The Guyana Prison Service held its Anger Management Graduation Ceremony, on Wednesday last at the conference room of the Georgetown Prison.

Ten inmates from the Georgetown Prison ‘A’ completed twelve weeks of training in anger management and were awarded certificates, the Ministry of Public Security said in a release.

The officer-in-charge of Georgetown Prison ‘A’, Mr. Nicklon Elliot, told the gathering that the anger management programme was implemented at the Camp Street Prison in response to an increase in the occurrence of prisoner to prisoner violence. He is also hopeful, that the programme will reduce the occurrences of prisoner to prisoner and prisoner to officer conflict. In his closing remarks, he encouraged the graduates to be mentors to other inmates on the subject of conflict resolution.

Ms. Marielle Bristol, Prisoners Correction and Welfare Officer, also extended congratulations to the inmates and encouraged them to use the information they have received from the course wisely. She explained that though the course taught inmates anger management skills, they also learnt alternative solutions, de-escalation tactics and other skills that will be useful as they reintegrate into society. She further emphasised to the inmates that “you can never control how someone will react to you, but what you can control, is how you will react to situations.”

Mr. Will Campbell, Programme Manager, remarked that the programme focused on emotional awareness and not on anger. He added that participants learnt how to be assertive and not aggressive. They learnt how to find and use their voices in constructive rather than destructive ways. The programme, he said, also reminded participants of their inherent power that is best exercised when they learn to control themselves, rather than controlling others.

At the graduation ceremony, the participants demonstrated what they learnt by performing poetry and skits, and offering words of encouragement.

The anger management course is one aspect of the Rehabilitation and Reintegration Programmes offered by the Guyana Prison Service. It provides an alternative way for inmates to manage and control their anger. This programme is offered at all prison locations except Lusignan, which will be added to the list shortly. As a result of the Anger Management Programme, several locations have already reported a decrease in altercations among prisoners.