"Half of the reported cases of arson in the country are the work of juveniles, ranging from children playing with matches to teen-agers looking for thrills."

"Among arsonists, certain characteristics keep cropping up."

"It is generally accepted that arson is predominantly committed by males. The arsonist is usually not well-educated."

"He comes from an unstable home where he may have been abused. He's usually short and slight. He is usually divorced or has never been married, has poor relations with others, particularly with women, and probably has a menial job. He may be known already to the local police and has little or no self-confidence."

"The professional ``torch'' is the opposite. He tends to come from a higher socio-economic background. He makes relatively big bucks burning buildings to collect the insurance. His counterpart, the ``thug torch,'' is far less expert but far cheaper."

"The real pro tends to be older. He often is a heavy drinker, but unlike some arsonists who need alcohol to give them courage to start the fire, the pro is likely to be stone sober when he enters a building to take it down."

"He is probably a fairly nocturnal individual, possibly nomadic, likely to be single or divorced."

"Another type well known to the fire-fighting world is the ``vanity'' or ``hero'' fire maker."

"The FBI study found that women turn up in significant numbers, 28 percent, only in the revenge-motivated category, a category that makes up 14 percent of all arsons."


"...pyromaniacs usually follow rather rigid patterns, starting fires when and where no one is likely to be around. The fires also tend to occur in geographic clusters.

The pyromaniac, he says, is often a male loner whose background includes a domineering mother and a weak or nonexistent father.

Ironically, the principal male figure in his life probably worked at job in which fire played a significant role, such as a firefighter, steel-mill worker or incinerator operator."

[link to community.seattletimes.nwsource.com]