Anger Management
Anger Management uses CBT to help change the inmates thought process. There are 3 main steps:
Cognitive preparation – identify triggers, identify effects this behaviour has on others
Skill acquisition – taught to deal with triggers e.g. stop and think, relaxation techniques
Application practice – role play to show how the skills can be used in a safe environment
CALM is an example of a programme which focuses on Anger Management and uses the principles of CBT. It is used for male offenders 18+ and lasts for 24 sessions. These are held twice weekly and are group meetings with a trained practitioner. The initial focus is on social skills – all inmates listen/contribute. It develops group skills where they check in – this is where each person talks about how they are feeling, their day or their progress.
Relaxation and other techniques are used to help the members discuss feelings. Group discussion leads into what makes individuals angry. Each session ends on positive note – about progress, what they enjoy or about another member. The sessions progress by introducing the idea of changing thoughts that relate to anger into something more positive. The sessions become less frequent as members progress
Evaluation
Supporting evidence:
Pearson conducted a meta-analysis which found CBT reduced recidivism while token economy programmes did not work
Ireland found after 10 weeks offenders assigned to the anger management group showed improvements in anger related behaviour compared to the control group
Dowden et al – found the programme was successful in reducing recidivism
Studies show the success of anger management programmes from self report data, which are likely to be valid as they come from prisoners themselves.
Opposing evidence:
Loza and Loza-Fanous (1999): Using psychometric tests on 271 Canadian male offenders, compared violent (murder, assault, robbery with violence) with non-violent offenders (fraud, property offences) and a group of rapists with non-rapists. They found no difference between the groups of anger measures. They argue that anger management programmes are ineffective with violent offenders and that they have the potential to be harmful by encouraging the offender to attribute his violent actions to anger for which he cannot be blames, rather than taking responsibility for his actions.
It has been claimed that they turn physical aggression into other ways of expressing aggression, such as verbal or emotional abuse.
Opposing evidence:
Self report data - prisoners might want to look good and say the groups were useful, or they might simply have enjoyed the sessions as a break from routine.
Many studies do not look further into the future to predict recidivism rates.
Different explanation:
TEP offers an alternative treatment and instead of focusing on thought processes uses reinforcement to modify antisocial behaviour into desirable behaviour
Application:
The programmes focus on learning about triggers from angry episodes and give people the tools to control their anger in the future, so they should have long term benefits.
Anger Management uses CBT to help change the inmates thought process. There are 3 main steps:
Cognitive preparation – identify triggers, identify effects this behaviour has on others
Skill acquisition – taught to deal with triggers e.g. stop and think, relaxation techniques
Application practice – role play to show how the skills can be used in a safe environment
CALM is an example of a programme which focuses on Anger Management and uses the principles of CBT. It is used for male offenders 18+ and lasts for 24 sessions. These are held twice weekly and are group meetings with a trained practitioner. The initial focus is on social skills – all inmates listen/contribute. It develops group skills where they check in – this is where each person talks about how they are feeling, their day or their progress.
Relaxation and other techniques are used to help the members discuss feelings. Group discussion leads into what makes individuals angry. Each session ends on positive note – about progress, what they enjoy or about another member. The sessions progress by introducing the idea of changing thoughts that relate to anger into something more positive. The sessions become less frequent as members progress
Evaluation
Supporting evidence:
Pearson conducted a meta-analysis which found CBT reduced recidivism while token economy programmes did not work
Ireland found after 10 weeks offenders assigned to the anger management group showed improvements in anger related behaviour compared to the control group
Dowden et al – found the programme was successful in reducing recidivism
Studies show the success of anger management programmes from self report data, which are likely to be valid as they come from prisoners themselves.
Opposing evidence:
Loza and Loza-Fanous (1999): Using psychometric tests on 271 Canadian male offenders, compared violent (murder, assault, robbery with violence) with non-violent offenders (fraud, property offences) and a group of rapists with non-rapists. They found no difference between the groups of anger measures. They argue that anger management programmes are ineffective with violent offenders and that they have the potential to be harmful by encouraging the offender to attribute his violent actions to anger for which he cannot be blames, rather than taking responsibility for his actions.
It has been claimed that they turn physical aggression into other ways of expressing aggression, such as verbal or emotional abuse.
Opposing evidence:
Self report data - prisoners might want to look good and say the groups were useful, or they might simply have enjoyed the sessions as a break from routine.
Many studies do not look further into the future to predict recidivism rates.
Different explanation:
TEP offers an alternative treatment and instead of focusing on thought processes uses reinforcement to modify antisocial behaviour into desirable behaviour
Application:
The programmes focus on learning about triggers from angry episodes and give people the tools to control their anger in the future, so they should have long term benefits.