Anger dysregulation: driver of violent offending

Abstract

Anger has had insufficient priority in the forensic field. From classical scholarship to contemporary neuroscience, anger has been known for its dynamic bearing on violence risk and for its involvement in psychiatric disorders. Anger is intrinsically and reciprocally related to threat perception, and it impels violent behavior in the absence of self-regulatory controls. Focus is given to what has been learned in forensic domains about anger as an impetus for the violent behavior of offenders. Issues bearing on anger assessment in forensic settings are discussed. Topics for further engagement in forensic research on anger are presented, including offender readiness, transdiagnostic processes, and female offender specificity. While anger treatment is not covered, interfacing discussion is provided throughout.