Post Conviction Sex Offender Polygraph Testing
The primary goal of all PCSOT testing is to increase the public’s safety by adding incremental validity to sex offender risk-assessment, risk-management, and treatment planning decisions made by professionals who provide supervision and specific treatment to convicted sex offenders in a community setting. PCSOT Polygraph Testing helps meet these goals.
We at FRPEA offer the following testing techniques. The first three examinations listed are the most commonly used tests. However, we have provided additional available testing techniques for your needs.
1. Full Disclosure Sexual History Polygraph Examination (SHE)
This test is for convicted sex offenders who are not in denial of their crime of conviction. The Full Disclosure Sexual History Examination should ideally be administered after the offender has been in treatment for a minimum of 90 days, but not more than six months. Upon starting sex offender treatment, the offender should immediately be provided with a Sexual History Questionnaire, Victim Form, and Victim Form Instruction Sheet, along with a brief explanation of the testing process.
The purpose of the Sexual History Polygraph Examination is to thoroughly investigate the offender’s lifetime history of sexually victimizing others, including the offender’s lifetime history of sexual deviancy, preoccupation, and compulsivity behaviors.
The second purpose of the Sexual History Examination is to focus on the offender’s sexual contact with underage persons, including all sexual contact with people under the age of consent when the offender was legally an adult, aged 18 or older.
This examination is only used for treatment and risk assessment. The therapist must review the questionnaire with the examinee to confirm both completeness and accuracy. One Victim Form must be completed for each Victim by definition. The therapist must then sign-off on the questionnaire where indicated.
2. Maintenance Polygraph Examinations (MPA)
The purpose of this test is to thoroughly investigate, either periodically or randomly, the offender’s compliance with any of the designated terms and conditions of probation and treatment rules. It is recommended that a Maintenance examination be administered every six months but no longer than every 12 months. Maintenance examinations should address a time of reference after the date of conviction or the previous examination, generally not to exceed one year or two years in rare circumstances.
The treatment provider and probation officer should consider the possible deterrent benefits of randomly scheduled maintenance exams for some offenders. Any of the terms and conditions of treatment or probation may be selected as examination targets. Investigative targets for Maintenance examinations should emphasize the development or verification of information that would add incremental validity to the early detection of an escalating level of threat to the community or potential victims.
Information developed as a Maintenance examination may be used by the probation officer or treatment provider to institute sanctions. Providing the information is re-confirmed by the therapist or probation officer with the offender. A copy of the conditions of probation is required before this test is administered.
3. Specific Issue Denial Test (Instant Offense – IO)
The purpose of this test is to address the offender who is in denial of their crime of conviction, or their admissions are significantly different from the court records. This test should be administered as soon as possible so the offender can take responsibility for their actions or identify the innocent person. Police or investigative reports to include any available victim statements are required before this test can be administered.
4. Instant Offense Investigative (IOI)
The containment team can use the Instant Offense Investigative (IOI) exam to test the limits of an examinee’s admitted behavior and search for other behaviors or offenses not included in the allegations made by the victim of the instant offense.
This examination should be completed before victim clarification or reunification. Test targets include the number of offenses against the victim, Invasive Offense Behaviors against the victim, Force or Violence, and other sexual behaviors towards the victim.
5. Prior Allegation Examination (PAE)
The containment team can use the Prior Allegation Exam (PAE) to investigate and resolve all prior alleged sex offenses (i.e., allegations made before the current conviction) before attempting to investigate and resolve an examinee’s history of unknown sexual offenses.
This exam should be considered identical in design and structure to the Instant Offense Exam. Except, the allegation details stem not from the present crime of conviction but an allegation before the conviction resulting in the current supervision and treatment. Regardless of whether or not the examinee was charged with the allegation.
6. Parental Risk Assessment (PRA)
The containment team can use the PRA Examination when the client is allowed reunification with children. This test is intended to assist with the team’s risk assessment by focusing on the client’s past sexual behavior with minors or specific sexual behavior towards their own children.
This examination can be utilized early in treatment if reunification is ordered, and there has not been enough time to complete a Full Disclosure Sexual History. If a Full Disclosure Sexual History has been completed, then there may not be a need for a PRA examination. The PRA examination should only be used when the above-noted criteria exist.