Rhode Island grades arson by what was burned and who was inside. First degree arson covers fires set to occupied dwellings, occupied buildings, places of worship, public buildings, and certain vessels - any structure where people were present or likely to be present. This is the most serious arson charge. Second degree arson applies to unoccupied dwellings and unoccupied buildings where no person was present and no person was likely to be inside at the time. Many insurance-motivated house fires land here because the home was intentionally emptied. Third degree arson covers other property - motor vehicles, boats, equipment, sheds, the property of another person - and is the least severe of the three. All three are felonies. The degree drives both the maximum sentence and the plea leverage your Rhode Island arson lawyer will have in negotiations with the Attorney General's office.