兩者均與縱火焚燒房屋或財(cái)產(chǎn)有關(guān)。它們之間的區(qū)別在于 arson (也稱為statutory arson)有兩種含義：一是指普通法上規(guī)定的有意和有預(yù)謀地縱火焚燒他人住宅的犯罪，侵犯他人居住安全或占用財(cái)產(chǎn)之權(quán)利，稱為“縱火焚宅罪”；二是指制定法上規(guī)定的有意違法縱火焚燒他人財(cái)產(chǎn)（其內(nèi)涵大于住宅）或自己之財(cái)產(chǎn)（如為騙保費(fèi)）之犯罪，為廣義的“縱火罪”[1]。相比之下，house-burning (也稱為combustio domorum)則是指有意焚燒自己的房屋，由此對他人房屋導(dǎo)致威脅（但并非真正造成損害）之犯罪，其屬于普通法上的輕罪（misdemeanor)，該罪名于1968年被statutory burglary所取代，現(xiàn)只在蘇格蘭保留，故其為“焚宅罪”[2]。

 

[1]“At common law, the malicious burning of the house of another. This definition, however, has been broadened by state statutes and criminal codes. For example, the Model Penal Code，Art. 220. 1 (1), provides that a person is guilty of arson，a felony of the second degree, if he starts a fire or causes an explosion with the purpose of (a) destroying a building or occupied structure of another；or ( b) destroying or damaging any property， whether his own or another's, to collect insurance for such loss. Other situations include the destruction of property by other means； e. g. explosion. * Cf. The Publisher's Editorial Staff, Black's Law Dictionary, abridged 6th edition, at p. 73，West Publishing Co. (1991).

 

[2]“The common-law misdemeanor of intentionally burning one's own house that is within city limits or that is close enough to other houses that might be in danger of catching fire (although no actual damage to them results). ”Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 744, West Group (1999).