Court-Approved Anger Management Courses

The court may order anger management for having a public argument.

Courts order anger management courses for various reasons. The order may result from an individual having an argument with a family member or a stranger in a restaurant or from a more serious charge of domestic violence in which the police were called. If the offender receives a court summons, a judge will determine the severity of the case. Court-appointed anger management courses vary from classroom instruction to online courses. Domestic violence battery courses are longer in duration. All states have similar laws and provisions.

Assessments and Funding

Individuals undergo an initial assessment before taking an anger management course. Depending on the nature and severity of the offense, the assessment may include a full medical work-up, intake of social and family history and testing for mental health issues and personality disorders. If an individual is unable to pay for the course, funds from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) may cover expenses. Otherwise, the course cost varies depending on the length of the course and the course provider.

Classroom

Courts often mandate offenders to take anger management courses in a classroom setting, which provides the individual an opportunity to interact with others, take part in exercises and gain greater awareness of signals and cues that precede aggressive behavior. Classroom interaction allows students to bond with, learn from and encourage each other. It often motivates students to improve and assume accountability for inappropriate behavior. An eight-hour course consisting of two-hour sessions scheduled for four consecutive weeks is the preferred format because it allows students the time to assimilate information, complete homework assignments and practice new behaviors between meetings.

Domestic Violence

Court-ordered domestic violence courses are longer in duration, often lasting 26 weeks. Many states follow the Duluth Model on Public Intervention, which intervenes to end battering, claiming that domestic violence includes domination, intimidation, physical and other types of abuse. Many courses that follow this model teach about the role that alcohol and drug abuse and psychological problems play in spousal abuse. The course emphasizes the accountability of the batterer and takes into account the economic, cultural and personal histories of the offenders.

Online Courses

The court may allow an individual to take an online course because of his work schedule or because no classes are located near his work or home. The drawback of not interacting with other students is offset by the convenience of completing the course at home with 24-hour access to the website within a reasonable time frame. The course may be 8, 12, 16 or 26 hours long, depending on the severity of the offense and the judge's decision. Most online courses are valid in all 50 states, but the state court should be checked with to make sure the course you choose is accepted.

References

• After Court Solutions: Eight Hour Anger Management
• Community Counseling Center of Central Florida: New Anger Management Instructor
• US Department of Health and Human Services: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
• Court Ordered Classes: Domestic Violence Classes
• Anger Class Online
• National Institute of Justice: Batterer Programs

Resources

• Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs: Duluth Model on Public Intervention