Forensics- Dealing W/ Offending Behaviour: Anger Management Flashcards
Anger management -
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. The aim of anger management is not to prevent anger but to recognise it and manage it. Anger management can be offered in prison to encourage self-awareness and facilitate rehabilitation.
What does Raymond Novaco (1975) suggest about cognitive factors and anger?
Raymond Novaco suggests that cognitive factors trigger emotional arousal, which generally precedes aggressive acts. In some people, anger surfaces quickly in situations perceived as anxiety-inducing or threatening.
How is becoming angry reinforced in behaviourist terms?
Becoming angry is reinforced by the individual’s feeling of control in that situation.
What type of therapy are anger management programmes, and what do they teach?
Anger management programmes are a form of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). They teach individuals to recognise when they are losing control and develop conflict-resolution techniques without violence.
What happens in the cognitive preparation stage of anger management?
In the cognitive preparation stage, the offender reflects on past experiences and identifies typical patterns of anger. The therapist helps the offender recognise irrational interpretations of events, such as viewing someone looking at them as confrontational, and redefines situations as non-threatening.
What is the goal of the skill acquisition stage in anger management?
The goal is to introduce offenders to techniques to deal with anger-provoking situations more rationally. These include cognitive techniques like positive self-talk, behavioural techniques like assertiveness training, and physiological techniques like relaxation or meditation.
What occurs during the application practice stage of anger management?
Offenders practise their skills in a monitored environment through role play. The therapist and offender re-enact scenarios that previously escalated anger, with the therapist “winding up” the offender to assess progress. Successful negotiation of role play is met with positive reinforcement.
What did Julia Keen et al. (2000) study regarding anger management?
Julia Keen et al. studied young offenders aged 17–21 who participated in the National Anger Management Package, developed by the England and Wales Prison Service. The programme included eight two-hour sessions, with offenders reporting increased awareness of anger management difficulties and improved self-control.
How does anger management differ from behaviour modification?
Anger management tackles the causes of offending by addressing thought processes, while behaviour modification focuses on surface behaviour. Anger management may lead to permanent behavioural change and lower recidivism rates.
What is the eclectic approach in anger management?
Anger management works on multiple levels: cognitive preparation to identify anger triggers, behavioural techniques for self-management, and a social approach in role play. This multidisciplinary approach acknowledges offending as a complex social and psychological activity.
What does Ronald Blackburn (1993) say about the long-term effectiveness of anger management?
Blackburn notes that while anger management may improve offender conduct in the short term, there is little evidence it reduces recidivism long-term. This may be due to the artificial nature of role play compared to real-life triggers.
What challenge do Wagdy Loza and Amel Loza-Fanous (1999) pose to anger management theories?
They found no differences in anger levels between violent and non-violent offenders, suggesting anger may not directly cause offending. They also argue anger management programmes could provide offenders with a justification for their behaviour.
Why might anger management programmes be considered expensive and requiring commitment?
They require highly trained specialists and resources, which many prisons lack. Success also depends on offender commitment, which can be problematic if prisoners are uncooperative or apathetic.
How does the concept of the ‘organised offender’ challenge the idea that anger causes offending?
Many crimes, such as financial fraud, are not motivated by anger, and organised offenders often act deliberately rather than impulsively, challenging the assumption that anger is a primary cause of offending
