|
Results of the Study (continued)
Time of Fire Injury to Victims: Information was available on the time
of fire injury to the victims, either ante-mortem or post-mortem, for 173 of
the cases studied. Of these 173 cases, the victims received injuries from fire
prior to their death, ante-mortem, in 52 (30,4 percent) of the cases. The remaining
121 (9.6 percent) involved post-mortem fire injuries. Male victims were statistically
more likely to receive fire injuries before death than were female victims.
Overall, 40.5 percent (34) of male victims received ante-mortem fire injuries.
However, for females, only 20.2 percent (18) had injuries from fire received
ante-mortem. See Table 6. Thus, males were twice as likely as females to be
alive when the fire injuries were received.
|
Table
6
Distribution of Arson-Homicide Cases
by Gender of Victim and by
Time of Fire Injuries
(n= 183)
|
| Time
of Injury |
Male |
Female |
| Ante-mortem |
34
(40.5%) |
18
(20.2%) |
| Post-mortem |
50
(59.4%) |
71(79.8%) |
| Totals |
84
(100%) |
99
(100%) |
|
As shown in Table 7, 15 of 24 victims (62.5 percent) aged 17 years or younger
received ante-mortem injuries. In contrast, in the 18-29 year age group and
the 30-39 age group, only 20.6 percent (13) and 4.5 percent (one case) had ante-mortem
injuries. More than one-third of all victims over 40, however, had ante-mortem
fire injuries. In the 40-49 age group, seven of 18 victims (3 8,9 percent) and
in the 50-59 age group, 37.5 percent (six victims) received fire injuries before
death. In the oldest age group, 60 years or more, 34.5 percent (ten cases) had
ante-mortem fire injuries.
|
Table
7
Distribution of Arson-Homicide Cases
by Age Group and by Time of Fire Injuries
(n =172)
|
| Age
Group |
Ante-Mortem |
Post-mortem
|
| 17
years or less |
15
(62.5%) |
9
(37.5%) |
| 18-29
years |
13
(20.6%) |
50
(79.4%) |
| 30-39
years |
1
(4.5%) |
21
(95.5%) |
| 40-49
years |
7
(38.9%) |
11
(61.1%) |
| 50-59
years |
6
(37.5%) |
10
(62.5%) |
| 60
years or more |
10
(34.5%) |
19
(65.5%) |
| Totals |
52
(100%) |
120
(100%) |
|
Location of the Arson-Homicide: Specific locations were analyzed for
the 183 cases of arson-homicide. As depicted in Table 8, the most common location
for an arson-homicide was in a residence (75, 41.0 percent). Open areas (36,
19.7 percent), vehicles (23, 12.6 percent), and wooded areas (19, 10.4 percent)
were other common locations for arson homicides. Sixteen (8.7 percent) other
cases involved a building, other than a residence, and six cases (3.3 percent)
occurred on or along a roadway. Fires in workplaces (5, 2.7 percent) and in
or by a trash dumpster (3, 1.6 percent) accounted for the remainder of the cases.
|
Table
8
Distribution of Arson-Homicide Cases
by Specific Location of the Crime
(n = 183)
|
| Specific
Location |
Number |
Percent |
| Residence |
75 |
41.0 |
| Open
Area |
36 |
19.7 |
| Vehicle |
23 |
12.6 |
| Wooded
Area |
19 |
10.4 |
| Building
(Non-Residence) |
16 |
8.7 |
| Roadway |
6 |
3.3 |
| Workplace |
5 |
2.7 |
| Trash
Dumpster |
3 |
1.6 |
| Totals |
183 |
100.0 |
|
For purposes of the study, the locations were categorized as indoor, outdoor,
or vehicle. The indoor category included residences, workplaces, and other buildings.
A total of 96 cases (52.5 percent) of the 183 arson-homicides occurred indoors.
Outdoor fires were defined as those that were located in open areas, wooded
areas, roadways and trash dumpsters. About one-third (64, 35.0 percent) were
located in an outdoor site and 23 cases (12.6 percent) in a vehicle. Arsons
in vehicles, such as motor homes, or recreational vehicles, that were permanently
parked and used as a residence were included in the indoor category rather than
the vehicle category.
|
