Anger Management

• Anger management is a therapeutic treatment program that aims to help clients manage anger and change hostile attitudes without engaging in violent behavior.
• Anger, aggression, and hostility are different:¹
  • Aggression is behavior that is intended to cause harm to another person or damage property (can include verbal abuse, threats, or violent acts).
  • Anger is an emotion which does not necessarily lead to aggression.
  • Hostility is an attitude that involves disliking others and evaluating them negatively; it can lead to aggressive behaviors.
• Clients (like everyone) may experience anger. Effective anger management programming is about managing angry feelings without engaging in aggression.
• Effective anger management is grounded in the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (see CBT Appropriateness Statement).

• Anger management uses cognitive restructuring (changing thought patterns) to help clients recognize emotions, angry thought patterns and their triggers, identify the potential consequences of an angry or violent reaction, use cognitive skills to redirect or stop escalation of negative thoughts leading to violence, and cope with anger without resorting to violence.
• Anger management also teaches clients to create plans for how they will respond to potential triggers of anger in a nonviolent way.
• Clients who have engaged in violent crimes or whose crimes are motivated by uncontrolled anger (for example, some forms of property destruction) may be ordered to complete an anger management program.

How Can It Be Used to Monitor Compliance?

• Anger management is designed to help clients manage their emotions and respond to difficult situations in positive, nonviolent ways. It is not intended to monitor compliance with supervision conditions.

How Can It Be Used as a Supervision Tool?

• Anger management can help clients address problems in nonviolent ways.
  • This can help clients comply with supervision conditions without becoming frustrated and acting out in violent ways.

What Are the Costs of Anger Management?

• Clients typically pay for anger management programs if there is a fee involved.
  • This can be problematic if the client is unable to afford the program.

• Supervision staff report that anger management is
  • sometimes appropriate for low-risk clients, except those who are gang-involved, for whom it is never appropriate, and
  • always appropriate for medium- and high-risk clients, except those who are gang-involved or who have substance use disorder, for whom it is sometimes appropriate.

Compliance Level

• Supervision staff report that psychological interventions like anger management are
  • sometimes appropriate for all low-risk clients, regardless of whether they are in compliance with the conditions of supervision,
  • sometimes appropriate for medium- and high-risk clients who are in moderate or high compliance with the conditions of supervision, and
  • always appropriate for those who are in low compliance with supervision conditions.

Client Outcomes

• Anger management can teach clients skills like identifying angry/negative emotions, addressing interpersonal conflict, and finding positive outlets to handle anger.
• Anger management skills can help clients build and maintain positive relationships, which can facilitate participation in school, work, and other activities.

Is It an Evidence-Based Practice?

• Yes, anger management is an evidence-based practice that is shown to reduce general and, especially, violent recidivism.
  • There is evidence that anger management programs that are shorter (~50 hours) are more effective than programs that are longer (over 144 hours).

What Do People Formerly Involved in the Criminal Legal System Think About Anger Management?

• People who have been involved in the criminal legal system (the “criminal justice” or “legal” system is referred to as the criminal legal system in this document) report that anger management is
  • sometimes appropriate for all low-risk clients,
  • sometimes appropriate for all medium- and high-risk clients, and
  • always appropriate for those who have committed intimate partner violence.
    • NOTE: Evidence suggests that anger management programs are less effective with individuals who have committed intimate partner violence (see “Special Considerations When Using Anger Management with Subpopulations” section below).

Communication That Strengthens the Officer-Client Relationship (Messaging)

• Officers should be aware that clients may have participated in anger management before (including in jail/prison).
  • Clients may perceive anger management programs to be ineffective if they have been mandated to participate in them repeatedly and have not benefitted or learned effective anger management skills.
  • Not all anger management programs are effective or based on evidence-based principles.
    • Anger management programs that are educational or awareness building are not effective.
    • Evidence indicates that CBT-based anger management programs are effective in reducing general and violent recidivism.
    • It is important to discuss past anger management programs the client may have participated in, since a negative experience may be due to an ineffective program.
• Officers should communicate that anger management is not just another “hoop to jump through,” but a way to learn effective emotional regulation skills.
• Officers should discuss anger management programs in a nonjudgmental way with the client.
  • Having difficulty controlling emotions does not mean that the client is “sick.”
  • Emotional regulation skills are important for people regardless of whether they have difficulty managing anger without resorting to violence. This should be communicated to the client.