Citation

Jensen TM, Shafer K, Roby CY, Roby JL. J. Interpers. Violence 2015; 30(6): 928-944.

Affiliation

Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0886260514539766

PMID

25049032

Abstract

Despite the empirical and theoretical chasm between the opponents and proponents of polygraphy, its use is prominent among sex offender agencies in the United States. However, current research on polygraph examination outcomes among juvenile sex offenders, along with potential differences from their adult counterparts, is scarce and outdated. In the present study, we assess the difference between juvenile and adult sex offenders in terms of the propensity for passing a sexual history disclosure polygraph examination. A sample of 324 sex offenders (86 juveniles and 238 adults) who engaged in a sexual history disclosure polygraph examination as part of their treatment in an Intermountain West sex offender treatment agency was used for the analysis.

RESULTS from preliminary and logistic regression analyses indicate that juvenile and adult offenders do not significantly differ in the likelihood of passing a sexual history disclosure polygraph examination. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Language: en