The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office is providing a $25,000 grant to the San Diego Burn Institute to support a program aimed at providing intervention and education for youths arrested for arson, officials said Wednesday.
The Youth Firesetter Intervention Program serves minors referred by law enforcement, fire departments, schools and other entities due to the youths’ fire setting behaviors, and provides educational resources regarding the dangers of such behavior, as well as the potential legal and fiscal ramifications, according to the DA’s Office.
“Data shows that most youth come into contact with the criminal justice system only once, so initiatives like the Firesetter Intervention Program are critical in re-directing young people away from this specific behavior that got them into trouble,” District Attorney Summer Stephan said. “The program also addresses the root cause of the juveniles’ arson behavior which can put themselves or others in danger.”
The Burn Institute says 55% of U.S. arson arrests are of people under the age of 18, and half of those are children under the age of 15. The institute also says fire setting is the largest cause of home deaths among children, with nearly 34% of the victims of child-set fires being children themselves.
“Fire is everywhere in our society, from lighting a candle, to large explosions in movies,” said Susan Day, executive director of the Burn Institute. “Children see and mimic these behaviors when they don’t understand the risks or think through what could happen. Our YFS program uses prevention and intervention techniques to help change a child’s behavior before a curiosity or experimentation with fire becomes more destructive.”
According to the DA’s Office, its juvenile division reviews around 10 allegations of arson per year, though the YFS program will also take referrals for youths suspected of starting a fire, even if there might not be enough evidence to file charges.
The program is confidential, free, and individuals do not need a referral to enroll. Services are in English, Spanish and other languages. To enroll, contact the Youth Firesetter Program Coordinator at 858-541-2277, ext. 111 or YFS@burninstitute.org.
–City News Service
