Dealing with offending behaviour:
Anger management
Anger management is a therapeutic programme that involves identifying the signs that trigger anger as well as
learning techniques to calm down.
Anger management programmes are a form of CBT – the individual is taught how to recognise when they are
losing control, and then encouraged to develop techniques which bring about conflict-resolution without the
need for violence.
Three stages: Novaco:
1. Cognitive preparation • Suggests that cognitive
• Reflection on past experiences where the offender has factors trigger emotional
become angered. arousal which generally
• If the triggers detected are irrational, it is the therapist’s preceded aggressive acts.
job to make the irrationality known. • Anger appears quicker in
anxiety-inducing situations.
2. Skill acquisition
An example - Keen:
• Offender is introduced to new ways of dealing with anger
more rationally. • Keen et al. studied the
• These include: cognitive – positive self-talk, behavioural progress made by young
– training in how to communicate more effectively, offenders (aged 17-21) who
physiology – relaxation. took part in the National
Anger Management Package
(NAMP).
3. Application practice • The course comprised of
• Role play where all the new found skills are put into eight two-hour sessions, the
practice, it involves the re-enactment of situations that first seven over a three-
previously made the offender’s emotional responses week period with the last
escalate. session a month afterwards.
• During which, offenders will demonstrate a new, and • Overall, offenders reported
more positive way of coping. increased awareness of their
• Successful negotiation of the role play would be met with anger management
positive reinforcement from the therapist. difficulties and an increased
capacity to exercise self-
control.
Strengths Weaknesses
A holistic approach – the three stages involve a cognitive, Isn’t effective for everyone – Ireland: found that 8% of the
behavioural and social aspect. Therefore, this 50 inmates in a young offenders’ institution were worse
multidisciplinary approach knowledges that offending is a after receiving a treatment programme of twelve one-hour
complex social and psychological activity, and any attempt sessions over three days. After the programme their anger
to address it, should include these different elements. was again measured 8 weeks later; this would’ve made it
hard to control other variables that could influence the
inmates’ anger (e.g. interaction between inmates). Also, the
results can’t be generalised to other groups (e.g. released
Anger management
Anger management is a therapeutic programme that involves identifying the signs that trigger anger as well as
learning techniques to calm down.
Anger management programmes are a form of CBT – the individual is taught how to recognise when they are
losing control, and then encouraged to develop techniques which bring about conflict-resolution without the
need for violence.
Three stages: Novaco:
1. Cognitive preparation • Suggests that cognitive
• Reflection on past experiences where the offender has factors trigger emotional
become angered. arousal which generally
• If the triggers detected are irrational, it is the therapist’s preceded aggressive acts.
job to make the irrationality known. • Anger appears quicker in
anxiety-inducing situations.
2. Skill acquisition
An example - Keen:
• Offender is introduced to new ways of dealing with anger
more rationally. • Keen et al. studied the
• These include: cognitive – positive self-talk, behavioural progress made by young
– training in how to communicate more effectively, offenders (aged 17-21) who
physiology – relaxation. took part in the National
Anger Management Package
(NAMP).
3. Application practice • The course comprised of
• Role play where all the new found skills are put into eight two-hour sessions, the
practice, it involves the re-enactment of situations that first seven over a three-
previously made the offender’s emotional responses week period with the last
escalate. session a month afterwards.
• During which, offenders will demonstrate a new, and • Overall, offenders reported
more positive way of coping. increased awareness of their
• Successful negotiation of the role play would be met with anger management
positive reinforcement from the therapist. difficulties and an increased
capacity to exercise self-
control.
Strengths Weaknesses
A holistic approach – the three stages involve a cognitive, Isn’t effective for everyone – Ireland: found that 8% of the
behavioural and social aspect. Therefore, this 50 inmates in a young offenders’ institution were worse
multidisciplinary approach knowledges that offending is a after receiving a treatment programme of twelve one-hour
complex social and psychological activity, and any attempt sessions over three days. After the programme their anger
to address it, should include these different elements. was again measured 8 weeks later; this would’ve made it
hard to control other variables that could influence the
inmates’ anger (e.g. interaction between inmates). Also, the
results can’t be generalised to other groups (e.g. released
