Arson
New Jersey Statutes Annotated 2C:17-1: Arson and Related Offenses
A person is guilty of arson if he purposely starts a fire or causes an explosion, on his own property or someone else's:
- Recklessly placing another person in danger of death or bodily injury;
- Recklessly placing a forest or someone else’s building or structure in danger of damage or destruction;
- In order to collect insurance for the destruction or damage to the property; or
- With the purpose of destroying or damaging a structure in order to exempt the structure, completely or partially, from any State or local zoning, planning or building law or regulation.
It is a fourth degree crime if:
A person knows that a fire is endangering life or a substantial amount of property of someone else, and fails to:
- Take reasonable measures to put out or control the fire, when he can do so without substantial risk to himself, or
- To give prompt fire alarm;
AND
- The person has an official, contractual, or other legal duty to prevent or combat the fire; or
- The fire was started, lawfully or not:
- By him or with his assent, or
- On property in his custody or control.
Arson is a crime of the third degree, punishable by:
- Imprisonment for three to five years;
- A fine of up to $15,000; or
- Both.
Any person who, directly or indirectly, pays or accepts or offers to pay or accept any form of consideration including, but not limited to, money or any other pecuniary benefit, regardless of whether any consideration is actually exchanged for the purpose of starting a fire or causing an explosion commits a crime of the first degree, punishable by:
- Imprisonment for ten to twenty years;
- A fine of up to $200,000; or
- Both.
If:
- A person is convicted of aggravated arson, arson or paying for or accepting payment to set a fire or an explosion; and
- The structure which was the target of the offense was a church, synagogue, temple or other place of public worship, that person commits a crime of the first degree.
- The sentence imposed shall include a minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years, during which the defendant shall be ineligible for parole.
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