sixth straight year, juvenile fire-setters accounted for the majority (54%) of those arrested for the crime. More than one-third of all arson arrestees were children under age 15, and 7% were under age 10. No other FBI-indexed crime, the most serious felonies, has a higher rate of juvenile involvement. (Fires set by children too young to understand the consequences of their actions are not included in arson statistics.)

The crime of arson, best measured by the total of incendiary and suspicious fires, fell to 72,000 incidents for structures. The death toll in these fires fell 21% to 370, the lowest figure in the 23 years studied by NFPA. Incendiary and suspicious vehicle fires remained level at 45,000. Since 1977, the number of reported incendiary and suspicious structure fires has shown a cumulative drop of 57%. These figures don't include any share of fires with cause undetermined or outdoor incendiary and suspicious fires. When these are added in, for a typical year there are nearly 500,000 fires.

Arson remains the number one cause of property damage due to fire in the United States. Property damage to structures and vehicles totaled $1.28 billion, an increase of 3%. When outdoor arson fires and a share of fires with unknown causes are included, arson usually accounts for roughly $1 out of every $4 lost to fire. In a typical year, the total is close to $2 billion in direct damages from incendiary and suspicious fires.

Only 17% of 1999 arson offenses were solved by arrest, according to FBI statistics, which is typical for property crimes. An estimated 2% of arson offenses led to convictions. Generally, about one-third of those convicted every year receive no jail or prison time, and most who go to prison or jail receive less than two years.

The greatest leverage in combating arson, according to the report, comes from confirming that these fires were deliberately set and then solving the crime, which requires more investigative resources, including training for fire and police departments.

Most arson incidents are not set by those sophisticated about fires, and many are cries for help that might be deflected to other channels if fire-setting were made more difficult. Arson could be reduced, for example, by increased security and removal of fuel sources, like trash.