The unlawful destruction of, or damage to, property by fire; known as fire-raising in Scotland. In English law the Criminal Damage Act 1971 abolished the common law crime of arson, and created another criminal offence covering unlawful damage, however caused. It also preserves the separate statutory crime of arson, even though this seems to add little to the scope of the law. There is also an aggravated offence of damaging property in which someone's life is endangered, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. In the USA, the definition of arson varies among the states.
| Criminal law |
|---|
| Part of the common law series |
| Elements of crimes |
| Actus reus · Causation · Concurrence |
| Mens rea · Intention (general) |
| Intention in English law · Recklessness |
| Willful blindness · Criminal negligence |
| Ignorantia juris non excusat |
| Vicarious liability · Corporate liability |
| Strict liability |
| Classes of crimes |
| Felony/Indictable · Hybrid offence |
| Misdemeanor/Summary |
| Infraction |
| Lesser included offense |
| Crimes against the person |
| Assault · Battery · Robbery |
| Kidnapping · Rape |
| Mayhem · Manslaughter · Murder |
| Crimes against property |
| Burglary · Larceny · Arson |
| Embezzlement · False pretenses |
| Extortion · Forgery · Computer crime |
| Crimes against justice |
| Obstruction of justice · Bribery |
| Perjury · Misprision of felony |
| Inchoate offenses |
| Solicitation · Attempt |
| Conspiracy · Accessory |
| Subsets |
| Criminal procedure |
| Criminal defenses |
| Other areas of the common law |
| Contract law · Tort law · Property law |
| Wills and trusts · Evidence |
| Portals: Law · Criminal justice |
Arson is the crime of setting a fire for an unlawful or improper purpose.
Arson investigation
A forensic science, fire investigation seeks to determine a fire’s origin and cause. During a fire investigation, indicators of an incendiary fire can help guide the investigator.
Arson in fiction
The movie Backdraft centers on the relationships of firefighters confronting a series of arson fires.
The HBO original movie Point of Origin, which is based on a book by John Orr, tells the true story of an arson investigator (Ray Liotta) searching for the perpetrator of a string of deadly fires in 1980s California. The films presents the methods the arsonist uses to start the fires The film makes use of backward trick photography to show the 'Point of Origin' of every fire that the arsonist started.
The British TV drama series London's Burning, based on the activities of the London Fire Brigade, also featured cases of arson during its run.
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