NCJ Number
206261
Journal
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment Volume: 16 Issue: 3 Dated: July 2004 Pages: 209-222
Date Published
July 2004
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This study examined the impact of polygraph on high-risk behaviors in adult sex offenders.
Abstract
This study examined whether polygraph testing would result in sex offenders engaging in fewer high-risk behaviors. The study consisted of 45 men who had sexually offended against children and 5 whose victims were adult females. The subjects were divided into two groups: “polygraph aware” subjects were told that they would receive a polygraph test in 3 months regarding their high-risk behaviors, while “polygraph unaware” subjects were told their behavior would be reviewed in 3 months. Relevant behaviors were established for each subject from the baseline interviews, following which both groups were polygraphed at 3 months. All subjects were polygraphed again at 6 months. The hypothesis was that all subjects involved in the “polygraph aware” would have engaged in fewer high-risk behaviors based on their self-report during the examination. There was no significant difference in the two groups after the first polygraph test. All subjects were told to expect a second polygraph test, and it was found that disclosures to treatment providers and probation officers increased after the second test. It was concluded that the polygraph testing resulted in offenders engaging in less high-risk behaviors, although the possibility that offenders fabricated reports of high-risk behaviors to satisfy examiners was also considered; offenders seemed to be more honest with their supervisors, but this only occurred after the polygraph had been given. If polygraph is to be extended to include the majority of offenders then some form of compulsion will be necessary. Tables, figures, references