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Reliability Issues in the Penile Assessment of Incarcerants

NCJ Number
89634
Journal
Journal of Behavioral Assessment Volume: 3 Issue: 3 Dated: (1981) Pages: 199-207
Author(s)
J Krisak; W D Murphy; S Stalgaitis
Date Published
1981
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This study evaluates the reliability of the 'rape index' as a technique in differentiating rapists from nonrapists by exposing inmates to sexual stimuli and measuring penile response.
Abstract
It presented 18 persons incarcerated on nonsexual-related offenses with visual and audio stimuli depicting mutually consenting intercourse, rape, and aggression. These stimuli were presented under two instructional sets: enhance arousal and suppress arousal. Reliability indices for the rape index were computed among various conditions of modality presentation, instructional set, and test-retest conditions. The overall reliability of the rape index was low. Implications of these findings for offender assessment and classification are discussed. Data tables and 12 references are supplied. (Author abstract modified)

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