• Sentencing guidelines
• Limiting the risk of arson

What is the meaning of arson?

Arson is also known as criminal damage by fire. Furthermore, the act of arson is a severe criminal offence where someone deliberately sets fire to a property. Property isn’t just limited to the burning of a building. It can also include the burning of land, boat, plane, among others.

There are multiple reasons why people commit arson, with some of the most common reasons being:

• Revenge
• Concealing another crime
• Murder
• Intimidation
• Collecting insurance money

This is not an exhaustive list, as people may commit arson for a wide array of reasons.

Sentencing guidelines for arson.

Most arson sentences fall somewhere between discharge to 8 years imprisonment. Although, the maximum sentence for arson is life imprisonment. The sentence for arson depends on two factors, which is culpability and harm, which are outlined below:

Culpability

Culpability is split into three separate categories.

Category A applies to high culpability. This category is where:

• A high degree of planning or premeditation took place.
  Revenge attack.
• Use of accelerant. An accelerant is any substance that can speed up the development of fire and help it escalate faster.
• Intention to cause either serious damage to property or serious harm to a person(s).

Category B applies to medium culpability. This category is where:

• There was some planning.
• Reckless behaviour caused serious damage to a property or a person(s).

Category C applies to lesser culpability. This category is where:

• The incident involved little to no planning.
• Reckless behaviour caused minor property damage.
• The offender suffers from a form of mental disorder or learning disability.
• Someone coerced the offender into committing the offence.

Harm

Harm is the other main factor that determines someone’s sentence. As with culpability, harm falls into three categories, which are:

Category 1 is the most serious of the three categories. This includes:

• Serious physical and/or psychological harm caused to the victim by the incident.
• An incident that causes a serious economic or social impact.
• An incident that causes a significant amount of damage to the property.

Category 2 is the category for medium-level offences. This includes any harm deemed too serious for category 3, but not serious enough to be considered category.

Category 3 is the least serious category. This offence covers instances where:

• There is no/ very minimal physical and/or psychological harm caused by the incident.
• The value of the damage is very low.

For more information on criminal offences and relevant charges, visit our criminal law page.

How can I limit the risk of arson?

In some cases, arson is impossible to prevent. However, suggested ways to reduce the risk of arson include:

• Installing double door locks.
• Fitting security alarms and security cameras.
• Installing smoke detectors.
• Purchasing fire extinguishers and fire-proof blankets.

Always ensure that your fire prevention systems are checked and working. Fires are devastating and it is best to always be prepared for a dire situation.