Citation

Van Arsdale A, Shaw T, Miller P, Parent MC. J. Juv. Justice 2012; 1(2): 68-79.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, In Public Domain (U.S. Department of Justice OJJDP), Publisher CSR)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Post-adjudication polygraph testing for juveniles with sexual behavior problems remains controversial. This study investigated the impact of polygraph testing in a sample of 60 adolescent males participating in specialized outpatient treatment specific to this population. Polygraph testing resulted in a significant increase in the number of victims disclosed. The types of victims disclosed as a result of polygraph testing tended to be younger and male, compared with the types of victims disclosed before polygraph testing. There was a non-significant trend toward proportionately more disclosure of extra-familial victims during polygraph testing than before. In addition, a substantial proportion of participants revealed sexual contact with same-age peers that they had previously not disclosed during the course of treatment.

RESULTS suggest that polygraph testing may be used to gain additional information and potentially help to inform specialized treatment.

Keywords: sex offenders; treatment programs; assessment; juvenile offenders, juvenile justice

Language: en