Anger and Prediction of Violent and Nonviolent Offenders' Recidivism

Abstract

This study investigates the usefulness of assessing anger for the prediction of violent and nonviolent recidivism. Four risk/need measures and four anger inventories were administered to 252 Canadian federally incarcerated male offenders. The association between anger and recidivism was investigated by (a) comparing groups of participants classified to different levels of risks for recidivism according to their scores on actuarial measures of recidivism and their scores on measures of anger, (b) canonical correlation between the offenders' scores on measures of risk for recidivism and the anger inventories, and (c) correlating the clinical variables of age at admission, number of past offenses, and number of violent offences with offenders' scores on measures of anger. The results indicate that all comparisons are not significant. Results of this study shed doubts on the usefulness of assessing anger when predicting violent and nonviolent recidivism.

Anger dysregulation: driver of violent offending

“…With regard to incarcerated offenders, some studies have not found the anger-violence association, such as Loza and Loza-Fanous (1999) and Mills and Kroner (2003). Neither study found anger to be predictive of 'violence'.…”

“…2. The criterion for Loza and Loza-Fanous (1999) was a recidivism risk rating. For Mills and Kroner (2003), the criteria were institutional misconduct (violence or threats, undifferentiated) and post-release recidivism (undifferentiated for violence).…”

Predictive validity despite social desirability: evidence for the robustness of self‐report among offenders

“…The clinical subscales are: Criminal Te ndencies (antisocial attitudes, beliefs, behaviours, and feelings), Antisocial Personality Problems (characteristics similar to those used to diagnose antisocial personality disorder), Conduct Problems (assesses childhood behavioural problems), Criminal History, Alcohol/Drug Abuse, Anti-Social Associates (the offender's perception of the effect of his associates on his criminal activities), Anger (measures reaction to anger). The Anger subscale is not included in the total score of the SAQ owing to the controversial relationship between anger and recidivism (Loza and Loza-Fanous, 1999a;1999b). The validity sub-scale, designed to predict careless responses or other problems associated with responding to self-report measures, consists of eight items that are included in other sub-scales.…”

Angry Inmates Are Violent Inmates: A Poisson Regression Approach to Youthful Offenders

“…Cornell, Peterson, & Richards, 1999;Lockwood, 1983;Loza & Loza-Fanous, 1999;Mills & Kroner, 2003;Mills, Kroner, & Forth, 1998). For instance, Mills and Kroner examined anger as a predictor of institutional violence and recidivism among a sample (n = 102) of violent male offenders.…”