FA-149, The National Juvenielle Firesetter/Arson Control and Prevention Program* The National Juvenile Firesetter/ Arson Control and Prevention Program / Trainer's Guide The National Juvenile Firesetter/Arson Control and Prevention Program Trainer's Guide July 1993 Note: This material was prepared by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) under contract to the Institute for Social Analysis as part of the PERF commitment under the OJJDP-USFA National Juvenile Firesetter/ Arson Control and Prevention Program (87-JS-CX-K104). Points of view or opin-ions stated in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, or the U. S. Fire Administration. 2 Contents Introduction Part I: How Trainers Can Use and Modify The Model Curriculum Part II: The Juvenile Firesetter/ Arson Control and Prevention Program Curriculum Appendix A: Additional Resource Materials Appendix B: Effective Preparation and Delivery of Presentations Appendix C: Sample Workshop Evaluation Instrument Appendix D: Case Studies 3 Introduction This Trainer's Guide is designed to be used with The Juvenile Firesetter/ Arson Control and Prevention Program Guidelines for Implementation. These materials were produced as part of a two-year developmental initiative designed to assess, develop, test, and disseminate information on promising approaches for the control and prevention of juvenile firesetting and arson. The Guidelines for Implementation outlines specific strategies for program management, screening and evaluation, intervention services, referral mechanisms, publicity and outreach, monitoring systems, and developing relationships with the justice system. It also provides resource materials gathered from many juvenile firesetter programs. The Trainer's Guide describes how to use the information in Guidelines for Implementation, as well as other resources, to develop a comprehensive juvenile firesetter prevention training workshop for the various agency professionals who work with juvenile firesetters. The Trainer's Guide includes a detailed curriculum for the training program and provides strategies for modifying the curriculum to meet specific needs, selecting instructors, selecting participants, and using instructional materials. 4 How Trainers Can Use and Modify This Curriculum A. Introduction Firesetting by juveniles is a very serious national problem. Recent statistics reported by the FBI indicate that close to half of all arson arrestees are juveniles. We also know that many juveniles-especially the younger ones-are not arrested for their firesetting acts but are handled in other ways by juvenile justice and mental health organizations. As a result, the real incidence of juvenile firestarts is surely in excess of the number suggested by the FBI arrest figures. The process by which juvenile firesetters are dealt with varies from one community to the next, and involves a diverse mixture of professionals, paraprofessionals, and volunteers. Not long ago, it was the firefighter or arson investigator who functioned as the "first responder" to this unique problem. More recently, the range of specialized disciplines has grown to include diagnostic personnel, psychologists and psychiatrists, ju-venile justice officials, and probation officers. Regardless of the length of the list of professionals available to contribute to a juvenile firesetter program in a community, each process begins with a "needs analysis" to determine the kind of expert attention juvenile firesetters may need. In many communities, limited resources may result in a wide range of services being provided by fire service professionals while other services may not be provided at all. In other more developed programs, the fire service professional provides assessment and education, and, when more extensive services are needed, can refer the firesetter to the appropriate agency (mental health, juvenile justice, etc.) The scope and quality of services, together with the experts who provide them in a jurisdiction, form the basic ingredients that are available as components of each program. Some jurisdictions will have all of the ingredients in the form of multi-agency and professional commitment to the program; others may have to strain just to come up with the resources to interview the firesetters in their jurisdiction. In general, those who develop firesetter intervention programs are dependent on mental health, fire service, and juvenile justice experts who are readily accessible in the community - and willing to become involved in the program. In general, there are a limited number of new programmatic ingredients available in a community that can go into its firesetter intervention program. A primary resource, often overlooked because of its simplicity, is coordination. Coordination involves not the creation of new resources but the bringing together of existing ones into a unified firesetter intervention program. Many equal partners from public agencies and private disciplines must be brought together in order to bring about enough coordination so that the firesetter program meets the needs of its diverse clientele. At first, it may seem like a difficult task to make the different professionals aware of their essential roles, while still acknowledging their professional or organizational autonomy. Something other than organizational authority is needed to knit the various disciplines together. A logical first step is to heighten the sensitivity of the diverse professionals through an educational program, which here is discussed as a comprehensive training exercise. This training experience can serve many purposes, all of which 5 address the need to approach the issue of coordination informally through a spirit of cooperation and a process of continuing communication. In addition, the training exercise can serve as a springboard to identify processes by which different disciplines and agencies can interact more effectively, based on application of those principles in other "model" firesetter intervention programs. This guide addresses the educational requirements that form the foundation of a comprehensive firesetter program. The guide covers the question of how to set into motion each of the components in a unified manner, so that after training, the requisite services are performed by individuals with an idea of how to work together better and more productively than before. In order to speak to the broadest possible audience, the guide is written for personnel who either function full-time as trainers or who will, as one of their many tasks, oversee the development of a firesetter training program in their agency or professional organization. Firesetter intervention programs involve specialized and diverse disciplines. In one community, for example, diagnostic and treatment services may be provided by two specialists; in another, by a single generalist covering more than one base. Therefore, the guide focuses on dis-cussing what should be done and why, without specifying which specialist, or what agency, should be responsible for providing each service or fulfilling each function. The guide is intended as a blueprint for building a training program around a coordinated juvenile firesetter intervention program, piece by piece, and then presenting it to an audience of specialists or generalists. The curriculum guide presents a process that unites the responsibilities of the fire service with those of law enforcement, juvenile justice, and mental health agencies and professionals. Local needs for juvenile firesetter programs will vary from one community to another, as will resources that are available for conducting the training and for augmenting the local firesetting program. Therefore, this basic curriculum may require some paring and modification when it is used as a basis for local training. A major challenge is to retain as much of the core program as possible while realizing that time, instructional resources, and other constraints may result in paring more of the program than its sponsors might prefer, In order to help trainers organize and deliver this instructional program, this curriculum guide covers the central issues on how to modify and condense the training, as well as finding instructional resources to fully round out the training program. 6 B. Adapting the Curriculum to Meet Specific Needs 1 This curriculum is designed to orient fire service, law enforcement, juvenile justice, and mental health personnel to the requirements of interacting with juvenile firesetters and their immediate families in a coordinated manner. This program begins by stressing the interdependence of the fire service, law enforcement, juvenile justice, and mental health disciplines on the firesetting issue, and maintains that emphasis throughout. Because of this focus, the curriculum is best suited to instructional settings which utilize "process oriented" training; that is, an instructional approach in which the coordination of the interactions and relationships between and among professional experts is as important as the technical substance of the firesetting issue. Personnel in specialized assignments will probably find some topics in this curriculum more germane to their work than others. Agency sponsors should try to develop a sensitivity to the issue of the relevance of the curriculum to all members of the audience. In order to adapt the curriculum to the needs of personnel with highly specialized functions (e. g., psychiatrists, juvenile probation officers, or administrators of custodial treatment programs), sponsors might poll the participants when they are invited or as soon as they confirm their attendance. General questions could include the reasons for attending the proceeding, their expectations for skill development, and in general, what they hope to gain from attendance. If the sponsoring agency has the time, its personnel might administer a structured questionnaire. However, friendly telephone calls can accomplish the same objective, and offer the advantage of personal communication with a potential participant who may not have made up his or her mind about signing up for the proceeding. Another way to speak to the needs of specialized personnel is to include reading material or provide advanced or highly technical bibliographic references on the range of issues that the trainees notify the sponsor are prominent issues of concern to them. One way to modify the curriculum for a particular group is to plan early to select instructors most directly suited to the needs of that distinct group. Special breakout sessions or workshops can be added for this purposes. C. Finding, Recruiting and Orienting Instructors Finding instructors who are qualified to address each of the juvenile firesetting curriculum topics can be a difficult task. One of the best ways to match instructors with training needs is to begin by listing several candidates. Then, jointly with someone who is either working on development of the course or engaged directly in juvenile firesetter treatment or counseling, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate. Always remember that it is important to select instructors on the basis of explicit criteria-including reputation as a speaker and ability to deliver technical information in a manner that is understandable to non-specialists in the audience. Above all, it is essential to review the backgrounds of instructors as communicators of knowledge, as well as their records as investigators, therapists, etc. 1 For background reading on developing a curriculum through refining educational and training objectives, see Robert F. Mager, Preparing Instructional Objectives, 2nd ed. (Belmont, California: Feardon Publishers, 1975). Development of a training program that addresses a somewhat related problem is covered in Model Curriculum and Trainer's Guide: The Detection and Investigation of Arson- for-Profit by Clifford L. Karchmer, (Washington, D. C.: National Technical Information Service, 1981). Available from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Springfield, VA 22161; Accession No. PB82-140682; $17.00 (paper) 7 Programs should consider inviting a local official (e. g. Fire Chief, Public Safety Director, or State Fire Marshal) or local expert (clinical psychologist, juvenile court judge) to speak at the training workshop. Such speakers can add appeal to the seminar by providing specific information about the jurisdiction's juvenile firesetter problem. Key officials, such as the heads of agencies can also add credibility to the program and the training seminar by pledging their support in a keynote address. Some people who make the rounds of lecture circuits are popular because they have developed reputations as colorful speakers, capable of raising interest and bringing people from different agencies or disciplines together around a common purpose. However, although exciting presentations can be important, some of those types of lectures can be seriously devoid of technical content. One way to anticipate this situation is to look for an exciting speaker with a persuasive style and message, and place that person early in the program or for a featured luncheon address. Once the stage is set with that "cooperation" and "coordination" message, the program can get on with the real business of training, and begin to unfold the technical knowledge that participants will need once the program is over. Regardless of whether instructors will be paid or volunteer their services, it is essential to set forth for them a clear, concise statement that covers exactly what you want them to cover in their presentation. This is not a minor issue, because instructors with busy schedules often have little time to prepare new material, and without prompting of some sort by the sponsoring agency, may end up delivering a standard lecture that misses your course objective. One way to approach this matter is to communicate what you want the speaker to discuss as clearly and with as much detail as possible-summarize what you want covered in one paragraph in a letter of invitation or confirmation. It is also immensely helpful to each speaker to receive summaries of what all the other speakers will cover. This is usually done in order to avoid duplication and enable each speaker to think of ways of reinforcing the material that other speakers will be covering. Conscientious instructors usually appreciate efforts to help them structure their presentations. For one thing, a well-received lecture will enhance the reputation of the speaker in his or her professional sphere. However busy such speakers may be, they usually find the time to prepare for a course if they understand what is expected of them. If instructors work under a contractual arrangement or some type, it should be possible (and is certainly advisable) to include a contract provi-sion that covers both expected preparation and prior mutual agreement on subject matter. Many training programs pay instructors for a day of preparation. If the agency's training budget can support these provisions, it is a worthwhile investment of time and money. In many locations, local fire service agencies and mental health organizations have sponsored programs on arson issues, ranging from cause and origin determination to arson fraud and juvenile firesetting intervention. Key organizations to touch base with initially are the state and local chapters of the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) and the county mental health association. Local offices and chapters can often provide information on experts who may be able to serve as program developers and instructors. D. Selecting Participants Whether your juvenile firesetter training course maintains a selective admission policy depends upon local conditions of interest, personnel availability, funding, and time. Assuming that it will be possible to select a short list of participants from a longer list of applicants, Table 1 presents some criteria to consider. 8 Table 1: Participant Selection Criteria Criterion Decision Length of involvement in juvenile firesetter prevention Novice personnel may be the ideal audience you are seeking, or may be too new to be able to appreciate the material. Prior relevant training Students may have attended other courses as basic or advanced as the one you are planning, and therefore may derive little or no benefit. Degree and type of specialization Some specialist may have little if anything in common with the other participants. Their jobs may be so special-ized that parts of the seminar may not apply to their work and may be uninteresting to them. In many cases, participants who are more contrary viewpoints as well. Others believe that it is advanced than the majority of the other attendees should still be encouraged to attend. They may be very helpful to the sponsor for several important reasons. First, they may serve as competent evaluators of the course for the sponsor, in the event that the sponsoring agency wants to conduct repeat training sessions. Because of their experience, these participants are often good judges of the value of each instructional segment for less experienced participants. Second, they can make use of their peer status with other participants to assist the less experienced attendees in absorbing the course material-both formally in class and informally at meals and during free time. Finally, they can also act as effective teachers or contributors to the seminar, providing detailed information on how their agencies handle juvenile firesetters. There are many viewpoints on ways to divide course attendees into workshop or discussion groups. Some educational experts maintain that it is more helpful to "track" attendees by placing into each workshop those participants with similar terms of service or specialized duties. Attendees who are separated by their level of familiarity with juvenile firesetters may be more able to discuss problems at their respective levels of familiarity and in terms of shared mutual concerns. In all fairness, there are best to mix participants together in order to avoid segregating the attendees from each other, and from valuable interaction. A multi-disciplinary audience is recommended if the goal is sharing information from a variety of agencies and promote interagency cooperation. As a compromise, one might consider having some workshops and discussion groups consisting of a mix of all types of participants, and others made up of participants who are assigned according to their specialties (e. g., police with pros-ecutors, or psychologists with psychiatrists). Whatever method of workshop organization is chosen, it is important to be guided by a thorough assessment of the backgrounds and needs of the participant body. Clearly, concerns about workshop assignments in a seminar for arson unit chiefs and supervisors are very different from those involved in training investigators and prosecutors. As a rule of thumb, it helps early on to develop profile of course participants that covers their backgrounds, specialties, experience levels, and perhaps other factors (e. g. geography) that are salient to each group of participants. One option to consider is to aim each course at the largest number of specific types of professionals attending. Then, time can be set aside to address the needs of special groups (e. g., novices, advanced, and/ or highly specialized participants) . 9 E. Obtaining Instructional Materials Much of the instructional material needed for the training can be found in the prototype program produced for this OJJDP-USFA project: National Juvenile Firesetter/ Arson Control Prevention Program: Guidelines for Implementation and the User's Guide that accompanies those volumes. In particular, the Guidelines contains substantial information on the development of firesetter intervention programs, and is organized from program management, through the processes of screening, evaluation and intervention services, to relationships with the juvenile justice system. Also included are "hands-on" materials that instructors can use as examples when presenting various elements of the juvenile firesetter program. In addition, federal agencies that conduct training programs and develop their own material on this subject should be contacted. Those agencies include the U. S. Fire Administration, as well as local and state agencies that have either received USFA or Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) juvenile firesetting funding--or have developed materials under their own juvenile firesetter programs. A compendium of fairly recent material that has been produced by or under the National Juvenile Firesetter/ Arson Control and Prevention Program, or earlier by the U. S. Fire Administration, is attached as Appendix B. Several of the resources noted in the compendium contain detailed bibliographies of instructional and clinical literature that may be suitable for certain training programs rather than others-again, determined by the needs of each audience. Materials published in government reports include earlier studies supported by the U. S. Fire Administration, LEAA, or Bureau of Justice As-sistance, and complied by organizations such as the Institute for Social Analysis, Battelle Institute, or the National Firehawk Foundation. Most of the materials are not protected by copyright but are so-called public domain documents, having been produced as a result of government sponsored research and demonstration activities. Such materials can usually be obtained easily from the issuing organization or reproduced inexpensively. There is also a wealth of other material that is protected by copyright. Copyright permission can often be obtained from the copyright holders; usually in a routine manner from technical journals that do not expect to earn royalties from non-profit organizations or government agencies. Often, a simple letter of request is enough to obtain the required copyright permission. Be sure to note that the proceeding is for public agency personnel, or otherwise is a non-profit undertaking. In view of federal copyright laws that carry severe penalties, this is a very important issue to be addressed in preparing materials for training programs. The curriculum which follows provides a model for agencies to follow in conducting training on the prevention and control of juvenile tiresetting. As noted in the introduction at the beginning of the curriculum, the curriculum follows the organization of the two volume prototype and User's Guide and covers each of the seven components described in those materials. Agencies who are unfamiliar with conducting training can use this model curriculum as a guide for developing their own training workshops. Agencies familiar with providing juvenile firesetting prevention training can use the information to supplement existing training programs. 10 Model Curriculum Communities wanting to establish and maintain a Juvenile Firesetter/ Arson Control and Prevention Program (JFACPP) will have to provide participating agencies and personnel with adequate training and skills to perform their various functions. The following curriculum contains materials designed to train the many profession-als who are likely to work with juvenile firesetters. This curriculum is organized to correspond to the manuals documenting the operations of JFACPP's. These manuals include The JFACPP Guidelines for Implementation and the accompanying User's Guide. The manuals are designed to be used as the major resource materials for this curriculum. This curriculum consists of seven components which represent the major operations of a JFACPP These components contain a great deal of information about the various types of JFACPP's. It is advised that trainers select from these components the materials relevant to their particular audience's needs or to a specific type of JFACPP Tailoring the curriculum to the goals and objectives of specific workshops or training seminars is highly recommended. This approach will ensure that the material presented is most relevant and useful to the target audience. Each of the seven components contain four sections. They are a specification of the instructional goal; a summary of the curriculum content; recommended teaching strategies, and suggested resources. These sections are designed to help trainers organize a comprehensive presentation of the materials contained in each component. Component 1 Program Management Instructional Goal To teach program management how to plan, develop, and maintain an effective JFACPP. Curriculum Content Summary There are two primary phases of setting-up a JFACPP The first phase is program planning. This phase consists of seven key elements which are outlined in Table 1.1 of the User's Guide. They are defining the problem of juvenile firesetting in a particular community; identifying specific leadership responsible for the program; selecting the type of services to be offered; determining the primary location for service delivery; specifying the geographic boundaries of service delivery; securing necessary staffing, and estimating the cost of service delivery. If each of these key elements are executed by program management, then the groundwork has been laid for establishing an effective JFACPP. The second phase is program development. Program development consists of seven key tasks which are summarized in Table 1.3 in the User's Guide. They are defining program goals; establishing program operations; developing a community coordinating council; securing financial support; conducting orientation and training seminars; defining potential legal and financial risks, and establishing referral linkages. Once these tasks are completed, then the doors of the JFACPP can be open for business. Recommended Teaching Strategies There are two teaching methods recommended for communicating information on pro- gram management. The first strategy is the lecture- discussion format. To accompany this format, it is suggested that slides outlining the key elements of program planning (Table 1.1) and the tasks of program development (Table 1.3) be used 11 for visual aids. It is important that the audience understand the steps which must be executed to set-up an effective JFACPP. This didactic teaching approach offers a straightforward method for transmitting this information. The second recommended teaching method is a panel discussion. The panel should be composed of participants who potentially may be responsible for setting-up a JFACPP in their community. They should be given the task of planning and developing such a program for their community. One panel member should be elected as the recorder. On a blackboard, the recorder can write down the steps the panel identifies as relevant for developing their JFACPP. The trainer should guide this process and ask specific questions to move the discussion along and identify the program planning and development tasks. The discussion should last no longer than thirty minutes. Trainers should wrap-up the panel discussion by helping the participants identify which, if any, planning and development activities they can actually implement to develop a JFACPP in their community. Suggested Resources 1. Additional reading on program manage-ment methods: Giegold, W. C. (1978). Management By Objectives. New York: McGraw Hill, 1978. Component 2 Screening and Evaluation Instructional Goal To identify the various approaches and methods for providing screening and evaluation services to juvenile firesetters. Curriculum Content Summary The psychosocial characteristics defining the severity of the firesetting behavior in juveniles must be understood prior to the implementation of various screening and evaluation procedures. There are three major categories of juvenile firesetters, each with distinct individual, social, and environmental characteristics. The first is the young (age seven and under), curiosity firesetter, whose primary motivation for firesetting is experimental or accidental. These children are well-adjusted and come from a solid and supportive family and social environment. Their firesetting is most probably a first-time or single-episode event, and with educational intervention, is not likely to recur. The second type of juvenile is the recurrent firesetter, who has a history of firesetting incidents as well as an unstable personal, family, and social background. These youngsters typically are candidates for both educational intervention as well as psychological treatment. The final category is the adolescent firesetter, whose firesetting can represent a range of disturbances from mischievous behavior to serious intention to harm or destroy. The majority of these youngsters frequently have accompanying psychological problems which require immediate attention. The prognosis for adolescent firesetters is less promising than for younger firesetters. There are a number of community agencies that are likely to screen and evaluate juvenile firesetters. The predominant agencies are the fire service, mental health, law enforcement, probation, and juvenile justice. Each of these agencies is likely to employ screening and evaluation methods which best fit within their existing system of operations. Communities wanting to set-up screening and evaluation procedures must iden- 12 tify the targeted population of juvenile firesetters, designate one or more service agencies to provide services, and select and implement the appropriate methods. Tables 2.4, 2.5, and 2.6 of the User's Guide outline the most widely used screening and evaluation procedures for the fire service, mental health, law enforcement, probation, and juvenile justice. These Tables are designed to help select the most appropriate methods for specific agencies by providing information on the purpose, output, impact, and risk of the various screening and evaluation approaches. Maximizing the selection of the screening and evaluation methods will result in an effective intervention system for juvenile firesetters. More detailed information about these instruments can be found in the Guidelines for Implementation. Recommended Teaching Strategies It is critical that information regarding the psychosocial characteristics of juvenile firesetters be presented fairly early in the workshops and training seminars. The audience needs a comprehensive understanding of the target population as well as a precise description of the various severity levels of firesetting behavior. This information can be presented in a number of different ways. The lecture-discussion format has been used successfully, and the material generally is presented by a mental health expert who has experience working with juvenile firesetters. There are some visual and audiovisual aids that will help illustrate the types of behavior most typical of juvenile firesetters. Slides describing the three categories of firesetters (Table 2.1, 2.1, and 2.3 in the User's Guide) can be developed. Also, the Suggested Resources at the end of this Component lists video tapes which can be used to demonstrate the psychosocial characteristics of juvenile firesetters. The presentation of the remaining content, with respect to specific screening and evaluation procedures, will depend on the type of audience attending the workshops or training seminars. For example, if the participants are predominantly fire service, then those screening and evaluation methods which are employed by the fire service should be reviewed in detail. The lecture- discussion format is the best instructional approach, and can be accompanied by slides illustrating the specific procedures. In addition to the presentation of screening and evaluation methods, information should be intro duced on how to interview juvenile firesetters and their families. Since the majority of the screening and evaluation procedures employ this strategy, it is important to teach participants basic interviewing skills. It is recommended that the audience receive "hands-on" experience with both the screening and evaluation procedures as well as interviewing skills. One format is to break the workshop participants into small groups (no more than eight to a group) and ask one member in each group to describe one of their cases of juvenile firesetting. (In most every workshop there will be several participants who already have worked with these youngsters.) This case then becomes the basis for information that is used to review specific screening and evaluation methods. Copies of the actual instruments can be distributed to each group member and they can begin to construct the necessary information about the juvenile firesetter. For example, copies of the USFA Interview schedules can be distributed firefighters so that they can leam how to use these instruments to interview juvenile firesetters. In this way, the audience becomes familiar with the application of screening and evaluation procedures. To illustrate effective interviewing skills, volunteers can be asked to role play their juvenile firesetter case in front of the entire workshop. The trainer takes the role of the interviewer to show the correct style and approach of interviewing. The workshop participant takes the role of the juvenile firesetter, and there may be other volunteers in the group to assume the role of different family members. The role playing exchange should demonstrate how to make the juvenile firesetter and their family feel comfortable in the interview situation so that accurate and reliable information can be learned to help alleviate the firesetting problem. Not everyone is comfortable with role playing activities, therefore the trainer must take an active part in leading the actions of the situation. It is important that enthusiastic volunteers be used as the actors and actresses so that a relatively lively exchange can oc- 13 cur. A discussion should follow the role playing event emphasizing the various interviewing techniques which were demonstrated and their impact on producing a successful interview. Suggested Resources 1. Additional reading on the psychosocial 4. characteristics of juvenile firesetters: Gaynor, J., & Hatcher, C. (1987). The Psychology of Child Firesetting, Detection and Intervention. New York: BrunnerMazel, Publishers. Wooden, W. S. & Berky, M. L. (1984). Children and Arson, America's Middle-Class Nightmare. New York: Plenum Press. 2. Video tapes illustrating the psychosocial characteristics of juvenile firesetters: Hedrick, S. (1988). Juvenile Arson Mini-Documentary. Aired on KCTS-TV, Seattle, Washington. Portland Fire Bureau (1987). Beyond Burned Fingers, Interviewing and Counseling Juvenile Firesetters. Portland Fire Bureau (1988). Who is the Juvenile Firesetter? A Conversation with Dr. Jessica Gaynor. 3. Additional reading on the development of effective interviewing skills: Conner, W. (1985). Interviewing Strategies for Helpers: Fundamental Skills and Cognitive Behavioral Interventions. Monterey, CA: Brooks/ Cole Publishing. Additional reading on how to conduct role playing situations: Van Ments, M. (1983). The Effective Use of Role-Play. A Handbook for Teachers and Trainers. London: Kogan Page. 14 Component 3 Intervention Services Instructional Goal There are three types of program models representing intervention services for juvenile firesetters and their families. They are primary prevention, early intervention, and core intervention. The goal of primary prevention programs is to deter first-time, unsupervised fireplay and firesetting by teaching the rules of fire safety and prevention. There are a variety of primary prevention programs offered in the schools and by the fire service. They are presented in Tables 3.1 ad 3.2 of the User's Guide. Early intervention programs focus on the identification of first-time firesetters. The goals of these programs are early screening and evaluation of the firesetting and other accompanying problems and immediate intervention. The majority of these programs are operated by the fire service. There are a number of different types of programs including evaluation, education, referral, and counseling. These programs are summarized in Table 3.3 in the User's Guide. Core intervention programs are designed to treat youngsters with recurrent firesetting problems. There are two primary systems which handle these children. The first intervention approach is mental health. The majority of firesetting youth can benefit from mental health treatment, because, for the most part, their firesetting represents underlying psychological problems. There are several types of mental health interventions. They are presented in Table 3.4 of the User's Guide. The second system is law enforcement, probation, and juvenile justice. If the firesetting behavior is determined to represent a serious intention to harm or destroy, then youngsters can be arrested for the crime of arson. If it is a first offense, then frequently probation will recommend a diversion or counseling program for youngsters and their families. If the diversion or counseling recommendation is not followed, and the firesetting behavior is a recurrent offense, then youngsters can receive sentencing to a residential or correctional facility. Table 3.5 in the User's Guide presents the program types for law enforcement, probation, and juvenile justice. Component 3 of the Guidelines for Implementation provides more extensive information about the three types of intervention services. Recommended Teaching Strategies A summary of the three intervention program models and the corresponding program types is the most important information to be presented to participants of workshop and training seminars. In addition to information on screening and evaluation procedures, information on intervention services represents the foundation of JFACPP's. A lecture-discussion format is suggested for presenting this material, with slides used as visual aids. All participants should receive a comprehensive overview of all intervention models and corresponding program types. Tables 3.1; 3.2; 3.3; 3.4, and 3.5 in the User 's Guide can be transposed into slides to illustrate the material. The background of the participants will determine which intervention models and corresponding program types will be reviewed in greater detail. For example, if the majority of the participants are from the fire service, then primary prevention and early intervention program models should be the center of attention. The material should be presented by someone with experience in setting-up or running these types of programs, so that discussions can focus on the pragmatics of operating an effective JFACPP Participants also should receive some "hands-on" experience in directing juvenile firesetters to the most appropriate kinds of intervention services. For this purpose, a small group format should be employed with no more than eight participants per group. Each small group can be given a case study to analyze and discuss. Appendix D contains a number of case studies which can be used for this purpose. Each small group should receive a different case for review. The small group participants should focus their 15 discussion on what kinds of screening and evaluation procedures they would employ and what types of intervention services they would recommend for each case. Each small group should elect a spokesperson to report their recommendations to the larger group. About twenty minutes should be allotted for the small group discussions, after which time the spokesperson for each group should be prepared to present their recommendations to the entire workshop. Each case study should be read to all the participants, and then recommendations should be presented. The participants should discuss various screening, evaluation, and treatment options for each case. The purpose of this exercise is to give participants experience in handling a variety of juvenile firesetter cases. Suggested Resources 1. Additional reading on primary prevention programs: Public Fire Education Today National Fire Academy 16825 South Seton Avenue Emmitsburg, MD 21727 2. Additional reading on early intervention programs for the fire service: Fineman, K. et al. (1980). Child Firesetter Handbook. Ages 7 and Under: Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. Fineman, K. et al. (1984). Preadolescent Firesetter Handbook. Ages 7 to 13. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. Gaynor, J. et al. (1988). Adolescent Firesetter Handbook. Ages 14-18. Washing ton, DC: US Government Print-ing Office 3. Additional reading on mental health core intervention programs: Gaynor, J (1990). Firesetting (Ed), The Comprehensive Teextbook of Child Psychiatry. New York: Williams and Wilkins. 16 Component 4 Referral Mechanisms Instructional Goal To describe the network of community services that provide linkages to JFACPP'S. Curriculum Content Summary An effective JFACPP will have strong linkages to a network of service agencies in the community. These community agencies will identify juvenile firesetters and route them to the screening and evaluation services of the JFACPP These agencies serve as referral sources and can include the fire service, schools, law enforcement, social services, mental health, and medical centers. Parents also can refer their children to JFACPP's. JFACPP's cannot always provide all of the necessary intervention services for juvenile firesetters and their families. In many cases, children need to be referred to other community agencies for different types of service. These target referral agencies include social services, mental health, and the criminal justice system. Figure 4.1 in the User Guide presents a summary of the juvenile firesetter referral network. The JFACPP is one part of a community network designed to provide comprehensive services to firesetting youngsters and their families. Recommended Teaching Strategies A lecture-discussion format is the best method for presenting an overview of the JFACPP and its community network of referral services. Figure 4.1 in the User's Guide can be transposed into a slide to be used as a visual aid. However, it also is important for the participants of the workshops and training seminars to begin to identify the most relevant referral agencies in their own community. Hopefully, representatives from a number of these different community agencies have been asked to participate in the workshops or training seminars. During the discussion of referral agencies, representatives from various community agencies should identify themselves by name. These participants should be encouraged to use the breaktime and lunch hour to get to know one another and begin their own networking activities. To foster interagency communication and cooperation, it might be helpful to allow some time for representatives of local community services to give a brief (five to ten minute) talk describing the potential roles and responsibilities of their agency in helping juvenile firesetters and their families. For example, if there was a representative from the local community mental health center, they might want to describe what would happen to firesetting youth and their families once they were referred to their agency for mental health services. In this way, participants can begin to work out how different types of community agencies can provide various types of services to support the effective operation of their JFACPP. Suggested Resources 1. Additional reading on networking: Lipnack, J., & Stamps, J. (1986). The Networking Book: People Connecting with People. New York: Routledge and Kegan Paul. 17 Component 5 Publicity and Outreach Instructional Goal To outline methods for developing effective publicity and community outreach activities to inform the community about the availability of their JFACPP. Curriculum Content Summary There are two primary methods of increasing community awareness about the availability of juvenile firesetter programs. The first is publicity activities. There are four major types of media which can be employed to increase community awareness. They are newspapers and magazines, television and radio, press conferences, and general communications. Within each of these modalities, there are various strategies or methods which can be used to achieve specific kinds of communications. These strategies and their related impact are outlined in Table 5.1 in the User Guide. Publicity efforts should be mounted only when all of the operations of the juvenile firesetter program have been established and are working effectively. The second method of increasing public awareness is through community outreach activities. There are a number of different types of activities including the development of pamphlets and brochures; the distribution of posters; publishing newsletters, operating a Speaker's Bureau; staffing a Hot Line, and encouraging partnerships with other relevant programs and organizations. These activities and their potential impact are summarized in Table 5.2 in the User's Guide. JFACPP's can benefit greatly from effective community outreach efforts. Examples of brochures, press releases, newspaper articles, etc. can be found in the resource section of Component 5 of the Guidelines for Implementation. Recommended Teaching Strategies The material on publicity and outreach activities can be presented using a lecture-discussion format. Tables 5.1 and 5.2 in the User's Guide illustrating these activities and their intended effect can be transposed into slides. Frequently, local programs have begun developing some types of publicity or community outreach activities, such as the production of pamphlets and brochures. These programs should be encouraged to share these materials with workshop participants. Trainers also may want to bring in examples of various publicity activities, such as media kits or public service announcements describing JFACPP's, so that the audience can have a firsthand look at these material. The Suggested Resources at the end of this component lists a Public Service Announcement video that can be used to illustrate this type of media activity. Workshop participants should have an understanding of the various options available to them in helping to inform their community about their JFACPP. Suggested Resources 1. Additional reading for producing public ity activities: Ink and Airtime National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) 1700 K Street, NW, Second Floor Washington, DC 20006. 2. Public Service Announcement video: Portland Fire Bureau (1987). Juvenile Firesetter PSA's. 18 Component 6 Monitoring Systems Instructional Goal To provide an overview of the various types of monitoring systems which can be used to track the level and volume of JFACPP activity. Curriculum Content Summary There are three major types of monitoring systems which track program operations for JFACPP's. The first is a Management Information System (MIS). An MIS provides timely information on the number and types of cases handled by the program. It can range from a basic, hand-calculated logging system to a more sophisticated automated system. The range of MIS's are described in detail in Component 6 of the Guidelines for Implementation. The second type of monitoring system is an evaluation system. A program evaluation system is an extension of an MIS in that it uses the data generated by the MIS to analyze program operations and outcome. In addition to caseload information, an effective evaluation system will include data on firesetting recidivism and follow-up information on caseload disposition. The third type of monitoring system is an incidence reporting system. Frequently, individual JFACPP's will report their juvenile firesetting rates to a county, jurisdiction, statewide, or federal data system. There are a number of these systems operating in several states and also at the federal level. They are described in detail in Component 6 of the Guidelines for Implementation. Recommended Teaching Strategies The participants of workshops or training seminars should be introduced both to the concept of monitoring program operations as well as to the application of the three different types of tracking systems. This can be accomplished in a lecture-discussion format. In addition, information on data monitoring systems relevant to local JFACPP's should be reviewed. For example, if a local JFACPP is underway, then some type of monitoring system already may be operational. If this is the case, then trainers should ask local program managers to describe their system. Also, trainers should be aware of state and federal data reporting systems in which local JFACPP's may participate. The audience should be convinced that developing a monitoring system for their JFACPP will not only ascertain the level and extent of the juvenile firesetting problem, but it will also demonstrate the effectiveness of their program efforts in controlling and abating the problem. An effective monitoring system can ensure the longevity of the JFACPP. Suggested Resources 1. Additional reading on MIS's: Federico, P (1980). Management Information Systems and Organizational Behavior: New York: Prager. 19 Component 7: Developing Relationships with the Juvenile Justice System Instructional Goal To understand how to develop a working relationship between JFACPP's and the various operations of the juvenile justice system. Curriculum Content Summary Although the majority of juvenile firesetting cases handled by JFACPP's will receive evaluation, education, and some special types of intervention services, there will be a small percentage of them which will be classified as arson because of the seriousness of the firesetting behavior or the significance of the damage or loss resulting from the fire. In these cases, it becomes important for the JFACPP to have open pathways of communication and linkage to their juvenile justice system. Even though cases of juvenile firesetting may be classified as arson, this does not necessarily preclude them from obtaining services from the JFACPP There are a number of ways in which JFACPP's and the juvenile justice system can work together, and examples of these efforts are outlined in Component 7 of the Guidelines for Implemenation. The specific nature and extent of the referral linkages between local JFACPP's and their juvenile justice system can be worked out on an individual jurisdiction basis. Recommended Teaching Strategies The primary objective of this component is to encourage JFACPP's to learn about their local juvenile justice system. This is best accomplished in a lecture- discussion format. It is suggested that trainers invite representatives from the probation and/ or juvenile court system to give brief talks about their procedures for handling juvenile firesetters. In particular, it is important for workshop and seminar participants to be informed about the local and state laws as they relate to the crime of juvenile arson. Discussions can focus on how the JFACPP and juvenile justice can best work together in providing comprehensive service to juvenile firesetters. Suggested Resources 1. Additional reading on juvenile arson laws: Committee on the Judiciary (1985). The Problem of Arsons Committed by Juveniles. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. 20 Appendix A ADDITIONAL RESOURCE MATERIALS 1. The National Juvenile Firesetter/ Arson Control and Prevention Program Assessment Report, Institute for Social Analysis (Washington, D. C., September, 1989). Assessment of the problem of juvenile firesetting and intervention programs. Reviews of literature and description of the central issues included. Address: Institute for Social Analysis 1625 K Street, N. W. Suite 1000 Washington, D. C. 20006 2. Preadolescent Firesetter Handbook (Ages 0-7), U. S. Fire Administration in conjunction with the International Association of Fire Chiefs( FA-83/ December 1988) Teaches fire service personnel how to recognize and interview young children (ages 0-7) that have firesetting tendencies. Provides methods and strategies for appropriate counseling and mental health assistance for firesetter. Address: U. S. Fire Administration 16825 South Seton Avenue, Building N, Suite 311 Emmitsburg, MD 21727 3. Preadolescent Firesetter Handbook (Ages 7-13), U. S. Fire Administration in conjunction with the International Association of Fire Chiefs( FA-82/ December 1988) Teaches fire service personnel how to recognize and interview children (ages 7- 13 that have firesetting tendencies. Provides methods and strategies for appropriate counseling and mental health assistance for firesetter. Address: U. S. Fire Administration 16825 South Seton Avenue, Building N, Suite 311 Emmitsburg, MD 21727 21 4. Adolescent Firesetter Handbook (Ages 14-18), U. S. Fire Administration in conjunction with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Inc. (FA-80/ August 1988). Describes the psychology of adolescence to determine which juveniles are at risk to become firesetters. Provides procedures for evaluating adolescent firesetters (ages 14-18) and intervention techniques to stop tirestarting and remedy accompanying psychological problems. Address: U. S. Fire Administration 16825 South Seton Avenue, Building N, Suite 311 Emmitsburg, MD 21727 5. Juvenile Firesetter Intervention, First Report of the Rochester, New York, Fire Department-Fire related Youth Program Development Project, State of New York-Department of State Office of Fire Prevention and Control (New York, 1974). Describes how to build and effective program with cooperating community agencies. Details identification, assessment, and treatment of children. Address: Fire Related Youth Program Rochester Fire Department Room 306 Public Safety Building Civic Center Plaza Rochester, New York, 14614 6. Children and Fire, Second Report of the Rochester, New York Fire De partment- Fire Related Youth Program Development Project, State of New York-Department of State, Office of Fire Prevention and Control (New York, 1986). Extension of the First Report, Juvenile Firesetter Intervention. Provides recommendations based on a large scale study of children referred to the Fire Related Youth project in the city of Rochester. (1983) Address: Fire Related Youth Program Rochester Fire Department Room 306 Public Safety Building Civic Center Plaza Rochester, New York 14614 22 7. The Psychology of Child Firesetting Detection and Intervention, Jessica Gaynor & Chris Hatcher (Brunner/ Mazel, New York, N. Y.) Demonstrates how to evaluate and treat child and adolescent firesetters. Detection of firesetters as well as the psychopathological affects are addressed. Address: Brunner/ Mazel Publishers 19 Union Square New York, N. Y. 10003 8. The Therapeutic Assessment of Firesetting (TAF) Questionnaire, Terrence Neary (1987). Questionnaire to assist in psychotherapy, empirical research, and the planning for rehabilitation of firesetters. Address: Terrence Neary, Ph. D. Clinical Psychologist Forest Hospital Des Plaines, Illinois 9. Arson Resource Directory, Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States Fire Administration (FA-74/ May 1988). Provides explanation and identification of organizations and individuals concerned with arson prevention and control. Address: Federal Emergency Management Agency P. O. Box 8181 Washington, D. C. 20024 10. The Government Executive's Guide to Arson Prevention and Control: A Hand- book on Information Systems and Action Programs, Clifford L. Karchmer, Batelle Human Affairs Research Centers, Law and Justice Study Center (Seattle, Washington, 1981). Assists government leaders to develop comprehensive plans to prevent and control arson. Identifies type of arson prevention techniques which police, fire, housing, mental health and other agencies might implement cooperatively. Address: Federal Emergency Management Agency PO. Box 8181 Washington, D. C. 20024 23 11. Juvenile Firesetter and School Arson Prevention Programs, Clifford L. Karchmer, Battelle Memorial Institute, Law and Justice Study Center, Aetna Arson Prevention Series (Washington, D. C.) Provides information on developing programs on the local level to stop juvenile firesetting. A resource guide and bibliography of technical information (including a psychological and psychiatric literature) is enclosed. Address: Aetna Life and Casualty Company Arson and Fraud Unit 151 Farmington Avenue Hartford, CT 06156 12. The Psychology of Firesetting: A Review and Appraisal, R. G. Vreeland and M. B. Waller, sponsored by U. S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards (Washington, D. C., December 1978). Examines the psychological factors involved in firesetting. Classifies firesetters into four categories: antecedent environmental conditions, organismic variables, actual firesetting behavior, consequences of firesetting. Address: National Bureau of Standards Department of Commerce Center for Fire Research Washington, D. C. 20234 13. The School Team Approach-Phase I Evaluation, Executive Summary, Social Action Research Center (January 1980). Report of the first year evaluation of a local program designed to reduce school crime and disruption. Findings indicated such a program can reduce the amount of victimization reported by students as well as the level of tension, fear, and danger perceived by students. Address: Social Action Research Center 18 Professional Center Parkway San Rafael, California 94903 14. School Crime and Disruption: Prevention Models, The National Institute of Education, U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (June 1978). A series of papers on the study, design, and implementation of effective prevention programs for school crime. The causation of school crime and specific programs for reducing school crime are presented. (Note: Juvenile arson is not specifically covered.) 24 Appendix B Effective Preparation and Delivery of Presentations I. Introduction This handbook is a practical guide to increasing the effectiveness short of oral presentations. While it would be nice to offer a "quick" solution to the problem, experience has shown that single solutions generally do not work. This handbook suggests alternative ways of thinking and alternative practices- techniques that have been considered and tested by highly experienced speakers and researchers. It provides a method that can assist you in delivering a concise, interesting, and effective presentation, as well as guidelines for selection and use of audiovisual aids and suggestions for physical delivery of the presentation. The main ideas presented in this handbook were condensed from several sources: "Effective Business and Technical Presentations" by George L. Morrisey (1968); "Communication and Instruction" by Ronald E. Bassett and Mary-Jeanette Smith ( 1979); "Educator's Handbook" edited by Virginia Richardson-Koehler ( 1987); and W. A. Mambert's "Effective Presentation" series (1976). These sources should be consulted for additional information on the topics covered. II. Steps in Preparing a Presentation Preparation of an oral presentation can be broken down into a series of six steps. Following these steps likely will result in your spending less time on preparation, and in producing a clearer, more concise presentation. In addition, it will increase the likelihood that your ideas will be accepted by your audience. The six steps are: 1. Establish objectives for the presentation 2. Analyze your audience 3. Prepare a preliminary plan for the presentation 4. Select resource material 5. Organize material for effective delivery 6. Practice the presentation in advance 25 : Step 1: Establish objectives for the presentation Objectives are statements of purposes, goals, and desired results. The statements should be specific, and should answer the following questions: Why am I giving this presentation? What do I want to happen as a result of my presentation? If the presentation is to impart a body of knowledge, one or more objectives should be qualified in terms of expected results, for example: I want to tell about ... so that... will take place. In addition to being specific, objectives stating expected results should be achievable. They should be: Realistic in Scope. Can your objectives be accomplished in the preparation time and presentation time available? delivering a lecture in well-prepared, digestible segments often is a key to acceptance of the ideas presented. Realistic in terms of what YOU can reasonably expect to accomplish. Are your objectives achievable? If not, your audience may be reluctant to the ideas and principles you present. Realistic view of the audience's knowledge and background. Do members of the audience have the knowledge and background necessary to achieve the results you want? Realistic in view of the audience's ability to act. Do members of the audience have the authority to make the decisions necessary to achieve the objectives? Step 2: Analyze your audience The most successful presentations are prepared with a particular audience in mind, and one tailored to suit that audience. What do members of the audience already know? What are their attitudes, likes, and dislikes? How will they react? Awareness of your audience can give you an idea of how best to angle your presentation, and can provide insight into the kind of overall approach most likely to achieve your objectives. You can get information about your audience in a variety of ways: Speak with others who have made presentations before this audience. Review reports from or about some members of your audience Seek information directly or indirectly from selected members of the audience or others associated with them. Conduct a debriefing after your presentations to assess audience reaction. 26 Step 3: Prepare a preliminary plan for the presentation A preliminary plan is similar to a blueprint. It serves as a framework on which to build a presentation. It is not a speaking outline, but a conceptual approach to what most logically will lead to achievement of your objectives. A preliminary plan serves two basic functions: It forces you to determine carefully the direction you plan to take, guides you in selecting the subject matter, keeps your flow of ideas channeled, and indicates where you can best place your emphasis. It serves as a guide for support personnel, who may provide back-up data, prepare charts, or assist in some way with the presentation. A preliminary plan gives a specific written basis from which you and those supporting you can work. Step 4: Select resource material For most presentations, finding enough resource material is not a problem. Rather, the problem is one of proper selection--deciding what material, and how much, to include in the presentation. These decisions can be guided by your preliminary plan (Step 3) and based on the answers to the following questions: What is the purpose of the presentation? Is your presentation to be persuasive, explanatory, instructional, or a report? Do you want to arouse interest, test an idea, recommend action, inform, or resolve problems? What should be covered? What can best be eliminated? Resource material should be eliminated unless it contributes significantly to the achievement of an objective. What amount of detail is necessary? The appropriate amount of detail varies greatly according to your objectives, and to such factors as presentation time available, the audience and its interests, and how much detail the audience must know so the objectives can be achieved. You may want to have the detailed information available in the event you're asked about it, although you do not use it in the actual presentation. What must be said if the objectives are to be achieved? What resource material is essential if your main ideas are to be accepted by the audience? What is the best way to make your point( s)? Considering the characteristics of your audience, what types of subject matter and what method of presentation will be most effective in getting across your main ideas? 27 For each item, why is it needed? Look at your material objectively. Examine each item selected for inclusion in the presentation and ask Why should this be used? What contribution will it make to achievement of my objectives? Items that cannot withstand this critical examination should be eliminated. Step 5: Organize the material for effective presentation Most presentations can be broken down into three major parts: the introduction, in which the idea is stated; the body in which the idea is developed; and the conclusion, in which the idea is restated. Each part serves a specific function, and thus requires a distinct approach. Stating the Introduction). The first purpose of the introduction is to sell the audience on the idea of listening to your presentation. The second and more obvious purpose is to state the idea. It is important to use simple and precise words, and to make this part of your presentation interesting and brief. The approach you choose will depend upon the subject matter, the time allowed, the audience, and your own personality and preferences. Listed below are a few ways in which a subject can be introduced: Direct statement of the subject and why it is important to the audience. Indirect opening involving a vital interest of the audience (for example, a statement connecting your objective with that vital interest). Vivid example or comparison leading directly to the subject. Strong quotation relating to the subject, one that will be particularly meaningful to the audience and will establish rapport between you and them. Important having to do with the subject. Story illustrating the subject, provided it has a direct application and is not merely contrived for entertainment purposes. Normally, you should use just one approach to introduce your subject. Whichever you select, you should keep in mind the two tasks of your introduction: to sell your audience on listening to your presentation, and to introduce the subject. Developing idea (Body). In the body of the presentation the idea should be explained in whatever detail is necessary to achieve the objectives of the presentation. An effective way to present the body of the material to be covered is to use audio-visual aids (discussed specifically later in this handbook). Illustrations give impact and emphasis to the major points. In addition, you might use some of the following: Examples illustrating the idea in operation (for example, flow charts, anecdotes, and specific results). Reiteration of the main idea in the same words or in different words to help summarize and to ensure that the listeners will remember the point. 28 Statistics, used sparingly and presented as simply as possible. Comparisons with similar or dissimilar types of operations, ideas, and so forth. Testimony of experts, witnesses to events, or users of the product or procedure. (Such testimony should not be overused and the expert being cited must be a credible source who has a firm reputation in the field.) Another decision to be made regarding the development part of your presentation is when to accept audience questions. Do you want to field questions at any point during your presentation, or at some specific point( s)? Or do you want to restrict questioning to the close of the presentation? Restating the idea (Conclusion). The conclusion gives you an opportunity to sum up and stress the main ideas you want the audience to remember, to integrate and tie together various conclusions, and to suggest appropriate action. Restating the ideas you want your audience to remember is essential. The conclusion should not be lengthy, but it should be vivid and long enough to cover the important points you want your audience to carry away with them. It is good to give your audience a clear indication of when you're starting the conclusion. You can do this by using such phrases as "Let's review the main points we've covered," "To sum up these factors,...,", "Our prime purpose today has been to...," or "Reflecting on what we've discussed,...." Using such a phrase makes it evident that you're winding up your presentation and helps bring the audience back on target. Each of the three parts of a presentation described here has a specific purpose and needs specific attention. Regardless of which format you choose for presentation of your material, you will find that your presentation has essentially the same three parts: (1) Introduction stating the idea, (2) Body developing the idea, and (3) Conclusion restating the idea. Step 6: Practice the presentation in advance Most speakers have had the experience of planning a good presentation on paper only to have it fall flat when actually delivered. Many factors are responsible for such failure. The most common ones include: The spoken words don't flow as smoothly as they seemed to on paper The presenter loses continuity (because of some distraction). The mechanics of handling audio- visual aids interfere with the presentation flow. The presenter is not as knowledgeable about the subject matter as he thought he was. Someone in the audience asks a question that the presenter is not prepared to answer. The audience is cold and unresponsive. 29 The place where the presentation is given does not lend itself to the type of presentation planned. All but the last two of these factors can be attributed to a lack of sufficient preparation or practice on the part of the presenter. Even the last two problems can be minimized to a degree, through foresight. Practice will not guarantee success. However, it can (and should): Give the presenter more self-confidence, making the audience more willing to view the subject matter as credible. Identify flaws and/ or gaps in the material. Provide familiarity with the material, so that the presentation appears to be naturally and spontaneously delivered. Allow the presenter to use audio-visual aids so that they will enhance (rather than interfere with) the actual presentation. Make it easier to anticipate potential questions, particularly ones that might prove troublesome. There are three primary methods of practicing a presentation. Using any one, or a combination of the three, can be very valuable to the presenter. Give the presentation aloud to yourself. Imagine your audience is there, and deliver your presentation just as if you would were they there. Use your notes and the audio-visual aids you plan on using. Use a tape recorder. This will give you an opportunity to hear how you sound, and to see whether your ideas are coming through as you want them to. Listen to the tape objectively by assuming the audience's viewpoint. Give a "dry run." Have some knowledgeable friends or co-workers sit in on your practice presentation. This is probably the most effective practice method, if your dry-run audience is able to react in a manner typical of the individuals you expect to be in your actual audience (that is, your dry-run audience adopts the same background of knowledge, interests, and attitudes). Unfortunately, "Practice makes perfect" is not an accurate statement in this context, since practice rarely makes a perfect presentation. However, "No practice makes disaster" is quite a realistic statement. It is a rare individual who can make a well-timed and forceful presentation without first practicing it. III. SELECTION AND USE OF VISUAL AIDS Audio-Visual aids (for example, charts and handouts) can add significantly to the impact of your presentation and the understanding your audience will gain. However, the idea itself must always precede the aids that support it. 30 Guides for Selecting Aids The following basic principles and guidelines should be considered when selecting audio-visual aids for use with your presentation: Audibility and visibility. Is the aid right for the audience size and room size? Will everyone be able to see and hear it? In addition to size of room and audience, consider the seating arrangement, lighting, and other factors that might affect audibility or visibility An aid that cannot be properly seen or hear is much worse than no aid at all, as it will annoy and distract your audience. Accessibility and availability Are the necessary equipment and facilities available to you.? If so, make certain the aid does not distract the audience if it's left in view throughout the presentation. For example, you can insert blank sheets of paper between chart sheets so that the chart will be covered when you want to turn the audience's attention to something else. Adaptability. Does the aid fit the presentation? Don't make your points fit the aid you have available. Also, make sure you know how to use the aid, as any difficulties you have with it will distract your audience and detract from your message, and diminish its effectiveness. Attention-capturining quality. Will the aid gain attention and keep it on the subject matter rather than on the aid itself? The aid should emphasize the subject matter you want remembered. It does not have to be flashy. The use of color (in moderation), heavy lettering, underlining, arrows, and other such methods can emphasize the points you wish to bring out. Auxiliary nature. The most important thing to keep in mind is that the aid should be just what the word implies--it should support the presentation, not be the center of attention. A good presentation should be able to stand on its own without any aids. Aids should be used only to enhance what you are saying. Types of Aids and Equipment Some of the more frequently used types of aids and equipment are listed below: Charts Charts are the most frequently used type presentation aid. There are various methods of displaying charts: Flip charts. Prepared on large sheets of paper and attached (by a clamp) to an easel. An advantage of flip charts is that usually they can be rolled up and carried fairly easily. 31 Chart cards. Similar to flip charts, except they are prepared on posterboard or heavy cardboard. Thus, they are sturdier, look neater, and last longer than flip charts; however, they are more costly and are clumsy to carry. Slides. Can be prepared by photographing charts. This aid is effective for large groups. However, slides usually require a darkened room, which means loss of eye contact with your audience. Use of slides also requires knowledge of how to use the particular projector available. Overhead transparencies. Becoming increasingly popular, because they are practical, inexpensive, and versatile. Transparencies can be projected onto a screen or a light-colored wall, and can be used with room lights on. In addition, the presenter can write on the transparencies much as he would on a chalkboard. Disadvantages include possible blocking of view by the projector and occasional difficulties in adjusting transparencies. These drawbacks, however, are minor compared with the advantages. Given below are some tips for selecting and preparing charts. All charts should be needed; many presentations include too many charts. Charts should present highlights only. Each chart should clarify an idea better than the oral presentation alone could. Charts should be kept simple in detail. Charts should be large enough for all to see, and should stand high enough so that lettering at the bottom isn't blocked by the audience. Charts should be lettered in large, clear, bold, uncrowded letters and lines. Generally, each chart should contain no more than 10 lines, and at least two minutes should be allowed for its use. Color should be used only to highlight important points. Charts should be made carefully, not thrown together; they should be neat and reflect creditably on you, your department, and the ideas you want to project. The following are some tips working with slides and overhead transparencies: Place all material in order, handy to the projection area, before the start of the presentation. Position the first slide or frame to be used and check for proper focus. 32 If there is an interval during the presentation when projection material is not being used, do something to reduce attention on the projector Turn off the light on an overhead projector. If using a slide projector, cut a piece of cardboard the size of a slide and place it between the frames to make a break. This will cause a temporary "blackout" and make it unnecessary to turn off the machine. Handouts Handouts in connection with a presentation can be an effective means of increasing learning and retention by your audience if careful thought has been given to their preparation and use. The following guidelines may help: Normally, handouts should be made available following the presentation, unless you intend for the audience to refer to specific portions of them during the presentation. Otherwise, you're inviting the audience to look at the handouts when you want them to be listening to you. Make copies of charts only if they are vital for later reference. The smaller the number of handouts, the greater the likelihood of their being used for future reference. Leave plenty of space on the handouts for note-taking. Include a list of suggested related readings if possible. Include your name, title of lecture, date, and phone number so members of your audience can reach you later if they have questions. Chalkboard The chalkboard is about the most useful, most valuable, and least expensive form of visual-aid equipment you can use in a presentation. However, it is not easy to use, and requires advance planning and practice if it is to be used effectively. Some of the advantages of using a chalkboard are: Flexibility. A chalkboard offers plenty of space, and can be changed relatively easily. Feeling of spontaneity. The audience can get the feeling that you are giving them the latest information--so current, in fact, that a chart could not have been prepared. In addition you can make modifications based on questions or comments during the course of the presentation. Progressive development. An initial step or idea can be developed progressively on the chalkboard as you explain each step. 33 Audience interest. Writing on a chalkboard helps maintain audience interest, and also gives them a chance to make notes. The following are some tips for using a chalkboard: Write neatly and much larger than usual. Hold chalk at a 45 degree angle. If the chalk squeaks, break it in half. Avoid (as much as possible) talking to the board. (Avoid writing a lot of material on the board. Erase material written on the board when it is no longer needed. IV. Making the Presentation Careful planning of the content and judicious selection of accompanying audio- visual aids lay the groundwork for an effective presentation The final consideration is the actual delivery of the presentation. Platform Techniques Several platform techniques can improve your ability to get your message across. These involve interaction with your audience, use of lecterns and pointers, and body language. Relationshin to Audience Eye contact. A vital part of good communication is effective eye contact. A presenter who speaks to an inanimate spot on the back of the wall loses out on a valuable means of determining whether his message is getting across--visual feedback. In addition, looking your audience in the eye increases the audience's confidence in you and your message. Focus on listener. Remember to deliver your presentation in a manner that is understandable, interesting, and meaningful from the point of the listener Presentation Tools Presentation tools include lecterns and pointers: Lectern (or Speaker's stand). The lectern can serve several purposes in addition to the obvious one of being a place for your notes. It 34 Provides out-of-sight storage space for aids and handouts. Serves as a resting place for your hands (but avoid gripping it tensely). Can be used to establish a particular type of relationship with the audience. For example, speaking from behind the lectern establishes a formal relationship, which at times is desirable. Moving to the side or front of the lectern tends to remove the "barrier," making for a closer, more informal relationship with the audience. Moving behind the lectern is a good way of focusing attention on the summary as a more formal part of the presentation. Pointer. A pointer is a valuable tool in drawing attention to specific items on a chart. However, it is all too frequently a distracting toy. Put it down when you're not using it! Use of Body The manner in which you handle yourself during the presentation has a significant effect on the audience. The following suggestions should be kept in mind: Poise. A poised speaker appears self-confident, relaxed, and capable of doing whatever the situation calls for. By paying attention to the following details, even an insecure speaker can give this impression: Dress should be in good taste, clean, and comfortable. When your relationship with the audience is formal, it is generally not a good idea to take off your jacket, loosen your tie, or roll up your sleeves. Approach your position before the audience in a deliberate, unhurried fashion. Pause a few moments before beginning to speak; this gives your audience a chance to focus on you and feel that they don't frighten you (even though they may!). Do what feels most comfortable for you with your hands, but don't keep them in motion! Hands should be relaxed, and should not draw attention. Posture should be relaxed without being sloppy, and dignified without being stiff. Movements. Deliberate, well-timed movements can: Relieve tension. Draw attention away from a visual aid and back to you. Break the hypnotic effect a stationary body has on an audience. Change the mood or pace of the presentation. 35 Facial Expression. Your face should reflect the mood you want to create in your audience. Lacking some facial expression, you will not inspire interest. Vocal Techniques By giving careful attention to certain basic elements of speaking, most presenters can increase their effectiveness substantially. Pitch. Refers to the tone level of the voice. A voice pitch different from a person's normal speaking voice usually betrays nervousness and is distracting to an audience. Another problem related to pitch is voice drop at the end of a sentence. Without realizing it, many speakers let the last few words in a sentence trail off to a point where they become difficult to hear. Often, merely by being aware of this, the voice-drop problem can be overcome. Intensity. Refers to the force or loudness with which you project. The volume must be loud enough so that everyone can hear you, but not loud enough to overpower them. Variations in intensity add dynamics--a soft voice can, at times, command more attention than a loud one. Pace. Refers to rate of speech. Variations in rate can add considerably to the effectiveness of a presentation, provided the rate is always consistent with the mood you are trying to convey. A tape recorder can be very helpful in showing you how good your timing is. Pauses. Can be effective in drawing attention to points that you consider particularly important. Pauses should be used deliberately, however, so that you do not give the impression that you are groping for words. Audience Retention Audience retention refers to your audience's ability to retain, or remember, what you said after your presentation is over. Audience retention, not attention, is the concern. The two are related, but are not identical. Curiosity will make the introduction gain a reasonably high degree of both attention and retention. Even with a good presentation, a sharp drop in retention occurs after the introduction. For this reason, you must repeat important points during the body of your presentation. The use of summary phrases (suggested in section II) helps increase retention at this stage. Audience members who have done some mental wandering will usually make a conscious effort to get back on track and carry something of value away from the presentation. What have studies of the audience-retention function told us? 36 Audience retention is lowest during the body of the presentation, which is the part that normally takes the most time and effort to prepare. This does not mean that you should give it less attention. It does mean, however, that the body of your presentation is not the place to introduce a key point and then drop it, if you want the point to be well remembered by your audience. The introduction and, particularly, the conclusion require as much careful preparation as the body--possibly even more. Since these portions of your presentation are more likely to be retained, the key points you want your audience to remember must be covered here. You should give attention to methods for stimulating your audience during the body of your presentation--for example, changes of pace and wise use of audio- visual aids. Once you have soundly prepared your material, careful attention to the points covered in this section will make your presentation more meaningful, and will make it more likely that you will achieve your objectives. V. Conclusion At the heart of an effective presentation is meaningful content, as covered in "Steps in preparing a short presentation" (section II). Supporting the content are audio-visual aids, discussed in "Selection and use of audio-visual aids" (section III). Careful selection and use of such aids can provide clarification, a change of pace, and stimulus during the body of the presentation. Section IV, "Making the presentation," highlights the importance of platform, vocal, and audience-retention techniques. Together, these things--meaningful content, appropriate aids, and good delivery style--will help you get your message across in a manner that will achieve the objectives of your presentation. 37 Juvenile Firesetter/ Arson Control and Prevention Program Workshop Evaluation DAY 1 We would like your evaluation of the workshop to be anonymous. Please provide the following information, however, to help us apply the information you provide to improving the materials and future workshops: Position: Agency: Years involved in juvenile firesetting: Brief summary of your role in the prevention/ intervention of juvenile firesetting/ arson: We would like you to evaluate each session of the workshop: 1. Please rate the following elements of the workshop session, The Juvenile Firesetter: Personality Profiles. Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor a. Usefulness of the information presented b. Clarity of the information presented c. Opportunity to ask questions d. Opportunity to participate e. Pace and amount of information covered 38 f. What were the strongest or most useful aspects of the session (i. e., what was good about it?)? g. What were the weakest or least useful aspects of the session? h. When you return to work, how useful will this session be to you in developing or improving a juvenile firesetter/ arson program? i. What would you add or eliminate from the session to improve its usefulness? Extremely useful Very useful Average; added little to current practice or knowledge Not very useful Not useful at all 2. Please rate the following elements of the workshop session, Screening and Evaluating Juvenile Firesetters. Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor a. Usefulness of the information presented b. Clarity of the information presented c. Opportunity to ask questions d. Opportunity to participate e. Pace and amount of information covered f. What were the strongest or most useful aspects of the session (i. e., what was good about it?)? 39 g. What were the weakest or least useful aspects of the session? h. When you return to work, how useful will this session be to you in developing or improving a juvenile firesetter/ arson program? Extremely useful Very useful Average; added little to current practice or knowledge Not very useful Not useful at all i. What would you add or eliminate from the session to improve its usefulness? 3. Please rate the following elements of the workshop session, How to Interview Juvenile Firesetters. Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor a. Usefulness of the information presented b. Clarity of the information presented c. Opportunity to ask questions d. Opportunity to participate e. Pace and amount of information covered f . What were the strongest or most useful aspects of the session (i. e., what was good about it?)? 40 g. What were the weakest or least useful aspects of the session? h. When you return to work, how useful will this session be to you in developing or improving a juvenile firesetter/ arson program? Extremely useful Very useful Average; added little to current practice or knowledge Not very useful Not useful at all i. What would you add or eliminate from the session to improve its usefulness? 41 Juvenile Firesetter/ Arson Control and Prevention Program Workshop Evaluation DAY 2 We would like your evaluation of the workshop to be anonymous. Please provide the following information, however, to help us apply the information you provide to improving the materials and future workshops: Position: Agency: Years involved in juvenile firesetting: Brief summary of your role in the prevention/ intervention of juvenile firesetting/ arson: We would like you to evaluate each session of the workshop: 4. Please rate the following elements of the workshop session, Intervention Services and Referral Mechanisms. Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor a. Usefulness of the information presented b. Clarity of the information presented c. Opportunity to ask questions d. Opportunity to participate e. Pace and amount of information covered f . What were the strongest or most useful aspects of the session (i. e., what was good about it?)? 42 g. What were the weakest or least useful aspects of the session? h. When you return to work, how useful will this session be to you in developing or improving a juvenile firesetter/ arson program? Extremely useful Very useful Average; added little to current practice or knowledge Not very useful Not useful at all i. What would you add or eliminate from the session to improve its usefulness? 5. Please rate the following elements of the workshop session, Program Management, Publicity and Outreach Monitoring Systems. Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor a. Usefulness of the information presented b. Clarity of the information presented c. Opportunity to ask questions d. Opportunity to participate e. Pace and amount of information covered f. What were the strongest or most useful aspects of the session (i. e., what was good about it?)? 43 g. What were the weakest or least useful aspects of the session? h. When you return to work, how useful will this session be to you in developing or improving a juvenile firesetter/ arson program? Extremely useful Very useful Average; added little to current practice or knowledge Not very useful Not useful at all i . What would you add or eliminate from the session to improve its usefulness? 6. Please rate the group discussions based on case studies (Harry, Mark, Angie, etc.) on the following elements: Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor a. Usefulness of discussion b. Potential for improving working relationships among participants 44 7. Please rate the panel discussion regarding Building an Effective Firesetter Program on the following elements: Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor a. Usefulness of discussion b. Potential for improving working relationships among participants The next nine questions relate to the workshop as a whole. 8. a. How did the workshop compare with other similar activities you have attended? Much better than most Somewhat better than most About the same, average Somewhat worse than most Much worse than most b . What other workshops or training activities have you attended in regard to the juvenile firesetting/ arson problem? 9. In regard to the overall value of the workshop in terms of assisting you in your work with juvenile firesetters, was the value of the workshop: Outstanding, exceeded expectations Excellent, very helpful Average, met basic expectations Met minimum requirements, little else Unsatisfactory, left many questions unanswered 45 10. What might have been done differently, or included, to improve the workshop? 11. Was the workshop: Too short --more time was needed to cover additional topics or details. The right length Too long --information was "old hat", covered little new information. 12. Was the workshop pertinent to your needs and interests? Yes No Partially 13. a. Were there specific areas in which you gained new knowledge or skills? Yes No Some b. If yes, in what areas? 46 14. What portion( s) of the workshop are apt to be most helpful to you in the future? Why? 15. What portion( s) of the workshop are least apt to be helpful to you in the future? Why? 16. Was the workshop: Too basic Just right Too advanced The following questions pertain to the three documents distributed for the workshop. 17. Please rate the potential usefulness of each document: Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor Haven't reviewed yet a. User's Guide b. Volume I: Guidelines for Implementation c. Volume II: Resource Materials 47 18. Please rate each program component (considering the material in all three documents) in terms of its value to you in regard to your work in juvenile firesetting: Value to work (circle rating) High Average Low Havent reviewedd Yet a. Program Management 5 4 3 2 1 b. Screening, Evaluating, and Developing the Implementation Plan 5 4 3 2 1 c. Intervention Services 5 4 3 2 1 d. Referral Mechanisms 5 4 3 2 1 e. Publicity and Outreach 5 4 3 2 1 f. Monitoring Systems 5 4 3 2 1 g. Developing Relationships with the Justice System 5 4 3 2 1 19. Which components will be most useful to you, and why? 20. Which components will be least useful to you, and why? Thank you very much for your comments. Because this workshop is part of a developmental effort, we will follow-up in two ways: (1) Sending all participants a follow-up questionnaire covering the actual use and value of the workshop and materials, and (2) Conducting telephone interviews with a sample of participants, to explore the extent of program implementation or changes due to the workshop and materials. Please be sure your name, address, and phone number have been provided to the workshop trainers. 48 Appendix D Case Studies 49 HARRY Case 1. Harry is eight years old and lives with his parents in a comfortable suburban community. Harry, an only child, is a quiet boy who prefers playing alone than with his neighborhood friends. He is very bright and does well in school, especially in math and science. Harry says he wants to be an engineer when he grows up. Teachers describe Harry as shy and not very athletically- inclined. They report that he is very cooperative in school and well-liked by his classmates. His parents both say there are times when Harry becomes demanding, however they feel that this is his way of asking for attention. Harry and his parents spend a great deal of time with one another, especially on the weekends. One afternoon Harry was playing alone in his room with his new science kit. He was beginning the dissection of a frog. Curious about the somewhat thick skin of the frog, he decided to see if it were combustible. He went to the kitchen, found some matches and returned to his room. He struck one match and held the flame near the frog. The match dropped from his hand, fell to the floor and caught his bedroom curtains on fire. Harry ran from his room to tell his mother. FRANK Case 2. Frank is ten years old and lives with his mother and his eleven year old sister in a lower-middle income urban area. Frank's mom and dad have been divorced for eight years. Frank never has really known his father. For the last two years, Frank's mom had been living with a man whom, she says, was very generous to her family. He liked to spend time with her children, but he could be extremely rigid and overly punitive, particularly when Frank did something which displeased him. Recently the mother separated from him because he physically abused her. Frank witnessed this abuse several times, and may also have been a victim. However, when asked, both mom and Frank deny that any of the physical abuse was directed at Frank. During the time of the separation, Frank's mom began to notice some behavior problems in her son. His ability to concentrate dramatically decreased, and reports came from school that he was involved in fights with his peers. At home, Frank had frequent temper outbursts during which he would become so angry that he would physically destroy his toys. Also, Frank was verbally aggressive and belligerent toward his sister. He was being generally disruptive both at school and at home. His mom reported this was unusual behavior for Frank and that she was very concerned for his well-being. Frank's mom noted that he had been curious about fire since the age of three, when she found him playing with matches in their kitchen. At that time she taught him how to correctly strike a match. Together they would practice striking matches, blowing them out and throwing them in the fireplace. He was told never to play with matches. He also was encouraged to come to his mom if he ever felt the urge to strike a match, and they would do it together. Despite these rules about firestarting, during the past few weeks Frank's mom found some scrapes of burned newspaper in their fireplace. One afternoon she arrived home early from work in time to see Frank rolling-up pages of newspaper, lighting them and throwing them into the fireplace. She became angry, describing the possible consequences of what could happen if the flaming newspaper accidently caught the house on fire. Frank's most recent fire episode involved igniting his model airplane on the gas stove and running with it to the fireplace. Unfortunately, he did not reach the fireplace in time, and the burning airplane fell on the carpet, starting a small fire. Frightened and confused, Frank ran to his mother for help. Luckily she was nearby and able to extinguish the fire. Shortly after this incident, she called her local fire department for help in dealing with Frank's firesetting activities. 50 CARL Case 3. Sixteen year old Carl lives with his father and younger brother in an upper-class urban neighborhood. His mother and father divorced when Carl was twelve, and the mother recently remarried. Carl's father, a prominent attorney, leaves for work early, comes home late and does a great deal of traveling. While Carl's father is absent much of the time, a loving but elderly aunt, as well as a housekeeper, share the responsibility for the two boys. Carl's mother lives in another city a few hundred miles away and visits the two boys on an irregular basis. Carl's father describes his son as "basically a good kid," but wishes he were more obedient and respectful. His mother says he is hard to talk to and never takes her seriously. Carl's aunt describes him as a charming boy who always seems to get into trouble. Although Carl is very bright, he has been expelled from several private schools because of his inability to follow the rules. These schools characterize him as the class bully and ringleader, and he always seems to be responsible for major class disruptions. Carl currently is attending a private day school, where his grades are average and his conduct marginally acceptable. Carl has a history of antisocial and delinquent behavior which began around the time of puberty. Shortly after his mother and father separated, Carl began missing several days of school for unexplained reasons. He would leave home early in the morning and return by dinner offering no explanation of where he had been or what he had been doing while not attending school. After talking with school officials, it was decided to move Carl to another educational environment. Several months later, Carl's father received a late night telephone call from the local police reporting that they had caught Carl and a few friends slashing car tires at a nearby shopping mall. Carl's father was able to convince the police not to press charges. In addition, there have been two incidents of shoplifting, one from a local drugstore and one from a large sporting goods store. On both occasions apologies were accepted, and no punishment or retribution was implemented. Carl has an apparent knack for getting into trouble and an ability to avoid experiencing the consequences of his antisocial activities. Carl's fire behavior emerged at age nine when he was caught setting trash can fires at school. Both his father and the school authorities admonished him, and shortly thereafter Carl was asked to leave the school because of constant fighting with his peers. The latest firestart was of a more serious nature. Carl had been invited to spend the night at the house of his friend Kevin. Kevin's parents went out for the evening, and the two boys decided to drink the beer which they found in the refrigerator. Both of the boys together consumed about two six-packs of beer. They then left the house and rode their bikes down to the local park and recreation area. They thought it would be easy and fun to break into. the building and steal the petty cash from the park director's desk. Once they had entered the building through an open window, they worked for several minutes to break into the desk where the petty cash was kept. Unsuccessful and frustrated by their attempt to obtain the money, they spotted a lighter on a nearby counter and ignited the papers in the trash can. They fled from the building on their bikes without attempting to extinguish the fire. On their way home they heard the sound of fire engines and assumed that they were responding to the fire they had set at the park and recreation building. 51 MARK Case 4. Mark is the middle of three sons living with his mother and father in a suburban middleclass neighborhood. He is eleven-and-a-half and he is in the fifth grade. His home environment is generally positive and supportive, with a religious orientation. There is a strong degree of cohesion and achievement motivation. In addition, discipline methods are appropriate and there is adequate supervision. All of the members of the family spend time together focused on child-related activities such as going to baseball games and other recreational outings. Socially Mark appears to be accepted by his peers, although his best friend recently died. Mark failed the first grade, and has been placed in special education classes. His teachers report that he has numerous academic problems and is starting to display conduct problems in school. Mark has had several "small" firesetting incidents over the last five years. His parents report that Mark has left over 50 burn marks on items around the house. Both parents smoke, and ignition sources, such as matches and lighters, are readily available. The last fire Mark set was in his own room. He found matches in the house, went to his room and set fire to some paper and furniture. He extinguished the fire himself. Just prior to the fire, he had been told by his mother that he could not attend an overnight at his friend's house because the friend's parents would not be at home. No significant damages resulted from the fire. Mark's parents claim that he sets fires when he is angry or upset. As a result of setting this last fire, Mark was disciplined by his parents. They eliminated his after-school baseball practice for two weeks. Mark was not happy about this punishment, and he is threatening to set another fire. ANGIE Case 5. Angie is a fifteen year old black female who is the oldest of three sisters. She lives with her mother and father, both of whom are highly successful professionals in the entertainment industry. The family environment is somewhat positive, however, there are reports by the mother of a high degree of tension and discord between she and Angie. The mother also reports that Angie often displays aggressive behavior (arguing, hitting, etc.) toward her younger sisters. There appears to be adequate discipline and supervision, with a moderate level of imposed punishment. The family typically does not spend a great deal of time together participating in recreational activities. Angie has many friends with whom she spends the majority of her time. She claims that all her friends smoke and she also enjoys it. Her school reports that she has a very high IQ, but her grades and conduct are well below average. Angie has a significant psychiatric history. Two years ago she was hospitalized for three months for depression and a suicide attempt. At that time she received major tranquilizers and antidepressant medications. Her recovery was excellent and she has been in outpatient psychotherapy on an irregular basis since that time. There appears to be no recurrence of that type or degree of psychopathology. Currently she is not on medication nor in psychotherapy. Angie's firesetting behavior was first noticed by her parents when she was eight. Her parents reported that she was found playing with matches without adult supervision. She was punished, and told not to engage in that type of behavior again. However, shortly thereafter, the housekeeper noticed several small items around the house with burn marks, including parts of a carpet and a section of Angie's bedroom curtains. Her parents again admonished her, and punished her by not letting her watch television for one week. There were no known firesetting incidents until recently. 52 Angie's current firesetting incident occurred when she burned a book with a lighter she found in the house. She said she had been feeling sad, lonely, and anxious before setting the fire, she set the fire because "she felt like it," and she felt great afterward. She described it as an impulsive act, she had not planned the tire, nor had she thought about potential consequences. Her parents felt that by setting the fire Angie wanted to cause physical harm and damage to their household. *U. S. G. P. 0.: 1994-521-514: 81158 United States Fire Administration/Federal Emergency Management Agency 53