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Impact of Polygraphy on Admissions of Victims and Offenses in Adult Sexual Offenders

NCJ Number
183221
Journal
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment Volume: 12 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2000 Pages: 123-138
Author(s)
Sean Ahlmeyer; Peggy Heil; Bonita McKee; Kim English
Date Published
April 2000
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study evaluates the impact of polygraphy on admissions of victims and offenses in adult sexual offenders.
Abstract
For 60 adult male sex offenders (35 inmates and 25 parolees), the numbers of victims and offenses were recorded from the Presentence Investigative Report, Sexual History Disclosure form and two consecutive polygraph examination reports. Dramatic increases in the number of admitted victims and offenses were found for inmates, but not for parolees. However, there was a substantial decline in the number of victim and offense admissions by the second polygraph examination, even though 80 percent of the examination results revealed deception about sexual offending behaviors. The study supports the polygraph as an effective intervention for eliciting admissions of past sexual offending behaviors from offenders who were not influenced by any other procedure. The article recommends standardized use of sanctions and privileges for deceptive and nondeceptive polygraph results, respectively, as a way to elicit full disclosure of offending histories for these offenders. Tables, figures, references