Can Anger Management Be Used to Help Violent offenders?

Anger management also known as Cognitive behavioural treatments have become more commonplace and accepted as a form of treatment to help reduce reconvictions and recidivism in incarcerated offenders. Community based anger management programs are also set in place and are available to individuals who are struggling to deal with anger issues and seek treatment before they commit offences. However, can these programs be used to deal with most violent criminals? This paper will look at what is involved within an anger management program, how they are set up, and the desired outcomes from individuals that participate in these programs. The paper will also look at the legal, and psychological meanings of violent criminals, and whether there is a defining difference between the two practises. Finally, this essay will explore two case studies of anger management and the effects that were found when dealing with violent offenders. Firstly looking at the case study by Dowden, Blanchette and Serin conducted in 1999 on the effectiveness of an anger management program with offenders in Canada. In addition, a prison- and community corrections-based anger management programs in South Australia and Western Australia that were conducted by Watts and Howells in 1999. Finally, this paper will show that although some violent behaviour may be helped with anger management programs overall most violent criminals will receive no benefit from such programs.

Anger is a basic emotion that all human beings experience in response to unexpected or unwanted behaviour by others (Kassinove & Raymond, 2002). Destructive acts of violence and mental and health problems can however manifest (Jones & Hollin, 2004)

The definition of anger management is a structured program to foster self-regulation of anger and aggressive behaviour (Novaco, 1975). With offenders, in particular violent offenders anger management programs are one of the most common forms of rehabilitative practises. These programs are available within the penal systems for violent offenders, and within our communities for those individuals that need help with controlling their anger and resentment before they may commit crimes.

Anger management programs are formulated on a cognitive approach to behaviour change, each session can vary on length and all programs use trained facilitators to conduct the programs. Program contents will focus on the individual being able to identify the trigger for their anger and to focus on skills such as relaxation, assertion, cognitive restructuring and relapse prevention. Not all anger management programs are run the same way, but the focus of all of the programs is to help individuals to restructure their cognitive behaviour in a way as to avoiding violent outbursts that a stable non-aggressive individual would behave in the same set of circumstances. The focus of an Anger management program is trying to reduce anger frequency, the duration of how long the anger lasts and the modes of expression. (Novaco, 1975)

There are three key areas, "1. Cognitive restructuring of clients' attentional focus, thinking styles, fixed ways of perceiving aversive events, and rumination. 2. Reducing general tension, arousal to provocation, and impulsive reactions by training controlled breathing, deep muscle relaxation, and use of tranquil imagery. 3. Training behavioural coping (e.g. diplomacy, strategic withdrawal, and respectful assertiveness) to handle provoking situations constructively and promote problem solving" (Novaco, 1975). These skills are fostered through trained therapists and role-playing scenarios are set up to help offenders to recognise situations in which their anger is triggered. The main aim of these programs is to change the cognitive behaviours of violent offenders so that they may be rehabilitated and become a part of society.

Though the legal definition of a violent criminal will alter from country to country there seems to be the common thread in all countries that violence is an act or series of acts, during the commission of an offence that lead to the injury or death of one or more persons. Legally this does not have to be a deliberate act of violence in some countries. As the legal definition does change from society to society is makes it difficult to find that common link as to what constitutes as violent. Some of the offences that fall under the violent crime laws are Assault, Murder, Manslaughter, Burglary, Sexual Assault and even Terrorism in some countries this is just a minute amount of offences that may legally fall under a definition of a violent crime. So therefore, if you commit these acts you are therefore in the eyes of the law known as a violent criminal. The law does not recognise said personality traits of a violent criminal it is only interested in the legislature and what is considered a violent act.

Psychologists definitions of a violent criminal are broad there is only a few common link as to what constitutes as violent criminal behaviour such as anger. But unlike a legal situation where the legislature is set and if you perpetrate an violent offence you are considered a violent criminal, psychologist will delve deeper into the situation and look for the why the offence was committed in the first place. For instance, Atrill in 1999 while undergoing special therapeutic treatments in prisons had three findings about violent offenders. He found that patterns of violent and criminal behaviour are entwined with supporting the criminal act, his studies suggest that those incarcerated