Revisiting Arson from an Outpatient Forensic Perspective

Abstract

Progress in the understanding of individuals who commit arson has been on a slow but steady course over the past two decades. From our review of court-ordered outpatient forensic psychiatric evaluation of individuals charged with arson over a five-year period, preliminary prototypical profiles of the psychotic, mentally retarded, alcohol abusing, and mood-disordered firesetter are offered. The clinical-legal relevance of our results are explored.