Forensics: Anger Management

Question 1

What is the anger management programme

Answer 1

• A therapeutic programme that involves identifying the signs that trigger anger as well as learning techniques to calm down and deal with the situation in a positive way.

Question 2

What is Novaco’s theory on anger

Answer 2

• Novaco, (1975) suggests that cognitive factors trigger emotional arousal - leading to aggressive acts.
• Anger often appears in situations that are perceived to be anxiety-inducing or life-threatening.
• Becoming angry is reinforced by a person’s feeling of control in that situation.

Question 3

What are the 3 steps of anger management

Answer 3

1. cognitive preparation
2. Skill acquisition
3. Application Practice

Question 4

What is cognitive preparation

Answer 4

• step 1
  – Offenders reflect on past experiences and consider the typical pattern of their anger.
  – They identify triggers and the way they interpreted the event at the time.
  – The therapist gets them to redefine the situation.

Question 5

What is skill acquisition

Answer 5

• step 2
• Cognitive: New coping skills and techniques learned, e.g. positive self-talk such as “stop and think” and counting to encourage calmness.
  – Physiological: Relaxation techniques learned
  – Behavioural: Assertiveness training can help deal with
  issue constructively, not violently.
  – Aim – that they can be in control of the situation.

Question 6

What is application practice

Answer 6

• step 3:
• Offenders practise their skills in a carefully monitored environment.
• Role-play a variety of scenarios to practise new skills to control anger.
• The therapist must provide positive reinforcement and offender must treat scenarios as real-life scenarios.

Question 7

What was the anger management package (Keen)

Answer 7

• Developed by the England and Wales prison service for young offenders between 17-21.
• Eight 2 hour sessions -> 7 over a 3 week period and the last one a month later.

outcomes:
- Offenders reported increased awareness of their anger management difficulties.
- an increased capacity to exercise self-control.

Question 8

(-) Explain Howells research on the anger management programme

Answer 8

• Measured the success level of anger management with violent offenders.
• The programme reduced anger but not to a statistically significant level.
• Offenders readiness to take part in the programme was a major factor in whether the programme was a success.

Question 9

List the evaluations of the anger management programme

Answer 9

positive:
- Eclectic approach
- effective compared with behaviour modification

Negative:
- Anger may not cause offending
- Expensive + requires commitment

Question 10

(+) explain how anger management takes an eclectic approach

Answer 10

• Multidisciplinary approach:
  -> Cognitive preparation – behavioural perspective – social approach.
• Acknowledges that offending is a complex social and psychological activity.

Question 11

(+) explain how anger management is good compared to behaviour modification programmes

Answer 11

• attempts to address thought processes that underlie offending behaviour.
• they self-discover ways of managing themselves outside of prison.
• permanent behavioural change and lower rates of recidivism.

Question 12

(-) explain how anger may not actually cause offending
(Loza and Loza-Fanous)

Answer 12

• This approach assumes there is a causal relationship between anger and offending.
• Loza and Loza-Fanous (1999) studied:
  – Canadian offenders.
  – Looked at offences, recidivism and anger scores. -> found no significant link between anger and violent/non-violent offences.
• Suggested anger management can be misguided in offering offenders justifications for their behaviour.
  –> Many crimes are not motivated by anger.

Question 13

(-) explain how anger management is expensive and requires commitment

Answer 13

• Highly trained specialised who are used to dealing with violent offenders.
• Commitment -> may be difficult if prisoners are uncooperative and apathetic.