More Polygraph Futility: A Comment On Jensen, Shafer, Roby, And Roby (2015)

Keywords

assessment; correctional intervention; polygraph; recidivism

Abstract

This article takes a critical look at the recent Jensen, Shafer, Roby, and Roby study that found that juveniles and adults have no statistically significant different rates of passing sexual history polygraph examinations. Numerous research and statistical issues are identified, including lack of independence, no adjustment for differing rates of opportunity across ages, poor construct validity of deceit, failure to adjust for base rates of deceit in subsequent analyses, and failure to include recidivism as an outcome. In addition, three arguments made by Jensen et al. against using recidivism as an outcome to judge post-conviction polygraph are discussed along with critical assessments of two recent studies examining the relationship between recidivism and sexual history polygraph examinations. It ends with a discussion of the current state of post-conviction polygraph testing research and way forward to find solid, replicable evidence that assesses its utility as a correctional intervention.

Publication Date

6-1-2016

Publication Title

Journal of Interpersonal Violence

Volume

31

Issue

10

Number of Pages

1956-1970

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260515570752

Socpus ID

84964862042 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84964862042

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