About the Program
The Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Team is responsible for educating any juvenile involved in the setting of fires. The program is based on a 4-meeting process with the juvenile, parents, and the Juvenile Firesetter Interventionist. The goal of the intervention is to educate the juvenile and parents to make them aware of the dangers involved when playing with fire.
All information obtained during the intervention is confidential.
Voluntary & Mandatory Involvement
The program is for the most part voluntary in nature. However, there are some cases that are sent to us through the State’s Attorney’s Office, which are part of a court order required to complete sentence requirements or probation.
Program Benefits
The Juvenile Firesetter Team handles approximately 4-8 cases a year. The team has had positive results over the past 20 years. We rarely see repeat offenders and the interventions are received positively by all parties involved.
Certification & Training
The DeKalb Fire Department Juvenile Firesetter team consists of 5 members and 1 coordinator. All members are certified through the State of Illinois and follow a set procedure/format which is used to grade and evaluate the juvenile’s specific case.