ANGER MANAGEMENT AO1

• One method of modifying criminal behaviour is Anger Management (AM), which is a type of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) that aims to help individuals use productive methods to manage their anger, instead of demonstrating their anger in abusive, aggressive, and criminal ways.
• Novaco (1975) suggests that some violent offences occur because offenders cannot deal effectively with their anger, which tends to be expressed in antisocial ways and displaced onto inappropriate targets. In an anger management programme, cognitive behavioural techniques are used to help offenders deal effectively with their feelings of anger.
• Moreover, Novaco notes anger management has three key aims: 1. Cognitive restructuring: this aims to promote greater self-awareness and control over cognitive dimensions of anger. 2. Regulation of arousal: this aims to identify physiological or biological signs of anger and techniques to deal with them. 3. Behavioural strategies: this aims to develop problem solving and assertiveness skills.
• Anger management (AM) programmes


  Programmes to help offenders manage their anger
• Stages in most AM programmes

  1. Cognitive preparation

  2. Skills acquisition

  3. Application practice
• Cognitive preparation stage


  • Offenders analyse their own patterns of anger: the situations and the thinking processes that accompany their anger
  • Offenders identify irrational thinking processes that may lead to or sustain angry outbursts
• Skills acquisition stage


  • Offenders learn skills to help them manage their anger, including relaxation, avoidance, or social skills such as assertiveness and conflict resolution
• Application practice stage


  • Offenders practise their newly acquired skills in a controlled and non-threatening environment
  • This could include role-playing of situations identified in the first stage as being a trigger for the offenders
• Example of an anger management programme


  • Controlling Anger and Learning to Manage It Program (CALM)
• CALM programme


  1. Monitor and understand emotions

  2. Prevent and control problematic behaviours

  3. Reduce frequency, intensity, and duration of anger

  4. Lessen likelihood of aggression

  5. Manage other strong negative emotions like jealousy
• CALM programme


  • 24 group work sessions
  • Each session lasts 2 1/2 hours
  • Twice a week
• Topics covered in CALM group work sessions

  • Understanding anger and aggression
  • How thinking affects behaviour
  • Developing effective communication skills
  • Managing anger and other emotions
  • Practice skills to avoid re-offending