WALES ARSON REDUCTION STRATEGY
2012-2015
WORKING
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP
PARTNERSHIP TO
TO REDUCE ARSON
ARSON
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WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO REDUCE ARSON
Contents
Foreword by the Chair of the Joint Arson Group
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Introduction
About the Joint Arson Group (JAG)
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7
Why an Arson Reduction Strategy for Wales?
Arson in Wales
The political and economic context
The new Strategy
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What do we want to achieve?
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How are we going to do it?
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Strategic Priority Areas
Priority 1: Informing our Response
Priority 2: Communities and their Environments
Priority 3: Children and Young People
Priority 4: Informing Communities
Priority 5: Protecting People
Priority 6: Evaluation
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Foreword by the Chair of the
Joint Arson Group
The Wales Arson Reduction Strategy (WARS) published in 2007 was the result of
some excellent multi agency work examining the issues surrounding arson in
Wales. The strategy provided a range of options to help tackle the various aspects
of arson experienced in Wales, and it was successful in setting out the agenda for
multi agency activity in relation to reducing this very anti social activity.
Tackling arson has been a multi agency function with all three Fire and Rescue
Services (FRSs) across Wales taking on the lead role while working closely with the
Police and Local Authorities. This required the creation of effective partnerships to
fill identified gaps in provision at a local level.
Now is the right time for a new strategy, one which will help to re-focus efforts in
this area and to broaden the ownership of and responsibility for arson reduction
activity in Wales.
The Wales Arson Reduction Strategy 2012-2015 (WARS 2) sets out a realistic
agenda for multi agency working to help tackle the issue of arson, and links into
specific actions within the ‘Programme for Government 2011-2016’ which aims to
make real differences to the lives of people in Wales. This includes clear
commitments to enable “healthy people to live productive lives in a more
prosperous and innovative economy and safer and more cohesive communities.”
The Welsh Government has, since 2004, provided support funding in the region of
£8.4million which has helped to take forward arson reduction related activities
across Wales. Welsh Government recognises the importance of helping to
maintain the standard and quality of services that the Fire and Rescue Authorities
(FRAs) have delivered since 2004 and with this new strategy, combined with ongoing support, will continue to help deliver the required outcomes.
I endorse this Strategy, as I firmly believe that while arson is down it is not out and
there is still much which needs to be done. By continuing the excellent
partnership working which has gone on since the launch of WARS in 2007 we can
achieve our goals and targets as outlined in the updated strategy.
Arson is a serious matter and we are serious about our approach to reducing the
incidence and impact of fires which will help to deliver our goal of ensuring safer
communities for citizens in Wales.
Area Manager Jim Cameron
Chair of the Joint Arson Group (JAG)
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Introduction
The original ‘Wales Arson Reduction Strategy’ (WARS) was produced by the Joint
Arson Group (JAG) and the Welsh Government (WG) in 2007 to build upon the
‘Up in Flames’ report1, and to provide a real focus for organisations and individuals
working in the field of arson reduction.
In the years since WARS was launched the overall incidence of deliberate fires
recorded in Wales has fallen from around 20,000 in 2006 to approximately 14,000
in 2010/112. This is a considerable achievement, and is in no small part the result of
a lot of determination, hard work, and collaboration. However, despite this overall
reduction in deliberately set fires recorded in recent years, arson remains a very
real, damaging and costly problem in Wales.
The new strategy addresses this problem by building upon our experiences and
learning from recent years, and by encouraging other individuals and agencies to
share responsibility for arson reduction in our communities. Collaboration, multiagency working and community involvement will play a crucial role in effectively
addressing this issue.
In setting out a strategic approach to achieve a sustained reduction in the
incidence and impact of arson, this document starts by highlighting the context of
the issue in Wales, before setting out the 6 ‘Strategic Priority Areas’ identified as
key in delivering this overarching aim.
Whilst this strategy sets out the high level vision for reducing arson and its effects
across Wales, it is clear that the organisations that make up the Joint Arson Group
(JAG) will need to build upon the previous successes and help deliver
improvements if the 30% reduction achieved since 2006 is to be continued.
Although the partnership work is of a high standard and in line with good
practice, due to limited statistical evidence it is very difficult to highlight that the
work of JAG has had a positive impact on the reduction in deliberate fires.
Since JAG was established, deliberate fires in Wales have continued to fall but
without robust measurement methodologies in place, establishing the link
between some of the intervention work and outcomes has been challenging.
Further challenges faced by JAG are linked to the economic downturn and the
resultant potential for:
1 - Up in Flames:
A Report of the
Community Fire
Safety Working
Group into Arson
in Wales (2003)
2 - Fire Statistics
Wales, 2008 and Fire
Statistics Wales,
2009-10 and 2010-11
(Welsh Government
Statistical Bulletins),
2010-11 data
provisional
• An increase in the number of empty and abandoned buildings.
• Organisations reducing expenditure on security and crime prevention activities.
• An increase in unemployment and anti social fire behaviours.
This is further complicated by the challenge faced by a general downturn with
regard to the capacity of partner organisations to support the work of JAG due to
staffing pressures.
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All agencies that form JAG have a major role in helping to achieve further
reductions in the occurrence of arson. To ensure that the efforts of the group are
focused on the high level objectives identified, the Strategy will be supported by
the development of action plans designed in line with guidance contained within
The Welsh Government: Programme for Government 2011 and Local Government
(Wales) Measure 2009 which will include appropriate scrutiny, review and
reporting mechanisms.
This approach will clearly map-out the ongoing work of the group while
highlighting its successes and ongoing challenges.
The delivery of this Strategy and the detailed objectives to support its
implementation can be found within;
• Each Fire and Rescue Service local Business Plans
• The JAG Delivery Plan
• The implementation Plans of the three Arson Reduction Teams (ARTs)
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About the Joint Arson Group (JAG)
Arson and fire related crime have always been considered to be a partnership
challenge, and in response an all-Wales Joint Arson Group (JAG) was formed in
2005. The Group comprises key Welsh agencies, sending out clear messages for the
need to take collective responsibility for this community problem that can only be
dealt with successfully through a collaborative approach. In 2007 JAG worked
alongside the Welsh Government to produce a Wales Arson Reduction Strategy,
and has been a fundamental part of its development and delivery.
Members of JAG include:
•
•
•
•
•
Fire and Rescue Services.
Police Forces.
Welsh Government.
Firebrake Wales (the Welsh fire safety charity).
Forestry Commission.
For the next three years the Group remains committed to reducing the levels of
arson and fire crime across Wales by driving forward the key strategic priorities
outlined in this new Strategy. The document should be seen as a conduit in
delivering a wide range of benefits to the communities of Wales which JAG will
support by:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Providing a key central focal point to drive forward this Strategy.
Evaluating the effectiveness of arson related community initiatives.
Reporting progress to key agencies and directly to communities.
Acting as a formal link to the UK arson forums sharing good practice.
Supporting the targeting of resources to drive down arson and fire crime.
Reviewing the Strategy regularly using recognised evaluation practices.
Key Strategic Objective:
Over the next 3 years the Wales Arson Reduction Strategy 2012-2015 will help to
drive the work of the partner agencies and support the reduction of deliberate
fires. It will help to deliver a 15% reduction in the number of deliberate fires across
Wales over the lifetime of the Strategy.
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Why an Arson Reduction
Strategy for Wales?
Arson in Wales
Dictionary definitions of ‘arson’ commonly refer to the criminal act of intentionally
or maliciously setting fire to a building or property, though in practice it can take
on many different meanings. For the purpose of this Strategy a wider definition is
used, whereby arson refers to deliberately started fires as reported by the Fire and
Rescue Service (FRS). In 2010/11 around 70% of all fires attended by the FRSs in
Wales (excluding false alarms) were started deliberately3.
The considerable challenge of arson is not new and it is certainly not unique to
Wales; the overall annual financial cost of arson to the economy in England and
Wales has been estimated at around £1.37bn4. The ‘Up in Flames’ report of 2003
detailed the devastating impact of arson on the Welsh economy and our
communities, and the ‘Wales Arson Reduction Strategy’ (WARS), published in 2007,
provided a real focus for taking forward arson reduction activity. Much has
happened in the intervening years to change the landscape within which that
Strategy has operated.
The scale of the problem
In terms of the level of arson in Wales, it is hugely encouraging that, in 2011, the
incidence of deliberately set fires is significantly lower than it was in 2007. The real
headline was the huge drop in all reported deliberate fires from 2007 to 2008
(from around 18,500 fires to 13,200)5 but we have seen more of a levelling-off in
subsequent years (12,900 deliberate fires in financial year 2009/10 and a slight
increase to approximately 14,000 in 2010/11)6.
3 - Fire and Rescue
Service Performance
2010-11. Welsh
Government
(Oct 2011)
4 - The Economic
Cost of Fire:
Estimates for 2004.
Office of the Deputy
Prime Minister
(2006). Excludes
costs in anticipation
of arson.
5 - Deliberate Fires,
2008. Welsh
Government
Statistical Bulletin
(Aug 2010)
This overall reduction in deliberate fires since 2007 has happened not by chance
but by design – the result of considerable investment, much hard work and
collaboration. However, the recent upturn serves to remind us that this is no time
for complacency: arson reduction efforts need to continue and be innovative to
ensure the downward trend is maintained.
The current economic climate is putting significant pressures on businesses and
personal income. Sadly evidence has shown that, during periods of recession, the
incidence of some types of deliberate fire setting increases. This is being closely
monitored through the work of JAG and the Chief Fire Officers Association
Community Risk Reduction Committee to ensure the appropriate targeting of
resources should this trend be identified in Wales.
6 - Fire Statistics
Monitor April
2010 – March 2011,
Data Tables 5a-5d.
CLG (June 2011).
Provisional data
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Trends in types of arson and regional differences
Over the last 5 years the overall reduction in deliberate fires in Wales has been
driven by significant reductions across a wide range of arson ‘types’. Deliberate
primary fires (which include fires in buildings, vehicles and outdoor structures)
have reduced by over 40% between 2006/07 and 2010/117. Within this figure,
deliberate road vehicle primary fires fell by nearly 60% over the same period. In
contrast, the recent overall upturn in deliberate fires is being driven by an increase
in secondary fires, that is, the majority of outdoor fires including grassland, refuse,
and bins/skips.
The three Fire and Rescue Services in Wales cover a varied geographical area and
serve populations that differ in both total numbers and dispersion. The Welsh FRSs
also face widely differing challenges regarding the scale and types of arson within
their service areas. For example, Mid & West Wales FRS and South Wales FRS have
historically had issues with deliberate grass fire setting: indeed, around 90% of all
deliberate secondary fires in Wales occur within the boundaries of these two
regions8.
In order to be most effective then, such marked differences require a Strategy that
allows for regional application with local flexibility in addressing specific arson
issues.
The cost of arson in Wales
Attributing an accurate economic cost to arson is challenging. The challenge
stems from deciding what elements of cost should be included in any calculations,
and then finding appropriate methods of measuring them. Historically,
calculations have included the monetisation of costs as a consequence of arson
(for example, those relating to casualties, property damage, lost business, or the
Criminal Justice system), and costs in response to arson. However, they do not
often include those costs incurred in anticipation of arson or those costs
associated with the wider impacts on society (e.g. disruption to infrastructure or
loss of an amenity) and the environmental costs incurred (e.g. impact on tourism
or loss of habitat).
7 - Fire Statistics
Monitor April
2010-March 2011,
Data Tables 5a-5d
CLG (June 2011)
Provisional data
8 - Fire Statistics
Monitor April
2010-March 2011,
Data Tables 5a-5d
CLG (June 2011)
Provisional data
9 - Economic Cost
of Fire for Wales
Report 2006. Entec
UK Ltd for Welsh
Government, (2008)
10 - The Economic
Cost of Fire:
Estimates for 2004.
Office of the Deputy
Prime Minister
(2006)
A report by the Welsh Government9 estimated that the cost of arson in Wales in
2006 was £132 million. Although not directly comparable to the costs estimated in
that report, it is possible to update the estimated cost of arson in Wales using the
average costs attributed to different types of deliberate fires, as originally
calculated by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister10. Using these average costs
and the number of deliberately set fires reported in Wales in 2010/11, an
approximate estimate of the economic cost of arson in Wales of over £73 million is
still likely to be conservative.
The current economic challenges that we face make this an unacceptable and
unsustainable figure, and money spent that is effective in reducing arson
represents a sound investment for the Welsh economy. Failure to constantly
address the issue of deliberate fires could see a return to pre 2005 levels.
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO REDUCE ARSON
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However, the cost of arson to Wales goes beyond the purely financial; arson often
ruins lives, devastates whole families, degenerates areas within our communities,
upsets delicate eco-systems and ruins wildlife habitats for years to come.
If we use deliberate fires in schools and educational buildings as an example,
based on indicative figures provided by the Welsh FRSs, the financial cost of these
fires over the three year period 2009/10 to 2011/12 is estimated as follows:
Fire Service
North Wales
Mid and West Wales
South Wales
Total
Estimated cost (£millions) of deliberate fires in
Schools and Educational Buildings
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
£0.16
£0.32
£0.37
£0.37
£0.32
£0.37
£0.95
£1.06
£0.42
£1.49
£1.70
£1.17
As a result of ‘target hardening’ activities at schools in Wales (those processes to
assess and reduce the level of risk from arson at a school, supported by funding
from the Welsh Government) cost savings estimated in the region of £320,000
have been realised (comparing 2009/10 to 2011/12).
However, the impact of a school fire is significant and includes ‘costs, which are
not recorded in the figures above11, e.g. the impact on education and learning,
the impact on the well-being of children and staff and the impact on the wider
community. It is also worth noting that a deliberate fire resulting in the total loss
of one school could cost the wider economy millions of pounds in re-build costs
alone.
The nature of arson reduction work in Wales
The Strategy for arson reduction in Wales is initiated by the Fire and Rescue
Service Consultative Forum and is coordinated by the Joint Arson Group (JAG),
supported by the Welsh Government. At an operational level, arson reduction
activity is carried out by key stakeholders such as the Fire and Rescue Services
(FRSs), Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs), the Police, and other agencies and
practitioners. Work starts with the education of our children, takes in the
‘hardening’ of our public buildings, and looks to the protection of those living
under the threat of arson.
11 - The impact
of school fires: a
study of the wider
economic and social
impacts on schools
and the local
community.
Local Government
Association (2007)
Many organisations and agencies come into contact with the problems of arson,
or are otherwise affected by it, and the recent review12 of the 2007 Wales Arson
Reduction Strategy details the importance of collaborative working and
community involvement in addressing this issue. This review also highlights the
growing importance when going forward of measuring the impact of specific
arson reduction activities and interventions to our communities and to the lives
of the people in Wales.
12 - Wales Arson
Reduction Strategy:
A Review by the
Joint Arson Group
(Nov 2011)
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The Priorities of the Welsh Arson Reduction Teams (ARTs) to assist in delivering this
Strategy are:
• Deliver a 5% reduction in the number of wildfire incidents, year on year.
• Deliver a 5% reduction in the number of deliberate fires started in schools, year
on year.
• Reduce car arson by 5%, year on year.
• Reduce deliberate fires associated with anti social fire behaviour by 5%, year on
year.
• Reduce the number of void and derelict buildings subject to arson by 5%, year
on year.
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The political and economic
context
In setting out a new strategy that effectively addresses this issue, consideration
has also been given to several key political, societal and organisational
developments, including:
• The recent launch of the Welsh Government’s ‘Programme for Government
2011-2016’. This clearly outlines the steps that the Government is taking to
deliver its renewed ambitions, and to make real differences to the lives of
people in Wales. These include clear commitments to actions which promote
‘healthy people living productive lives in a more prosperous and innovative
economy’ and ‘safer and more cohesive communities’. The ‘Safer Communities
for All’ chapter also includes a specific action to ‘support the Fire & Rescue
Authorities’ community safety activity including arson reduction’.
``
• The development and updating of other key policies and strategies since the
original WARS document was launched in 2007. For example the Welsh
Government has recently published a new ‘Fire and Rescue National Framework
for Wales’ for 2012 onwards. The Framework references the WARS and clearly
highlights the important role of collaborative working in reducing arson. The
chapter on ‘Service Delivery’ sets out the Government’s commitment to
supporting multi-agency led anti-arson activity in Wales and the need to
effectively target resources to achieve better outcomes.
• The Welsh Government also recently published the ‘Fire and Rescue Authorities
Strategy for Children and Young People’ (2010). This clearly sets out an
approach to children and young people involving two strands, one of which
focuses on education programmes and on interventions delivering an effective
reduction of anti-social fire crime behaviour. Once again, this Strategy
demonstrates that educating children and young people to prevent deliberate
fires is a key objective of both the Welsh Government and the Welsh Fire and
Rescue Authorities.
13 - Tackling Fire:
A Call for Action.
Association of British
Insurers (Dec 2009)
• The effects of the changing economic ‘landscape’ must be taken into account.
During the last recession (in the early 1990’s) incidents of some types of arson
increased significantly. Soon after the start of the latest recession the
Association of British Insurers noted that its members had recorded a jump in
the number of large scale fires (those costing more than £500,000) and believed
arson and fraud to be a contributing factor13. A common characteristic of
recession is empty businesses and shops which can be particularly vulnerable
to arson: a recent report by the British Retail Consortium14 looking at city
centre shops in the UK, found that Wales now has a 13.4% vacancy rate. This is
an area which, if not addressed, could potentially see the number of deliberate
fires set in these properties increase. The work of JAG and the ARTs will ensure
that this topic is given a high priority.
14 - Retail Footfall
and Vacancies
Monitor,
May-July 2011,
BRC/SpringboardATCM
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WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO REDUCE ARSON
• Under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (amended by the Police Reform Act
2002) it is a statutory duty for all local authority areas to have a Community
Safety Partnership (CSP). These partnerships typically involve organisations
such as the Police, Fire and Rescue Services, local authorities, and community
groups, and in recent years arson has become more firmly established on their
agendas. The way that the CSPs have evolved in recent years suggests an even
more key role for them in taking forward arson reduction activity in their
respective areas.
• For our rural environments, new regulations and guidance on Heather and
Grass Burning were produced in 200815 to help reduce the risks of ‘managed
burning’ to the public as well as to ‘property, agricultural, forestry and game
interests, and to wildlife and the wider environment’. Continuing the multi
agency partnership work and education to ensure compliance with these
regulations will help support the broader agenda of reducing the number
and damaging impact of wildfires in Wales.
15 - Heather and
Grass etc, Burning
(Wales) Regulations
2008
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The new Strategy
In summary, despite an overall reduction in deliberately set fires recorded in
recent years, arson remains a very real, damaging and costly problem in Wales.
Whilst the original Wales Arson Reduction Strategy was undoubtedly a useful
reference and aid to tackling the problem of arson in Wales, it is obvious that an
updated Strategy is now required.
This new Strategy builds upon our experiences and learning from recent years;
reflects the changing landscape of Welsh policy; meets the potential challenges
of an uncertain economic climate; and encourages other agencies to share
responsibility for arson reduction in our communities.
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What do we want to achieve?
This Strategy sets out JAG’s vision for delivering arson prevention activities in
Wales. We are committed to achieving a sustained reduction in the incidence and
impact of arson and in doing so making a significant contribution to safer and
more cohesive communities in Wales by 2015.
Over the next 3 years the Wales Arson Reduction Strategy 2012-2015 will help to
drive the work of the FRSs and its partner agencies and provide the focus and
direction for efforts to reduce the number of deliberate fires.
It will also be the catalyst to help to deliver a 15% overall reduction in the number
of deliberate fires across Wales over the lifetime of the Strategy.
Recognising the important role of collaboration, multi-agency working and
community involvement in addressing this issue, this document has been written
for a wide audience. It is intended that it will be a useful starting point for all key
stakeholders who are considering initiatives to reduce arson within their
community.
It is hoped that in setting out a strategy document which broadens access to
guidance and information about this damaging and costly issue, we can:
• Raise awareness and educate people across a broad range of organisations
and communities on the extent, nature, cost and impact of arson in Wales.
• Ensure that arson gets (or remains) on the agenda and that routes for
subsequent engagement with arson prevention work are obvious.
• Educate and provide clear strategic guidance for current and potential
practitioners in the field of arson reduction.
The Strategy aims to ensure the sharing of good practice throughout Wales, while
at the same time recognising the need for flexible and adaptable responses to
local and regional needs. This approach promotes the application of local
intelligence to recognise effective ways of collaborative working, in order to bring
about positive and lasting community outcomes.
The introduction of appropriate Results Based Accountability (RBA) techniques will
assist JAG and its partners to embed performance management into Arson
Reduction planning and delivery.
To achieve this JAG will be responsible for developing effective means by which
the ARTs can identify meaningful outcomes and develop appropriate indicators
and performance measures to help them to satisfy the need for appropriate
scrutiny. JAG will also support and encourage partners across Wales to direct
resources where they will have the biggest impact in contributing to these key
community outcomes.
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How are we going to do it?
An effective strategy for reducing arson needs to incorporate both interventions and
initiatives that deal with the person who commits (or intends to commit) arson, as
well as those that involve the protecting (or ‘hardening’) of the potential target of
the arson.
Arson is a particularly difficult issue to combat: people deliberately set fires for
widely different reasons, and there are often complex investigative challenges linked
to the physical act itself. Several theoretical frameworks have been offered to explain
the drivers and motivations for deliberate fire setting. Predominantly these are
linked to the risk factors associated with an individual’s propensity to light fires,
while alternative theories highlight the importance of the interaction between these
individual characteristics and other social and environmental factors.
Evidence shows that there are many societal, economic and environmental factors
which may influence the incidence of arson at both local and national levels. For
example, the impact of the global financial crisis means that we are currently
experiencing a very challenging economic climate, and evidence suggests that the
incidence of some types of deliberate fires may increase as a consequence.
So with such a wide range of personal motivations, associated social, economic and
environmental influencing factors, and differing arson targets, the challenge of
arson can only effectively be met by a broad range of agencies and organisations.
We have already established strong arson reduction foundations in Wales and as
a result of the working practices and partnerships already developed, we are well
positioned to react and respond to change and to sustain successes. We now need
to build upon these foundations, be really clear about what works, and engage a
broader spectrum of stakeholders to support and develop effective arson reduction
activities. This Strategy therefore aims to deliver across Wales an approach to arson
reduction which has 3 key themes:
Prevention of deliberate fires by: working closely with partners and within
communities to help build safer and more cohesive communities; providing
targeted information and advice; educating children and young people; intervening
early when anti-social behaviour begins; providing diversionary activities and
deterring potential offenders.
Protection from deliberate fires by: working closely with partners involved in the
design of buildings; collaborating with those responsible for managing arson
offenders within all stages of the criminal justice system; raising awareness and
providing advice on interventions available to communities; implementing
measures to ‘target harden’ (make buildings more secure) where appropriate.
Response to deliberate fires by: analysing relevant data and ensuring that
appropriate responses have been or will be delivered; working with other agencies
to secure detection leading to a suitable form of justice or intervention.
These themes are inter-woven throughout the six 'Strategic Priority Areas' set out in
the following section.
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Strategic Priority Areas
In setting out an approach for achieving a sustained reduction in the incidence
and impact of arson in Wales, this new strategy identifies 6 key ‘Priorities’, each
with an associated medium-term goal. Work in these 6 areas will collectively
support the delivery of the overarching aim of the Strategy.
All of these priority areas are important, and they allow for a regional application
which recognises local issues, needs and resources.
Priority
Goals
1
Informing our Response
By 2015, arson reduction practitioners
and partner organisations will be more
effectively identifying, recording and
sharing information about the scope
of arson in Wales.
2
Communities and their
Environments
By 2015, our communities and their
environments will be better protected
from the impact of arson and will see
a 15% overall reduction in the total
number of deliberate fires.
3
Children and Young
People
By 2015, fewer children and young
people in Wales will be involved in
arson.
4
Informing Communities
By 2015, people in Wales will have
access to consistent and effective
information about arson to enable
them to make choices and take actions
to reduce its impact upon themselves
and their communities.
5
Protecting People
By 2015, people in Wales will be better
protected from the impact of arson and
they will be able to see a 15% overall
reduction in the total number of
deliberate fires.
6
Evaluation
By 2015, arson reduction practitioners,
partner organisations and funders in
Wales will have a clear understanding
of the effectiveness of arson reduction
measures, and will be directing and
utilising their resources accordingly.
The following section details the framework for achieving annual improvements in
each priority area: the overall success of the Strategy will be measured in terms of
progress towards its 2015 goals.
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Priority 1: Informing our Response
Arson is a community problem and arson reduction is a collective responsibility.
If partners and practitioners are going to tackle this issue effectively they must
ensure that they have access to appropriate and compatible information in order
to deliver the best responses.
The Goal:
By 2015, arson reduction practitioners and partner organisations will be
more effectively identifying, recording and sharing information about
the scope of arson in Wales.
Achieving the Goal:
To achieve this goal we intend to realise year on year improvements in the
following areas:
• The identification of arson ‘Hot Spot’ areas.
• The collection and collation of relevant data in a way that allows the analysis of
arson and deliberate fires, its signal crimes and risk factors.
• The effective sharing of relevant data between partners.
• The effective use of resources.
We need to more fully understand the true scope of deliberate fires in Wales and
to effectively identify and collectively address any emerging problems. For JAG
and its partners, achieving real improvements in these areas will involve:
• Agreeing benchmarks for the collection of expected data by each partner
organisation.
• Working towards the establishment of a common approach to the identification
of hot spots – to be recognised by all partners as representing ‘best practice’ for
Wales.
• Being really clear about any differences between Police and Fire and Rescue
Service statistics, in relation to the recording and reporting of deliberately set fires.
• Understanding how any such differences may affect their own practice and
impact upon the communities that they serve.
• Having systems in place to ensure that these differences do not hinder each
partner’s arson reduction efforts.
• Raising awareness by presenting relevant arson statistics at Community Safety
Partnership meetings.
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Measuring Improvement:
We will use indicators such as the following to measure progress:
• Level of clarity amongst partners about the difference between Police and Fire
and Rescue Service statistics/data.
• Level of understanding amongst partners of how any such differences may
affect their own practice.
• The establishment of a common approach to the identification of ‘hot-spots’.
• The extent to which the collection of data by partners is being undertaken
according to this common approach.
• The ease with which partners can access relevant statistical data and other
associated information.
• The extent to which partners are sharing relevant data.
• The extent to which partners are using statistical data and other associated
information to reduce arson.
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Priority 2: Communities and their
Environments
Arson does not only destroy homes and lives, but also does a huge amount of
damage to the environment around us. Reducing arson helps to protect and
maintain the quality, functionality and ongoing viability of the places where we
live, work, learn and spend our leisure time.
The Goal:
By 2015, our communities and their environments will be better
protected from the impact of arson and will see a 15% overall reduction
in the total number of deliberate fires.
Achieving the Goal:
To achieve this goal we intend to realise a year on year reduction in the impact of
arson in/on the natural, social and built environment. This will involve work in the
following areas:
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Reducing grass and forest fires.
Reducing vehicle arson.
Improving waste management practices.
Reducing opportunities for deliberate fire setting at insecure, void or derelict
buildings.
• Designing out arson at an early stage (using the principles of ‘Secured by
Design’).
• Reducing arson in schools.
• Reducing deliberate non-domestic fires.
For JAG and its partners, achieving real improvements in these areas will involve:
• Identifying good practice in the design and delivery of arson reduction work in
each of these areas, as well as identifying transferable good practice from
elsewhere.
• Engaging actively with all stakeholders to increase their awareness and
understanding of the drivers, motivations and social context of these types of
fire setting.
• Improving access for all stakeholders to information on notable arson
reduction/prevention practice in these areas.
• Working with local partnerships to engage with Local Authorities, Local
Education Authorities, other related agencies and voluntary sector
organisations.
• Working with partnerships and within communities to deliver appropriate,
targeted and effective interventions to prevent deliberate fire setting in each of
these areas.
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WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO REDUCE ARSON
• Developing and reviewing a range of ‘toolkits’ based on recognised good
practice, to support practitioners and partnerships working to reduce deliberate
fire setting in each of these areas.
• Raising awareness and, where necessary, changing attitudes within
communities towards these types of deliberate fire setting.
• Committing to evaluating the effectiveness of initiatives and interventions with
partners.
• Liaising with key organisations and bodies, such as Countryside Commission for
Wales, Welsh Wildfire Enforcement Working Group, Forestry Commission Wales,
and Environment Agency Wales.
• Working with partner organisations to take positive action to address insecure,
void and derelict buildings which present a risk to both the community and to
the Fire and Rescue Service.
• Encouraging the ethos of ‘Secured by Design’ in the development of new
buildings, for example through liaison with Local Authorities.
• Ensuring that identified key members within Local Education Authorities, school
staff and school governors are aware of the role that they can take in reducing
arson on school premises.
• Participating in the work of Community Safety Partnerships and supporting
other multi agency initiatives to reduce and prevent anti-social behaviour.
Measuring Improvement:
We will use the following indicators to measure progress:
• Number of deliberately set grass fires and wildfires.
• Number of investigations and prosecutions associated with the act of deliberate
grass fire setting.
• Number of incidents of vehicle crime and vehicle arson.
• Number of deliberate vehicle fires.
• Number of deliberately set fires involving waste or litter.
• Number of deliberate fires and incidents of anti-social behaviour in relation to
void and derelict buildings.
• Percentage of new buildings that are designed, planned and built in accordance
with the principles of ‘Secured by Design’.
• Number of incidents of arson in schools.
• Number of incidents of non-domestic fires.
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Priority 3: Children and Young People
Children and young people become involved in arson for many different reasons.
In order to change this, practitioners and partners need to engage with them in
order to understand their motivation and to intervene in ways which support
positive and lasting change.
The Goal:
By 2015, fewer children and young people in Wales will be involved
in arson.
Achieving the Goal:
To achieve this goal we intend to realise year on year improvements in the
effectiveness of engagement and intervention activity with children and young
people. This will involve work in the following areas:
• Producing a clear picture of the extent to which children and young people are
involved in deliberate fire setting.
• Identifying and disseminating good practice in working with children and
young people.
• Developing and delivering effective programmes and interventions to prevent
children and young people becoming involved in fire-setting, and to prevent
re-offending by those who already have.
For JAG and its partners, achieving real improvements in these areas will involve:
• Collecting, collating and sharing data and research in this area.
• Providing guidance about relevant programmes and interventions, to include
details of any evaluations undertaken and examples of ‘best practice’.
• Working with families, schools and partner agencies to deliver programmes and
interventions for children and young people who are displaying signs of fire
crime or fire setting.
• Identifying at the earliest opportunity those children and young people who
have been, or who are at risk of becoming involved in fire crime, fire setting and
associated anti-social behaviour.
• Ensuring that interventions are appropriately tailored for the children and
young people identified (for example, in relation to age, ethnicity, or ability).
• Targeting expertise and resources towards those children and young people at
most risk or most in need of preventative intervention, and ensuring that others
are referred to the most appropriate agency.
• Offering children and young people training and initiatives which improve life
skills and divert them from fire crime and associated anti-social behaviour.
• Participating in the work of Community Safety Partnerships and other initiatives
to tackle youth crime and associated anti-social behaviour.
• Supporting the delivery of the specific referenced objectives within the Youth
Offending Strategy.
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WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO REDUCE ARSON
Measuring Improvement:
We will use indicators such as the following to measure progress:
• The number of deliberate fires started by children and young people.
• Awareness and understanding amongst partners and agencies of the extent to
which children and young people are involved in deliberate fire setting.
• Awareness and understanding amongst key agencies, organisations and
communities of the various evaluated programmes and interventions available
for children and young people.
• The ease with which partners can access relevant information, including
programmes and interventions, in working with children and young people in
this area.
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Priority 4: Informing Communities
Arson remains a high priority for Wales, and so the people of Wales need to be
properly informed about it in ways which are appropriate and useful to them:
this will involve using a range of communication methods to reach as broad and
diverse an audience as possible.
The Goal:
By 2015, people in Wales will have access to consistent and effective information about arson to enable them to make choices and take actions
to reduce its impact upon themselves and their communities.
Achieving the Goal:
To achieve this goal we intend to realise year on year improvements in the
consistency and collaborative delivery of arson information and education.
For JAG and its partners, achieving real improvements in this area will involve:
• Increasing the focus on arson at a local level through the Community Safety
Partnerships, and encouraging and supporting their use of best practice.
• Increasing the consistency of arson related information messages and practices
as delivered by the Fire and Rescue Services, Police and other agencies across
Wales.
• Increasing collaboration between key partners in the development and delivery
of resources and programmes to raise awareness and educate people about
arson.
• Increasing public awareness of arson and the preventative measures in place to
reduce the risks to individuals and communities.
• Working to develop consistent, effective and centrally coordinated national
messages and campaigns to prevent arson attacks or improve the detection of
such attacks.
• Ensuring closer links between JAG and the Welsh Fire and Rescue Service
Corporate Communications teams.
• Engaging with communities, particularly those with an identified higher risk,
to raise awareness of the extent, risks and costs of deliberate fire setting locally.
• Engaging with communities to equip them with knowledge and information
that enables them to improve their own safety.
• Engaging with communities, particularly those with an identified higher risk, to
inform about and, where possible to collaborate in the delivery of, programmes
and interventions to reduce deliberate fire setting locally.
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WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP TO REDUCE ARSON
Measuring Improvement:
We will use indicators such as the following to measure progress:
• Public / community level awareness and understanding of the extent, risks and
costs of deliberate fire setting to their community.
• Levels of engagement with and awareness and understanding amongst those
who may be harder to reach with conventional information and education
delivery methods, for example NEETS (Not in Education, Employment or
Training).
• Community perceptions and attitudes towards different types of deliberate fire
setting experienced locally.
• Levels of consistency of messages, public information and campaigns being
delivered across Wales.
• Levels of collaboration between key partners across Wales in the development
and delivery of information and education about the extent, costs and
reduction of deliberate fire setting.
• Levels of community involvement in reducing the impact of arson in their local
areas.
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Priority 5: Protecting People
Arson causes injuries and costs lives, and the threat of arson can cause huge
psychological suffering. Minimising the damage that arson does to people is of
paramount importance.
The Goal:
By 2015, people in Wales will be better protected from the impact of
arson and they will be able to see a 15% overall reduction in the total
number of deliberate fires.
Achieving the Goal:
To achieve this goal we intend to realise a year on year reduction of the impact of
arson to/on the people of Wales by working in the following areas:
• Improving attendance and participation of fire and rescue/arson reduction
practitioners in processes such as Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements
(MAPPA), Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARAC), and developing
anti-social behaviour (ASB) risk assessment processes.
• Increasing levels of engagement with offenders and ex-offenders involved in
deliberate fire setting.
• Reducing arson related re-offending or the likelihood of offending by those at
risk in the community.
• Raising the awareness of interventions that the Fire and Rescue Services can
provide.
• Assisting with the delivery of the objectives contained within the Youth
Offending Strategy.
For JAG and its partners, achieving real improvements in these areas will involve:
• Continuing collaboration with key partners to deliver and further develop
interventions for those individuals and groups at a higher risk from acts of fire
setting in the community.
• Continuing collaboration with key partners to deliver and further develop
interventions for identified areas at risk from acts of fire setting.
• Working with offenders and ex-offenders involved in deliberate fire setting to
educate them as to the risks they take and pose, and to positively influence their
subsequent behaviour.
• Identifying those likely to set deliberate fires by continuing and extending work
with partners such as Police, Probation Services and Youth Offending Services,
and providing interventions to the same.
• Working with partners to raise the awareness of those working within the
Criminal Justice system of the range of intervention programmes that the FRSs
and their partners can provide.
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• Continuing collaboration with key partners and within communities to raise
public knowledge and awareness of both the risk to arson attack faced by
particular individuals and communities, as well as the preventative measures
available to address this.
• Multi and specialist agency working to identify and reduce those arson attacks
associated with ‘hate crime’.
Measuring Improvement:
We will use indicators such as the following to measure progress:
• Numbers/incidence of arson against dwellings.
• Numbers of casualties (fatal and non-fatal) due to dwelling arson.
• Level of FRS/arson reduction practitioner involvement in MAPPA, MARAC and
developing anti-social behaviour risk assessment processes.
• Levels of arson attacks associated with ‘hate crime’.
• Levels of arson reoffending.
• Levels of awareness and understanding within communities about the extent
and consequences of deliberate fire setting.
• Levels of awareness and understanding of those working within the Criminal
Justice system of the range of intervention programmes that the FRSs and their
partners can provide.
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Priority 6: Evaluation
Arson is a particularly difficult crime to combat, relatively little is known about
perpetrators, and their actions may have widely differing motivations. It is obvious
that a wide range of responses is therefore required and, in the current economic
climate, knowing which responses ‘work best’ has never been more critical.
The Goal:
By 2015, arson reduction practitioners, partner organisations and
funders in Wales will have a clear understanding of the effectiveness
of arson reduction measures, and will be directing and utilising their
resources accordingly.
Achieving the Goal:
To achieve this goal we intend to realise year on year improvements in the
systematic application of appropriate evaluation techniques. To ensure that both
measurement and evaluation are carried out within an ‘outcome’ focused
framework we will establish a ‘Results (Outcomes) Based Accountability’ (‘RBA’)
approach to arson reduction work in Wales. Initially this approach will be used in
agreeing and tracking indicators to measure progress against our strategic goals.
It will also entail the wider understanding of desired community outcomes and of
operational effectiveness in achieving these across Wales.
For JAG and its partners, achieving real improvements in this area will involve:
• Encouraging a culture that is committed to achieving results (or ‘outcomes’) and
recognises the importance and value of involving communities/stakeholders in
achieving these.
• Working with stakeholders to agree the outcomes that specific projects,
interventions and initiatives need to bring about, in order to be deemed an
‘effective’ use of resources.
• Ensuring that partners and stakeholders understand the distinction between
‘population accountability’ and ‘performance’ (or ‘service’) accountability
so that mutual acceptance and appropriate responsibility are achieved.
• Developing agreed common approaches to evaluation, to include clear
direction on what we need to measure, why, and to what end.
• Ensuring that partners and stakeholders have a clear understanding of how and
when to evaluate, including the value of using ‘soft’ as well as ‘hard’ outcomes
and related indicators.
• Supporting the effective use of RBA principles and tools through the provision
of information and training.
• Supporting effective evaluation through the development and provision of
evaluation ‘toolkits’.
• Promoting the benefits of evidence-led practice in the field of arson reduction
work and the value of exploring transferable good practice from other fields.
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• Encouraging a ‘culture of evaluation’ amongst all those involved in funding and
delivering arson reduction work.
• Sharing ‘good practice’ as evidenced by evaluation, amongst practitioners,
partners and other key stakeholders.
Measuring Improvement:
We will use indicators such as the following to measure progress:
• Levels of awareness and understanding amongst partners, practitioners and key
stakeholders of the concept, key features and benefits of Results Based
Accountability (RBA).
• Effective use/application of RBA ‘tools’ e.g. the ‘Turning the Curve’ process to
identify actions for improving results, compared to projected trends/baselines.
• Presence and effective use/application of arson reduction evaluation toolkits
across Wales.
• Levels of awareness and understanding amongst practitioners and key
stakeholders of the importance of evaluation and evaluation techniques.
• The extent to which evaluated programmes and interventions are being used
to reduce deliberate fire setting across Wales.
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