Anger management

• Novaco suggests that cognitive factors trigger the emotional arousal that comes before aggressive acts
• Novaco's argument is that, in some people, anger is quick to surface in situations they perceive to be threatening or anxiety-inducing. Becoming angry is then reinforced by the individual's feeling of control in that situation
• Anger management programmes are a form of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)
• during anger management CBT programmes, individuals are taught to:

  • recognise the cognitive factors that trigger their anger and loss of control
  • develop behavioural techniques that bring about conflict-resolution without the need for violence
• What are the three stages in anger management?

  Cognitive preparation, skill acquisition and application practice
• Stage 1: cognitive preparation= reflect on the past
• Cognitive preparation:

  This stage requires the offender to reflect on past experience- they learn to identify triggers to anger and the ways their interpretation of events may be irrational

  For instance, the offender may view someone looking at them as confrontation. In redefining the situation as non-threatening, the therapist is attempting to break what may be an automatic response for the offender
• Skill acquisition:

  In this stage offenders are introduced to a range of techniques and skills to help them deal with anger provoking situations. Techniques may be:

  • Cognitive: positive self-talk to promote calmness
  • Behavioural: assertiveness training to communicate more effectively
  • Physiological: methods of relaxation and/or meditation
• Stage 2: skill acquisition= techniques to deal with anger
• Stage 3: application practice= role play
• Application practice:

  In this stage offenders are given the opportunity to practice their skills in a carefully monitored environment

  For example, role play between the offender and therapist may involve re-enacting scenarios that led to anger and violence in the past

  Successful negotiation of the role play would be met with positive reinforcement by the therapist
• Keen at al:

  Studied the progress of young offenders between 17 and 21 who took part in an anger management programme- eight two-hour sessions

  Initially there were difficulties with the offenders forgetting their diaries and not taking it seriously

  By the end offenders generally reported increased awareness of their anger and capacity for self-control
• Keen et al.= positive outcomes with young offenders
• Strength: tackles causes

  Rather than focusing on superficial surface behaviour (as in the case of behaviour modification), anger management addresses the thought processes underlying offending behaviour. Anger management may give offenders new insight into the causes of their criminality enabling them to self-discover ways of managing themselves outside of prison. As such, it is more likely than behaviour modification to lead to permanent behaviour change and lower rates of recidivism
• Limitation: anger may not be the cause of offending

  Theories of anger often assume a straightforward causal relationship between anger and offending. However, this assumption may be false. Loza and Loza-Fanous found differences in levels of anger between offenders classed as violent and non-violent. This suggests that anger management programmes may be misguided or even damaging if they provide offenders with justification for their behaviour
• Limitation: expense and commitment required

  Anger management programmes are expensive to run as they require trained specialists used to dealing with violent offenders. Many prisoners cannot fund these programmes. In addition, the success of anger management is often based on the commitment of those who participate. This may be a problem if prisoners are uncooperative. These issues limit the effectiveness of the programmes
• Strength: it is an eclectic approach

  Anger management works on different levels. Cognitive preparation identifies precursors to anger. The behavioural perspective develops self-management techniques. Also, a social approach is adopted when offenders are required to demonstrate what they have learned during role play. This multidisciplinary approach acknowledges that offending is a complex social and psychological activity