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Sex Offender Management Professionals
Consider Polygraphs
How Is the Post-Conviction Polygraph Examination Used in Adult Sex Offender Management Activities? Addresses the use of the polygraph examination in the management of adult sex offenders.
Position Paper for Clinical Polygraph Examinations in Sex Offender Treatment Describes the benefits and guidelines of sex offender polygraph examinations.
Research Overview: Post Conviction Sex Offender Polygraph Testing Provides information on polygraph guidelines and program implementation.
Polygraph examination is used after conviction to motivate sex offenders to be truthful about their histories of sexual deviancy and to take responsibility for their offenses. Polygraphs also provide information on offenders' recent relapses and high-risk conduct.
The most common of these examinations follow:97
- Full disclosure or sexual history examinations, which are used to obtain a complete history of an offenders' sexual behavior;
- Specific issue examinations, which are useful when offenders are either in complete denial or maintain that they did not commit the crimes for which they were convicted; and
- Maintenance or monitoring examinations, which are administered on a periodic basis and help to verify offenders' compliance with treatment and supervision conditions.
Jurisdictions that conduct post-conviction polygraph testing of sex offenders report that it is effective when used along with treatment and supervision.98
