juvenile firesetter question

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Brett Hartwig

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for the firefighters out there. I am a Juvenile Firesetter specialist for my department. On Monday I will be talking to a 14 y.o. boy who started a fire at the local Super 8 hotel, virtually destroying it and putting the business owner out of business for almost a year. I want to have the kid do an essay as part of his probation, maybe 1000 words or so. Question- what should the topic be? Dangers of fire, how it affects business owners, etc.? Want a specific topic for him to write about. thanks for the help
 
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How about " how would I feel if some one burnt down my house"



Unless the kid is a foster kid or homeless...



Todd Z
 
Perhaps, how would he feel, if he killed someone... or how he would deal with life as he knows it and how its going to change, if he did kill someone and what steps he could or would take to help the family out for something he caused. how he would think his life would end up if something happened worse than just the fire.
 
I second what lasik1 said, let him talk with some burn victims and write about it.
 
How about "How my actions affected the lives of others". Encourage him to not just talk about the business owner but also his family, the fire fighters who had to put out the fire and the other people staying at the hotel. Really try and get him to think about the big picture.
 
awesome answers, how do I choose. Do you think 1000 words is enough to make a point? I referred to some of my shorter papers for college and they were like 2000 words. I would like to make it 10,000 words but know I can't be unrealistic.
 
I, for one, think essays are a waste of time when forced upon someone.



Take him to the burn clinic, tour a jail, and do 200hrs community service.
 
I am a fireman here in Indiana. I agree with lasik1 and Olaf about the burn victums. But do you really believe it will sink in with him? Have you taken him to the site (if possible)? We had a similar instance here in Evansville. We took the boys (about the same age) to all the "fires"...house, business, etc. When there was injury involved or worse, I believe it sunk in. Then we actually lit some "pan" fires and told them (wihout training) to put out the fire. They had to endure the heat and we made sure it would be hard to put out. We kept them going (without trying to hurt them) in with fire ext. to put the pan fire out.

Now, I am sure they learned their lesson, because this was a court order that lasted three months. 1000 word essy would have been great if the judge had thought about it. If you have any questions, email me @ [email protected] :D
 
I think the essay thing is a good idea.



However, it MUST be something he MUST do research on. Not his feelings, thoughts or otherwise.



For example, the burn unit thing. He needs to speak to them and get info from them and or their families.



Or from the business owner of the Hotel he burnt. What did it cost the owner, not just fiscally, but as a result of the fire how it affected his family and their well being during these times.
 
Rather than a written essay, how about an oral presentation at a community group setting with victims of arson, homeless due to fire, or other such setting? 1000 written words really don't mean anything. An oral presentation, say 10, 15, 20 minutes will make an impression on all involved and possibly stay within the young juveniles mind for a long, long time.
 
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To build on what Lasik1 suggested. I would simply have the kid visit a burn unit at a hospital and then write a 1000 word essay on what he has seen there and how burns affect peoples lives.



Make him think on what to say and by not giving him a topic to write about, but make him think of something to think of.





Tom
 
I am a former firefighter turned cop. There are some great suggestions here. An essay may do nothing for him, however it could be as effective as other measures it all depends on his attitude, I would include it as part of his probation. I think a factor in making the decision would be why he started the fire if this is something you know if he has stated a reason. Was it because he is facinated with fire, does he have mental health issues, was it out of anger, accident (playing with a small fire that got out of control) did he intend to burn the hotel, did her intend to do damage or injury. That is what is going to determine the focus of your whole program. I think the best essay would be one that focuses on all aspects of the results of the fire, the bad things that happened and the bad things that could have happened. Have him write about all the things that could have happened like people killed not just people in general but specifics (babies, firefighters etc) and the damage to the lives of the owners family and all the workers families. A visit to a burn unit and/or talking with burns victims would be good under most circumstances. You have your work cut out for you, good luck.
 
Taking him to a burn unit sounds good to me. Be sure to have him stick around for the "debrading" procedure where they scrape off the scabs(not sure they still do that)
 
I'm not sure what good an essay will do. I say this because most emotionally disturbed children (and yes, anyone who sets fires like this is emotionally disturbed) has issues expressing themselves. If they could write an introspective, thought provoking, 1000 word essay on a subject, then chances are the wouldn't need to set fires and do other such destructive things in an attempt to find a voice, to express themselves which is typically what they are doing when such manifestations become destructive.



Yeah, I know that it sounds like psycho-babble, and maybe the kids needs that stiff boot up the arse, but...



...I agree with several others. The best way to have this kid see the reality of what his actions have done and could have done is to force him to volunteer at a burn unit.



I was a first responder to a car accident with fire and watched a former classmate of mine die from burn injuries. He was looking right into my eyes telling me to tell his mother he was "sorry" (the accident wasn't his fault).



The problem with being a kid is that you often don't think things through. Yes, it's easy for us who think we are good parents and have good kids to say that this kid just needs a good "fear of God" beating...but whatever is wrong and went wrong in his life probably has happened years ago, and for several years, and it's going to take a lot to right this kid now...



TJR
 

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