Sexual offenders' experiences of polygraph testing: a thematic study in three probation trusts

Journal article


Spruin, L., Wood, J., Gannon, T. and Tyler, N. 2017. Sexual offenders' experiences of polygraph testing: a thematic study in three probation trusts. Journal of Sexual Aggression. 3, pp. 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/13552600.2017.1378025
AuthorsSpruin, L., Wood, J., Gannon, T. and Tyler, N.
Abstract

Post-conviction polygraph testing of sexual offenders is controversial and the use of the polygraph as a means of supporting supervision of sexual offenders has only recently been explored. This study quantitatively examined qualitatively offender managers’ and sexual offenders’ views on the mandatory use of the polygraph in a community-based supervision.

Fifteen polygraphed offenders and their 10 offender managers (polygraph group), and 10 non-polygraphed offenders and their ten offender managers (comparison group) were asked about their experiences and perceptions of a mandatory polygraph use. Using thematic analysis, the results provided four main themes: (1) truth detection, (2) perceptions of behaviour change, (3) perceptions of polygraph as part of supervision, and (4) national implementation of polygraph testing.

Results suggest several benefits to mandatory polygraph testing as a support for supervision, including offenders making more high-risk disclosures, motivating offender honesty, and aiding offenders’ compliance with licence conditions.

KeywordsSexual offender supervision; polygraph; thematic analysis
Year2017
JournalJournal of Sexual Aggression
Journal citation3, pp. 1-13
PublisherTaylor & Francis
ISSN1355-2600
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/13552600.2017.1378025
Related URLhttp://taylorandfrancis.com/
Publication dates
Online20 Oct 2017
Publication process dates
Deposited11 Sep 2017
Accepted01 Sep 2017
Accepted author manuscript
Output statusPublished
Permalink -

https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/8853z/sexual-offenders-experiences-of-polygraph-testing-a-thematic-study-in-three-probation-trusts

  • 117
    total views
  • 124
    total downloads
  • 5
    views this month
  • 1
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Examining the effects of animal assisted activities against standard treatment in a university setting
Spruin, L., Islam, S., Wornast, T. and Dempster, T. 2023. Examining the effects of animal assisted activities against standard treatment in a university setting. Pet Behaviour Science. https://doi.org/10.21071/pbs.vi14.15225
Facility dogs in UK courtrooms: Public perspective
Dempster, Tammy, Spruin, Liz and Mozova, Katarina 2022. Facility dogs in UK courtrooms: Public perspective. Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1080/24732850.2022.2133662
Investigating the criminal thinking styles of mentally disordered offenders within the UK
Spruin, E., Dunleavy, T., Mitchell, C. and Siesmaa, B. 2022. Investigating the criminal thinking styles of mentally disordered offenders within the UK. Journal of Forensic Practice. https://doi.org/10.1108/JFP-03-2022-0014
Mitigating the risk of contract cheating in UK higher education: A multi-level solution
Spruin, E. 2022. Mitigating the risk of contract cheating in UK higher education: A multi-level solution. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Leadership Studies. 3 (1), pp. 109-120. https://doi.org/10.52547/johepal.3.1.109
Justice facility dogs - Oliver's story
Spruin, E 2021. Justice facility dogs - Oliver's story. in: The Survivor Memoirs: Childhood Sexual Abuse Direct Publishing. pp. 165-180
The effects of a therapy dog vs mindfulness vs a student advisor on student anxiety and well-being
Spruin, E., Dempster, T., Islam, S. and Raybould, I. 2020. The effects of a therapy dog vs mindfulness vs a student advisor on student anxiety and well-being. Journal of Further and Higher Education. 45 (5), pp. 588-600. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877x.2020.1804535
The use of facility dogs to bridge the justice gap for survivors of sexual offending
Spruin, E., Ozcakir Mozova, K., Dempster, T. and Freeman, R. 2020. The use of facility dogs to bridge the justice gap for survivors of sexual offending. Social Sciences. 9 (6). https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9060096
Facility dogs as a tool for building rapport and credibility with child witnesses
Spruin, E., Dempster, T. and Ozcakir Mozova, K. 2020. Facility dogs as a tool for building rapport and credibility with child witnesses. International Journal of Law, Crime and Justice.
Exploring the impact of specially trained dogs on the court experiences of survivors of sexual offending in England and Wales: an exploratory case study
Spruin, L., Ozcakir Mozova, K., Dempster, T. and Mitchell, S. 2019. Exploring the impact of specially trained dogs on the court experiences of survivors of sexual offending in England and Wales: an exploratory case study. European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research. pp. 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10610-019-09419-1
The use of therapy dogs to support court users in the waiting room
Spruin, L., Ozcakir Mozova, K., Franz, A., Mitchell, S., Fernandez, A., Dempster, T. and Holt, N. 2019. The use of therapy dogs to support court users in the waiting room. International Criminal Justice Review. https://doi.org/10.1177/1057567719827063
An exploration into the acceptance of male rape myths within the UK
Spruin, L. and Reilly, L. 2018. An exploration into the acceptance of male rape myths within the UK. Journal of Forensic Sciences and Criminal Investigation. 9 (3). https://doi.org/10.19080/FSCI.2018.09.555763
Dogs in the criminal justice system: consideration of facility and therapy dogs
Spruin, L. and Ozcakir Mozova, K. 2018. Dogs in the criminal justice system: consideration of facility and therapy dogs. Pet Behaviour Science. 5, pp. 1-12. https://doi.org/10.21071/pbs.v0i5.10084
Specially trained dogs in the UK criminal justice system
Spruin, L. and Ozcakir Mozova, K. 2018. Specially trained dogs in the UK criminal justice system. Seen and Heard. 28 (1), pp. 63-67.
The benefits of therapy dogs on student well-being within a UK university
Islam, S., Spruin, L. and Fernandez, A. 2017. The benefits of therapy dogs on student well-being within a UK university. Psychology and Behavioural Sciences International Journal. 7, pp. 1-4. https://doi.org/10.19080/PBSIJ.2017.07.555702
Helping criminal justice system users: utilising specially trained dogs
Spruin, L. and Ozcakir Mozova, K. 2017. Helping criminal justice system users: utilising specially trained dogs.
Improving the student experience in higher education: an action research approach to implementing collaborative learning strategies
Spruin, L. and Abbott, N. 2017. Improving the student experience in higher education: an action research approach to implementing collaborative learning strategies. Innovative Practice in Higher Education. 3, pp. 65-90.
The emotional experience of mentally disordered offenders (MDO): an exploratory study using smallest space analysis (SSA)
Spruin, L. and Siesmaa, B. 2017. The emotional experience of mentally disordered offenders (MDO): an exploratory study using smallest space analysis (SSA). Journal of Forensic Psychology Research and Practice. 17, pp. 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/15228932.2017.1277678
Using specially trained dogs in the Criminal Justice System
Spruin, L. and Ozcakir Mozova, K. 2017. Using specially trained dogs in the Criminal Justice System. Forensic Update.
The use of dogs in the courtroom
Spruin, L., Holt, N., Fernandez, A. and Franz, A. 2016. The use of dogs in the courtroom. in: Klein, A. (ed.) Crime and Criminal Behaviour Nova Science Publishers. pp. 1-16
Pets in the courtroom
Spruin, L. and BBC Essex Radio 2015. Pets in the courtroom.
Exploring the belief systems of domestic abuse victims using Smallest Space Analysis (SSA)
Spruin, L., Alleyne, E., Baker, R., Papadaki, I. and Franz, A. 2017. Exploring the belief systems of domestic abuse victims using Smallest Space Analysis (SSA). Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice. 3 (1), pp. 17-26. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRPP-10-2016-0028
The criminal experience of mentally disordered offenders
Spruin, L. and Siesmaa, B. 2016. The criminal experience of mentally disordered offenders. in: Klein, A. (ed.) Crime and Criminal Behaviour Nova Science Publishers. pp. 11-30
Animal Welfare: Domestic pets – written evidence (AWF 238)
Franz, A., Ashdown, L., Fernandez, A., Holt, N. and Spruin, L. 2016. Animal Welfare: Domestic pets – written evidence (AWF 238).
Specialist group therapy for firesetting behaviour: evidence of a treatment effect from a non-randomised pilot trial with male prisoners
Gannon, T., Alleyne, E., Butler, H., Danby, H., Kapoor, A., Lovell, T., Ozcakir Mozova, K., Spruin, L., Tostevin, T., Tyler, N. and O'Ciardha, C. 2015. Specialist group therapy for firesetting behaviour: evidence of a treatment effect from a non-randomised pilot trial with male prisoners. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 73, pp. 42-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2015.07.007
Written evidence submitted to Commons Select Committee Animal Welfare Inquiry
Franz, A., Ashdown, L., Fernandez, A., Hirst, L., Holt, N., Moore, H. and Spruin, L. 2016. Written evidence submitted to Commons Select Committee Animal Welfare Inquiry. www.parliament.uk.
Dogs in the courtroom
Spruin, L., Holt, N., Fernandez, A. and Franz, A. 2016. Dogs in the courtroom. in: Crime and Criminal Behaviour New York Nova Science Publishers.
The use of dogs in the courtroom
Spruin, L., Holt, N., Fernandez, A. and Franz, A. 2016. The use of dogs in the courtroom. in: Klein, A. (ed.) Crime and Criminal Behaviour Nova Science Publishers.
The evaluation of a summer youth scheme for children with disabilities: a brief report on the findings from an evaluation of the Special Needs Advisoryand Activities Project (SNAAP)
Spruin, L. and Abbott, N. 2014. The evaluation of a summer youth scheme for children with disabilities: a brief report on the findings from an evaluation of the Special Needs Advisoryand Activities Project (SNAAP).
Examining the experiences of a short break scheme amongst adolescents with disabilities (service users) and their parents
Spruin, L., Abbott, N. and Holt, N. 2017. Examining the experiences of a short break scheme amongst adolescents with disabilities (service users) and their parents. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education. 64, pp. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2017.1348599
Criminal narratives of mentally disordered offenders: an exploratory study
Spruin, L., Canter, D., Youngs, D. and Siesmaa, B. 2014. Criminal narratives of mentally disordered offenders: an exploratory study. Criminal Narratives of Mentally Disordered Offenders: An Exploratory Study. 14 (5), pp. 438-455. https://doi.org/10.1080/15228932.2014.965987
Investigative psychology
Youngs, D. and Spruin, L. 2014. Investigative psychology. in: Bruinsma, G. and Weisburd, D. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Criminology and Criminal Justice New York Springer. pp. 2391-2706
Domestic abuse victims’ perceptions of abuse and support: a narrative study
Spruin, L., Alleyne, E. and Papadaki, I. 2015. Domestic abuse victims’ perceptions of abuse and support: a narrative study. Journal of Criminological Research, Policy and Practice. 1 (1), pp. 19-28. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRPP-10-2014-0002
Criminal narratives of mentally disordered offenders
Spruin, L., Siesmaa, B., Spruin, L. and Youngs, D. 2013. Criminal narratives of mentally disordered offenders.
Deconstructing the personal narrative through offending behaviour and interpersonal style
Spruin, L. and Siesmaa, B. 2012. Deconstructing the personal narrative through offending behaviour and interpersonal style.
The criminal experience of mentally disordered offenders
Spruin, L. 2013. The criminal experience of mentally disordered offenders. PhD Thesis University of Huddersfield International Research Centre for Investigative Psychology