Citation

Novaco RW. Leg. Crim. Psychol. 1997; 2(1): 77-88.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, British Psychological Society, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.2044-8333.1997.tb00334.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Purpose. Interventions for problems of anger and aggression among violent offenders are in their nascency. An overview of existing studies on anger management with violent offenders is given, along with a discussion of the impediments to anger treatment interventions with such clientele. Articles comprising this Special Section are introduced.Argument. Conducting anger treatment with persons who are prone to violence is beset with special challenges, especially for patients who have serious clinical disorder and/or who are in secure settings. In part due to these difficulties of treatment implementation, anger treatment research with violent offenders is sparse and controlled clinical trials are virtually non-existent. Considerably more needs to be done regarding treatment protocol development for application to seriously disordered persons.Conclusions. Improvements in treatment protocol, the application of an integrated systems approach, and continued acquisition of knowledge concerning intervention implementation will move the field forward. Articles in this Special Section, which present evidence of treatment gains with treatment-resistant patients, provide direction and encouragement.

Language: en