anger management Flashcards
statistics for reoffending ?
46% of adults who are imprisoned re-convict within one year of release. over 67% of under 18s re-convict within one year of release
2 aims of anger management ?
- short term aim is to reduce anger and aggression in prisons where its a serious issue
- long term aim is rehabilitation and reduction of reoffending
hostile attribution bias ?
when someone smiles at you, you think they are secretly judging you or making fun of you. this is an irrational negative thought.
anger management definition?
a theraputic programme offered in prisons to identify triggers and allow offenders to deal with the situation in a positive and calm manner
what approach is anger management ?
cognitive appraoch so aims are to change the way a person handles their anger and aggression. we may not be able to change the situation. someone shouting at you, you can control how you think, respond and behave
3 aims for AM ?
Navaco identified 3 aims which draws on SIT which is a form of CBT.
1. cognitive restructuring - greater self awareness and control over cognitive dimensions of anger
2. regulation of arousal - controlling our physiological state
3. behavioural strategies - developing problem solving skills and being assertive
3 steps of anger management ?
- conceptualisation
- skill acquisition
- application practice
conceptualisation phase ?
the education phase, the offender reflects on their past and experience anger and triggers. they are shown how their immediate throughts trigger the violent behaviour and that these thoughts may be irrational or a misinterpretation of the situation. therapist will aim to break an irrational automatic response in future
skill acquisition?
offenders introduced to a range of techniques and skills to help them deal with the triggers more effectively.
cognitive skills - positive self talk
behavioural assertiveness - training the help them communicate more effectively or techniques to avoid conflict
physiological - methods of relaxation or meditation
application practice ?
offenders are given the opportunity to practice their skills within a monitored environment using role play. the successful response would be met with positive reinforcement from the therapist
2 evaluation points?
- isnt for everyone
- are anger and aggression related
AM isnt for everyone ?
some offenders dont like to reflect on their style of thinking and therefore will drop out of the programme however an alternative is to use drama based courses which are less reliant on verbal participation and can be more engaging, which is known to be more effective
- in order to reduce drop out bumbers research conduct a ‘readiness to change’ assessment before the programme to measure the readiness of the participate rather than wasting research time
are anger and aggression related ?
ultimately we’re trying to reduce aggression and crime. to aggression when why are we using anger management is it irrelevent. loza suggests anger management programmes can be harmful to prisoners because they will attribute their violent behaviour to anger rather than take personal responsibility . howells conducted that ‘anger is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for aggression and violent crime’ violence may not be due to anger but may be due to protection, jealousy or alcohol induced
2 ethical issues ?
- lack of consent
- therapist conflict
lack of consent?
offedners are requested to take part in anger management programmes as part of their sentence or as part of their probation. this goes against the ethical code for therapists as they do not have valid consent. however, the therapist has to balance between the cost and benefits of an unwilling PT. its unethical as theres no consent however there could be a reduction in aggression which is a positive
therapist conflict ?
the therapist has a duty for the patient and for the establishment. however if they learn info that could be a threat or cause harm or are exposed to details of the crime, who does the therapist protect? breaching therapist confidence poses many dilemmas and it can effect the trust confidence and respectability.
social implications ?
- benefits to prisons
- financial implications
benefits to prisons ?
anger management programmes benefit prison staff and other prisoners they have the potential to reduce aggression and violence which can create hostile environment
financial implications?
reoffending rates equates to £9 billion each year so any programme that can reduce even a small amount can have benefits to society. if offenders learn to control their anger and are released from prison this may prevent them from reoffending
