What You Should Know About Court Ordered Anger Management
Court ordered anger management classes can arise from various legal contexts where an individual’s behavior has resulted in criminal charges or civil actions. Within a criminal context, individuals who engage in violent outbursts towards another person may be mandated to attend anger management classes as part of their criminal sentence. This can be true in both misdemeanors and felonies, although often the classes are commonly required for misdemeanor charges .
Within a family law context, parents with children who have been exposed to abusive conduct may be ordered by the court to undergo anger management courses after a divorce. The standard behind such orders is that the abusive conduct, and the associated behavior patterns, need to be controlled to protect the child from future exposure.
Within the civil law context, anger management courses can also be ordered. This might involve an employer, a school, or another organization requiring that the offender complete a series of classes before they continue their employment or discharge their educational obligations.
How You Can Get Enrolled in Class
Court ordered anger management classes can be found online or by asking the court for a referral to classes in your area. Many mental health and counseling centers or clinics have anger management classes but they may or may not be certified by any organization. Organizations such as the National Anger Management Association (NAMA) or cmusolutions.org exist to oversee anger management programs. These organizations have a certification process to ensure programs are following certain guidelines, such as requiring a comprehensive assessment of the client, when applicable. Court referrals usually require you to pursue programs certified by one of these organizations. A list of programs certified by these organizations is available on its website. On your own, you can do research to see what anger management programs are available in your area or simply do an online search and see what programs show up near you. There may be more options available to you than the classes or program recommended by your court. In order for the court to approve the course(s), they will need to know you satisfactorily completed the full course for your court case. You can obtain a certificate of completion after completing the course. Your classes will have to be reported to the court either by you, or the agency you went through to complete the program.
What You Can Expect from Anger Management Classes
In anger management classes, the curriculum may vary depending on the organization or provider that is conducting the classes. However, there are some common topics and techniques taught to help individuals better manage their anger.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Much like in therapy with a mental health counselor, a majority of anger management courses make use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help participants get to the root cause of their anger. CBT focuses on helping participants identify adverse thoughts that lead to anger and physical outbursts. These adverse thoughts are often irrational and do not have a strong basis in logic. Once the adverse thought is identified, the participant learns how to challenge the thought with an alternate thought that is based more in reality than in emotion.
Relaxation Techniques
Many anger management courses also teach relaxation techniques such as deep breathing and muscle relaxation exercises. These techniques are designed to help participants calm their bodies when they begin to feel the physical signs of anger. While these techniques are not designed to prevent anger, they can be helpful to participants in getting a handle on their emotions before they lead to an outburst.
Communication Skills
Participants are often taught communications skills that help them to express themselves in moments of anger. For example, participants may be shown how to make "I" statements to express their feelings in a non-accusatory way. Participants may also be taught to avoid using inflammatory language (such as the "4-letter word" commonly known to start with the letter F) when they are angry. These and other communication skills help participants get away from using anger as their primary means of expressing themselves, which may help to prevent incidents of domestic violence.
Criminal Charges for Failing to Attend class
Ignoring a court order to attend anger management classes can result in a litany of legal ramifications. Most people see the face value of potential penalties, but rarely do they see the underlying legal consequences. These can include:
Warrants: When a judge orders someone to complete an anger management program, they usually have a timeframe in which to complete the class. The order also often stipulates that the individual provide proof of completion by a certain date. Once failure to comply moves past the realm of oversight and becomes contempt, it usually results in a bench warrant for failure to appear, just like the one that would be issued for not appearing in court as scheduled. These warrants are normally served at the worst possible moment, like while at work or while driving.
Contempt: When someone doesn’t appear in court because they failed to schedule appropriate anger management classes, or because they ignored the program mandate, they may be found in contempt. Contempt of court is a serious issue with penalties such as arrest warrants, fines, or revocation of probation.
Violation of Probation: Courts don’t just give out probation because it’s the nice thing to do . In fact, it’s a big commitment for the court. On the other hand, the judicial bond officer must then monitor the individual to determine if they are indeed obeying the terms of their probation. When someone fails to take the mandated anger management course, the bond officer has no option but to notify the court and move to revoke the probation.
Dual Criminal Records: The increased number of criminal charges and court orders doesn’t just expose individuals to jail time for each offense. Plus, even after this series of penalties has come and gone, an individual now has a dual set of criminal records to explain, which can expose them to even more extensive interrogation or worse.
Convictions: Failing to comply with a court order is very serious, especially when it comes to sentencing. Not only can an individual be confronted with the aforementioned penalties, but they could be convicted of additional charges that previously wouldn’t have applied to them.
Civil Consequences: In addition to the story that is told in their criminal record, they could find their ability to secure certain financial services limited due to failing to complete an anger management program.
Why To Take Classes Besides Being Court Ordered
While fulfilling a court requirement is often the primary reason for participating in a domestic violence intervention or anger management class, the benefits on a personal level are significant. Those who work to understand their triggers and learn how to manage their anger may find that their altered approach to a situation will improve all of their personal relationships. Even in the context of a co-parent or spouse that has also acted out in an aggressive manner, there is now less of a chance that future altercations will lead to another charge or more criminal ramifications. Attending an anger management class and working on your own self-awareness can also lead to a more sensitive emotional state that touches on areas of life in which you may not have noticed before. In some cases, those who had previously misdiagnosed depression as anger find that an understanding of their triggers helps them avoid situations in which they might have felt angry in the past. The guidance of an experienced instructor can also lead to self-assessment that offers you a better understanding of your own shortcomings. Taking that knowledge into new relationships or future marriages can be a decisive advantage. It’s important to keep in mind that offenders aren’t the only ones who benefit from anger management classes. Victims, too, can find that the programs offer them a positive tool for moving forward in a healthy new direction. In many cases, incentives through the legal system lead to frustration and creates a sense of trauma that prevents healing. However, those who take anger management classes can find that they lead to closure and a greater understanding of how to prevent an unhealthy relationship from damaging others in the future.
Finding Anger Management Programs
One of the main issues our clients and their close family and friends face is finding a court approved anger management class. There are a lot of options available, but they are not all the same. For example there are programs that offer online classes, but it is highly advisable to attend a class in person. One of the best places to start is with the probation office of the county courthouse in the area where the class is needed. They may be able to help locate an approved program. Another option is contacting the DMV as sometimes they can provide guidance on where to get an approved program. Check with your employer to see if there are any programs approved for work. Local chapters of religious organizations , community networking groups, or recreational centers may also have access to a list of court authorized anger management programs. Whatever program you choose, make sure it is from an approved provider. If you have any doubts about your progress or sincerity of the instructor, consider signing up for another class with a different provider. You can take the certificate from that program to your attorney if you are attending classes for the court or the DMV to show you are sincere about addressing your anger issues.