Juvenile Firesetter Interventions

Juvenile firesetting is defined as any behavior involving fire, direct or indirect, that lacks adult supervision. The importance of performing juvenile firesetting assessments and interventions cannot be overstated; it poses a threat to life, including the risk of significant burn injury to children, innocent bystanders, family, friends, neighbors, and firefighters. With so much at stake, it is imperative that marriage, family, and couples counselors include juvenile firesetting in their initial intake, screening, and assessment practices. This entry describes the motivations for juvenile firesetting; understanding these motivations is a prerequisite to providing effective therapeutic treatment in counseling. Additional factors such as treatment options and community partnerships are also discussed in this entry. Included in the following section is a basic outline of responsible treatment approaches for ...