Customer Reviews

Understanding the Arsonist

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This very important book addresses the complex and significant issues surrounding the act of arson. The book is comprehensive in exploring targeted assessment, issues related to personality structure and dynamics of intrapsychic pathology, but manages to provide the information in a brisk and reader friendly format. The book additionally includes a review of historical underpinnings related to arson and confronts the many myths, stereotypes and misconceptions that have long accompanied firesetting. Dr. Williams book will be a welcome reference to criminologists, police, forensic nurses, social workers, psychologists and frontline healthcare professionals who may encounter these clients in a variety of settings.

This volume by Dr. Williams thoroughly fills a gap in the literature regarding what makes an arsonist "tick." Most texts dealing with arson and arsonists have chapters on the characteristics and traits of arsonists, but are outdated, lack currency, ignore recent research, and rely on folklore. Dr. Williams book gives fresh insite, is easily read, understood, and brings a clarity to arsonists' motives, the psychopathic personality, and other factors that no other text has achieved. It is especially useful to the fire/arson investigator, subject matter researchers, and mental health professionals working in this field.

I feel the book is required reading for anyone working with individuals with fire setting backgrounds. Moreover, it is very useful for those working with at-risk populations of all sorts, given the connection between this and other dangerous behaviors. This is responsible, clinical research written in a straightforward and accesible manner.