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Does the polygraph lead to better risk prediction for sexual offenders?

journal contribution
posted on 2008-01-01, 00:00 authored by T Gannon, A Beech, Tony Ward
The polygraph is receiving increased attention surrounding its ability to facilitate more honest disclosures from sexual offenders concerning risk-related information (e.g., historical risk factors and acute-dynamic risk factors). In addition, the polygraph has become accepted as a standard containment tool in the US, although UK professionals appear to have taken a more cautionary approach. The aim of this review is to provide a basic overview of current risk assessment procedure in the absence of the polygraph, and then to investigate studies that use the polygraph to enhance sexual offenders' risk assessments. Specifically, studies examining historical risk factors, stable-dynamic risk factors, and acute-dynamic risk factors are examined and evaluated. We conclude that there is reasonable evidence supporting polygraph use in some areas of risk assessment. However, the vast majority of studies suffers from serious confounds that should be taken into account by professionals who use the polygraph as a standard practice in sexual offender risk assessment and management. Finally, the future of the polygraph is discussed in light of the presented empirical evidence.

History

Journal

Aggression and violent behavior

Volume

13

Issue

1

Season

January-February

Pagination

29 - 44

Publisher

Elsevier Science

Location

New York, N. Y.

ISSN

1359-1789

eISSN

1873-6335

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2007, Elsevier Ltd.

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