NJ Parole Board Finds Sex Offender Polygraph Testing Effective

The New Jersey Star-Ledger is reporting that the state parole board has released an internal study claiming that the use of polygraphs on paroled sex offenders has been effective in detecting and preventing parole violations. According to the article, almost all of the state’s 5,600 supervised sex offenders must submit to at least one polygraph test every year. You may read the actual report here. From the article:

The parole board started using the examinations two years ago, and an internal study being released today says they’ve been effective in detecting and preventing parole violations even though budget restrictions have prevented the tests from being widely implemented.

Out of 236 paroled sex offenders who took polygraph tests, 86 had their supervision plans changed afterward. That includes 34 offenders who received more stringent supervision, such as out-of-state traveling restrictions or electronic monitoring.

Only 400 tests have been conducted so far, parole board spokesman Neal Buccino said. The state has five polygraph machines, and 11 officers have completed nine weeks of training in Philadelphia. The training and equipment was funded by a $50,000 federal grant and $16,667 in state money.

During polygraph tests, the sex offender sits alone in a room with the officer. Sensors on the chair and straps across the chest and stomach detect fidgeting, and fingertip sensors monitor sweat. A band around the subject’s upper arm tracks blood pressure.

Comments

[Joe]

I should think that sitting in a room with a police officer and being questioned about committing crimes is quite enough to make anyone nervous enough to sweat or raise their heartbeats. I don't think using polygraphs is really the way to go with sex offenders.

[rodsmith3510]

yea i agree. I find it very interesting that a device the FBI itself admits does nothing but SCARE people into confessing can be EFFECTIVE! Unless the ideal is to SCARE them into a confession. Of couse that effect would certainly be hightened when stuck in a room with a cop! and i see nothing about any video of those room...so who knows just what happened in them.

[Aaron Boyden]

I haven't done a careful analysis of the data, but it seems that the polygraphs were frequently used to justify increased scrutiny, and I didn't see any numbers dramatic enough to make me think the polygraph specifically helped any more than just randomly selecting some of the offenders for increased scrutiny would have. It certainly makes me suspicious that the study didn't even mention this blazingly obvious alternative hypothesis; if they could rule it out, they should have shown how.

[rodsmith3510]

LOL the poly is a FRAUD and has ALWAYS been even the govt knows it.

check out this site for more info.

http://antipolygraph.org/

[Honest Opinion]

If they can use polygraphs and psychological evaluation as a means, to predict future behavior, increase punishment and force civil commitments. Then these same exercises should be also used to determine if an individual should be relieved from their high and mighty registration polices.