The latest numbers from the Justice Department show that 44 percent of all those arrested last year were young people, under the age of 25. And for one particular crime, arson, even younger kids were involved. Over a quarter of all those arrested for starting fires are 15 years old or younger.

At age 10, Jared and some friends lit a fire next to a dumpster in their apartment complex. "This bush got burned, this bush got burned, this tree got burned," Jared says, showing the scene of the crime. He was arrested for arson.

According to the Department of Justice, over 26 percent of arrests for arson are kids under the age of 15. Jared was one of them.

"The police came out, it was a big deal, and I was kind of glad because he needed to understand the lessons of playing with fire," says Doria Brown, Jared's mother.

There were two lessons: First, instead of Juvenile Hall, Jared agreed to take a 6-week class on fire safety. Second, he got a sobering message from his mom. "He understood what eviction meant after I got through with him," Doria says.

Studies have shown that boys make up 80 to 90 percent of all children who set fires. But beyond that, there's no psychological profile. Some are curious, some look for excitement or attention, and a few even want to hurt people. The key, experts say, is to simply look for signs. "Touching matches and lighters? Take them by the fire station, let them talk to some of the firefighters, let the firefighters tell that kid some of their experiences, maybe that will get that kid at the point so that kid won't want to do it again," says Lt. Kenneth Reese, a fire investigator.

Jared did go by a fire station as a part of his fire education class, and now he says, "I wanna be a fireman because, like, I want to save people's lives."

Juvenile arsonists' mindsets are such that many psychologists tend to shy away from treating them. Marlene Gralnick, program coordinator for Suffolk (NY) County's new Juvenile Firesetter Intervention & Treatment Program, said that she is having a problem finding therapists willing to work with teen and pre-teen arsonists. Unfortunately, Gralnick's experience with therapists isn't rare – juvenile arson carries a certain stigma. Some parents tend to be hesitant to get help for their child, which leads to the most tragic statistic of all – 90 percent of those who die in fires started by children are children themselves.

Tips for Parents

The latest numbers from the Justice Department show that 44 percent of all those arrested last year were young people, under the age of 25. And for one particular crime, arson, even younger kids were involved. Over a quarter of all those arrested for starting fires are 15 years old or younger.

At age 10, Jared and some friends lit a fire next to a dumpster in their apartment complex. "This bush got burned, this bush got burned, this tree got burned," Jared says, showing the scene of the crime. He was arrested for arson.

According to the Department of Justice, over 26 percent of arrests for arson are kids under the age of 15. Jared was one of them.

"The police came out, it was a big deal, and I was kind of glad because he needed to understand the lessons of playing with fire," says Doria Brown, Jared's mother.

There were two lessons: First, instead of Juvenile Hall, Jared agreed to take a 6-week class on fire safety. Second, he got a sobering message from his mom. "He understood what eviction meant after I got through with him," Doria says.

Studies have shown that boys make up 80 to 90 percent of all children who set fires. But beyond that, there's no psychological profile. Some are curious, some look for excitement or attention, and a few even want to hurt people. The key, experts say, is to simply look for signs. "Touching matches and lighters? Take them by the fire station, let them talk to some of the firefighters, let the firefighters tell that kid some of their experiences, maybe that will get that kid at the point so that kid won't want to do it again," says Lt. Kenneth Reese, a fire investigator.

Jared did go by a fire station as a part of his fire education class, and now he says, "I wanna be a fireman because, like, I want to save people's lives."

Juvenile arsonists' mindsets are such that many psychologists tend to shy away from treating them. Marlene Gralnick, program coordinator for Suffolk (NY) County's new Juvenile Firesetter Intervention & Treatment Program, said that she is having a problem finding therapists willing to work with teen and pre-teen arsonists. Unfortunately, Gralnick's experience with therapists isn't rare – juvenile arson carries a certain stigma. Some parents tend to be hesitant to get help for their child, which leads to the most tragic statistic of all – 90 percent of those who die in fires started by children are children themselves.

References

• Fire Safety for Kids
• National Fire Protection Association
• United States Fire Administration for Kids
• U.S. Department of Justice