Australia’s national research and knowledge centre on crime and justice Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice Foreword | Arson homicides are rare, representing only two percent of all homicides in Australia each year. In this study, data was collected from the AIC’s National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) to build on previous research undertaken into arson-associated homicides (Davies & Mouzos 2007) and to provide more detailed analysis of cases and offenders. Over the period 1989 to 2010, there were 123 incidents of arson-associated homicide, involving 170 unique victims and 131 offenders. The majority of incidents (63%) occurred in the victim’s home and more than half (57%) of all victims were male. It was found that there has been a 44 percent increase in the number of incidents in the past decade. It is evident that a considerable proportion of the identiied arson homicides involved a high degree of premeditation and planning. These homicides were commonly committed by an offender who was well known to the victim, with over half of the victims (56%) speciically targeted by the offender. This paper therefore provides a valuable insight into the nature of arson homicides and signposts areas for further investigation. Adam Tomison Director Arson-associated homicide in Australia: A five year follow-up Claire Ferguson, Rebekah Doley, Bruce Watt, Mathew Lyneham and Jason Payne Setting ire at a crime scene, either before or after another offence, has the potential to destroy evidence and increase the likelihood of the crime remaining unsolved. When deliberately lit ires are used as a weapon in violent crimes, they have the potential to cause signiicant damage and to injure or kill victims, including unintended victims. The associated danger to the public from iresetting is much greater than if a more controllable criminal tool is used by the offender. Despite the development of several theories of adult iresetting behaviour (Canter & Fritzon 1998; Dickens & Sugarman 2012; Doley et al. 2011; Fritzon 2012; Gannon & Pina 2010; Gannon et al. 2012), the topic of ire-setting as it relates to fatal ires or homicide has been the focus of little empirical investigation. This is surprising given that iresetters are often depicted in the literature as individuals with serious and versatile antisocial behaviours, and with offending histories that can run the gamut from minor property to serious violent offences (Doley et al. 2011; Jayaraman & Frazer 2006; Muller 2009; O’Sullivan & Kelleher 1987; Soothill, Ackerley & Francis 2004). These indings support the importance of studying the relationship between deliberate iresetting and other serious crime types such as homicide. A ire may be maliciously set for reasons unrelated to homicide yet subsequently lead to death, as was seen in the Black Saturday bushires in Victoria in 2009. Conversely, ire may be set to a building, or person, with the sole purpose of causing a death. A building or person may also be set alight after a homicide has occurred, in an attempt by the iresetter to prevent identiication or delay discovery of the deceased, to stage the crime scene, or destroy evidence. Regardless of the speciic intention, ire is a unique and powerful tool with the potential to hamper homicide investigations (Davies & Mouzos 2007; Drake & Block 2003; Sapp & Huff 1994). There is also some evidence to suggest that its use in association with homicide is increasing in Australia (Davies & Mouzos 2007), making it necessary to study in greater detail arson-associated homicide incidents and the offenders who perpetrate them. No. 484 July 2015