The Arsonist Profiles: Analyzing Arson Motives and Behavior

The author, Detective Ed Nordskog is an internationally recognized expert on arson, serial arson, criminal bombers and arsonists. The Arsonist Profiles is his third book describing the unique crimes of arson and serial arson, and the individuals who commit them. Nordskog approaches this subject from a very unique perspective. He is the senior arson investigator for the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (largest and busiest arson/bomb unit in the United States) and has personally conducted over 2,000 arson investigations. He has been a cop for over thirty years and a Detective for twenty-six years. Nordskog not only has studied and written extensively about serial arsonists, he has been a Lead Investigator or co-Investigator on over 55 serial arson investigations, and has advised other police and fire agencies on several more. He has personally studied over 900 serial arson cases from around the world. Nordskog is one of only a small handful of arson profilers in the world and probably the only one working as an active detective on arson and bomb cases. As part of his daily duties, Det. Nordskog visits arson scenes, processes evidence, develops leads, and then tracks down the fire offender. He has been involved in the arrests and prosecutions of over 300 arsonists in his career. Several of those arsonists have been sentenced to decades in prison, while a couple more have been sentenced to Death. Det. Nordskog differs from other profilers in this field as he is able to sit face to face and interview the arsonist in their most vulnerable and candid moments; that first few hours after their arrest. It is at this important juncture that the truth often comes out. The arsonist is usually too exhausted or disoriented to form coherent lies and has not been contaminated with alibis and excuses by jailhouse lawyers, defense attorneys, and psychologists. Nordskog has looked into the eyes of the arsonists as they speak. He has talked to their victims, their families, and their friends. He has searched their homes and rooms and read their emails, texts, computer searches and journals. He has delved into the lair of the arsonist and has found as much truth as there is to find. By these standard investigation techniques, Nordskog has accumulated information and helped refine and develop profiling techniques for these unique offenders. He has learned that arsonists are not easily defined and are extremely complex criminals. No single profile fits all and Nordskog has learned of several types and sub-types in this genre. He knows that most arsonists are classified best by the motive of their attacks and by the sophistication of the ignition scenario. In The Arsonist Profiles, Det. Ed Nordskog breaks down the motives of arson and the sub-types within the motives. He talks about the “red flags of arson”, staging arson scenes, targeting methods of arsonists, pattern analysis and incendiary device analysis. Nordskog describes the sub-types of arsonists to include; females, juveniles, gang/organized crime groups, profit related arson, extremist groups, and the most common motive of all, the revenge based arsonists. As usual Nordskog tells his stories through detailed analysis of his own arson investigations and from those of other recognized investigators in the field. The short case histories are raw and honest and highlight both the good and bad of arson investigation and the criminal justice system. This third book, The Arsonist Profiles is a natural follow-up by Nordskog to his first two books; "Torchered Minds-Case histories of notorious serial arsonists"; and "Fireraisers, Freaks, and Fiends-Obsessive Arsonists in the California foothills". Nordskog's books are "must reads" for all criminal investigators, prosecutors, fire chiefs and true crime buffs. They should also be required reading for any mental health professionals who are dabbling in this field.