Forensics - Anger management

Question 1

What did Novaco suggest about what leads people to act agressively?

Answer 1

Novaco suggested that thought processes trigger emotional arousal, which then leads to aggressive or criminal acts. In such individuals, anger arises more quickly.

Question 2

What are the aims of anger management?

Answer 2

Anger management aims to identify the signs which trigger anger, and learn techniques to calm down and deal with a situation more positively, without the need to resort to violence. It is a form of CBT.

Question 3

Outline the stages of anger management therapy

Answer 3

1) Cognitive preparation: the offender reflects on past experiences and actions to identify what triggers their anger and how they interpret situations (for instance, seeing a person looking at them and interpreting this as a sign of hostility). They are taught to try to interpret such situations differently.

2) Skill acquisition: Offenders are taught a range of techniques to help them deal with anger and to approach anger-triggering situations differently. They may include positive self-talk, communicating more effectively, and relaxation techniques.

3) Application practice: Offenders practise their skills through techniques such as role play, where previous anger-inducing situations are re-enacted by the therapist and offender, in order to use more rational and calm responses.

Question 4

Evaluate anger management therapy - Keen

Answer 4

Keen et al (2000) looked at the effects of the ‘National Anger Management Package’ in the UK, which worked with young offenders. Following initial issues with offenders taking the programme seriously, results showed that offenders reported increased awareness of anger management difficulties, and more self-control.

Question 5

Evaluate anger management therapy - long-term effect?

Answer 5

Anger management aims to change the cognitive causes of anger, rather than superficially changing behaviour (as in token economy techniques). Therefore, this technique should be more likely to lead to long-lasting behavioural change.

However, the evidence for this is very limited, perhaps because the role play situations cannot account for all possible anger-triggering scenarios in real life. Therefore, the long-term effect of anger management is in question.

Question 6

Evaluate anger management therapy - implementation

Answer 6

require highly trained specialists, prisons may not have resources to fund it, requires commitment – may not be useful if prisons are lacking, or prisoners refuse to co-operate