Arson, Fire And Explosives

The main area of there expertise is to analyse any evidence and determine which, if any, type of accelerant was used. It is similar to the examination of crime scenes as both must be preserved and evidence collected and analysed, but when examining a fire scene numerous additional difficulties and dangers are presented. The investigation normally includes surveying any damage to scene to establish the origin of the fire and establishing the cause.

By the time John Orr was convicted of four counts of murder for the South Pasadena hardware store fire, he had already served six years in prison. Orr was convicted of three counts of arson. At the end, Orr was convicted using his very own signature homemade incendiary device. Fellow firefighters began suspecting that the arsonist was one of their own after conference of arson investigators. During the conference period, an oddly large amount of fire broke out. During that time fires broke out in fabric shops, drugstores, and craft shops. At a craft shop in Bakersfield, California a fire broke out in a display of dried flowers. At the scene, investigators found charred remnants of what appeared a simple incendiary device — a filter-tipped cigarette and matches, held together with a rubber band. One of the devices was partially wrapped in yellow paper (Bovsun, 2014). Though many of the investigator believe this was the work of an expert attending the arson conference, it could not be proven.

The popular television show, CSI: Crime Scene Investigations has been on the air for 12 years, and it has brought forth the behind-the-scenes actions of criminal investigations, even if its portrayals are not always scientifically accurate. This has caused an interest in the forensic sciences that has led most people to a skewed view of how a criminal investigation actually works. The reality of a criminal investigation is that it is generally more tedious and difficult than the theory of criminal investigation would have you believe. By examining the forensic and investigative procedures of the case of Pamela Foddrill, it is apparent that the theory of criminal investigation was not representative of the procedures concerning examination

As I, Klaudia Hoxha (forensic technician), approached the crime scene at 4 o'clock pm at the residence of Josh Powell. As i approached the scene i noticed 4 reporting officers, and the fire fighters who put the fire out, were present at this two story single family dwelling. I approached the reporting officers and fire fighters and took copies of there reports. I then immendently, sent in my team to take pictures and any kind of evidence they can find. From the looks this residential seemed occupied. A fire expands horizontally and vertically from it's point of origin, which in this case is the center of the house. According to a report, i noticed a witness who was a member/ social worker from Powell's meeting groups ,gave a statement that

I think the procedures are different from normal crime scenes to those involving fire and explosions

Tashanna N Garcia is currently enrolled in the Masters of Criminal Justice, with a concentration in Forensic Science, program at Saint Leo University. Tashanna comes from a military background where she served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Her military training was essential to her transition into law enforcement, where she spent the last ten years working for two police departments as a patrol officer and then for the Alabama Department of Public Safety as a Traffic Homicide Investigator for the State Troopers. Tashanna hopes to return to the law enforcement field in an administrative capacity and has a passion for forensic disciplines. Correspondence concerning this paper should be addressed to Tashanna N Garcia,

On August 30, 1979 there was a fire that killed two children and one adult at their residence. Investigators concluded that the fire was an arson. They concluded this because of the heavy alligator charring on the floor that was misinterpreted as arson. The investigators felt this was due to a pool of Stoddard solvent, a liquid flammable substance, used to start the fire. In reality these markings were due to radiation effect from the fire, not arson. On March 26, 1980 Louis DiNicola was charged with arson and three counts of murder. Louis spent four years in prison before being on bail while awaiting retrial. He was granted a new trial from his appeal of this conviction. The basis for the retrial was that evidence from the original

I have always loved suspenseful whodunit television shows, movies, and books that use forensic science to crack the cases. My favorite television show is The First 48, my favorite movie is The Silence of the Lambs, and my favorite book is The Body Farm. Therefore, I was excited to have the opportunity to take this course and learn even more about the subject of forensics. This essay gives a summary of N. E. Genge’s book, The Forensic Casebook: The Science of Crime Scene Investigation, and includes the things I disliked and liked about the book.

Thousands of fires occur on a yearly basis throughout the United States. Whether it is forest fires, house fires, or any other event that involves uncontrollable flames, the outcome will always be the same; high amounts of destruction and physical damage. When fire emergencies occur, responding to the incident may not be much of a complication as apposed to determining the source from where the fire started or what triggered its behavior, which is truly the challenge. In order to do so, a fire investigator has to be present at the scene of the fire after it has been eliminated. The investigator, after reviewing any possible marks or behavior trails, will conclude if the incident was indeed an accident or intentional, thus making it an act

Since most investigations start with very limited information, care and common sense are necessary to minimize the chances of destroying evidence. A plan of operation is developed and initiated from an initial walk through of the scene. The plan is to decide what evidence may be present, what evidence may be fragile and need to be collected as soon as possible. What resources, equipment, and assistance are necessary for the processing? Consideration of hazards or safety conditions may need to be addressed.

The first things you should do when demonstrating what writing order for the arson unit is knowing how the personal items for each and every arson investigator should have on them. Besides, every arson investigator should have personal items made available to them to carry and that includes protective clothing such as hardhats, fire resistant overalls, steel-capped boots, thick gloves, and a face mask. Supplies of gas and electricity should be switched off before the investigation begins. When specializing in these items for arson investigators to carry you should have certain types of containers that will not alter the chemical properties of the accelerants and shatterproof eye shields protecting them from the fire debris. “Teach and practice

Arson for profit is a form of insurance fraud that involves deliberately and intentionally setting fires for monetary gain (U.S. Fire Administration, 2009). Also called economic arson, arson for profit occurs when businesses or individuals deliberately set fires in order to dispose of insured property, including buildings, automobiles, boats, and land, and reap financial benefits by filing insurance claims against the property (U.S. Fire Administration, 2009). Arson for profit is a serious crime, resulting in destroyed property, higher insurance premiums, wasted government resources, and even death (Goetz, 1997; U.S. Fire Administration, 2009). The following paper will explore this form of white collar crime by examining the motives and

With all of the different reasons for setting arson fires, as well as the large variance in profiles of arsonists, investigating them can be difficult. This difficulty is compounded by the amount of evidence than can be destroyed by the act of arson. Arson investigators must begin by trying to find the point of origin; a task that can be made very difficult by tossing aside the debris and damaged items while the fire is being fought (Swanson, et al. 2006). If arson is suspected, the point of origin can be a deciding factor in declaring a fire intentional, especially if the fire began in the center of the room

Arson comes in many forms such as juveniles vandalizing property, businesses trying to collect insurance money, and murderers covering up their crimes are just a few of the examples arson investigators deal

In this paper, I am going to describe each specialized personnel that will be needed at the scene of a crime or mass disaster. I will inform you of what duties each of these specialized individuals will possess. You will be able to know and understand each of these responsibilities.