Projects

Initiative Strucutre

The work at the Initiative is divided into three streams:

1. Stream 1: Prevention programs: Facilitate the establishment of effective community prevention programs in the major bushfire risk areas.
2. Stream 2: Intervention and treatment: Develop best-practice assessment and treatment guidelines for arsonists in community-based and institutional settings that will reduce their risk of recidivistic fire-setting.
3. Stream 3: Legal response: Facilitate a review of the legal process to identify how the legal response to the crime of arson could be improved.

Current projects associated with the Initiative

• Development and evaluation of a bushfire arson prevention information poster targeted towards youth. Dr Janet Stanely (MSI) and Peter Sprott (Crime Stoppers) 
• Review of risk factors for recidivistic firesetting in adults and juveniles. Dr Rebekah Doley (Bond University) & Professor Mairead Dolan (CFBS and the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health - Forensicare).
• Review of current treatment and best-practice management of adult arsonists and juveniles who engage in firesetting. Dr Katarina Fritzon & Dr Rebekah Doley (Bond University).
• Review of current theoretical explanations for firesetting (with specific reference to bushfire arson). Dr Troy McEwan (CFBS and the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health - Forensicare).
• A comparative study of the Australian and international legislative responses to bushfire arson. Dr Gaye Lansdell (Law Faculty,Monash University)

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