VOLUME 27 1998 NUMBER 2 Contents Managing Sex Offenders in the Community With the Assistance of Polygraph Testing 75 George H. Baranowski A Guide to Department of Defense Polygraph Institute Research Interests 89 Andrew B. Dollins Formant Structure of Vowels Spoken During Attempted Deception 96 Dean A. Pollina, Douglas A. Vakoch, Lee H. Wurm The Zone Comparison Test 108 Norman Ansley Truth or Just Bias: The Treatment of the Psychophysiological Detection of Deception in Introductory Psychology Textbooks 123 Mary K. Devitt, Charles R. Honts, and Lynelle Vondergeest Book Review 149 Published Quarterly ©Ameriean Polygraph Association, 1998 P.O. Bo, 8037, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37414-0037 George H. Baranowski Managing Sex Offenders in the Community With the Assistance of Polygraph Testing George H. Baranowski Abstract To quote a January 1997 research brief by the National Institute of Justice, "A 'cure' for sex offending is no more available than is a cure for epilepsy or high blood pressure. But use of a variety of interventions can help manage these disorders." An important aspect in this assemblage is the use of Polygraph Testing. A realistic objective of treatment is to provide sex offenders with the tools to manage their inappropriate behavior. A therapist can, in many cases, teach offenders self-management skills for avoiding high-risk situations through identification of decisions and events that precede them and through correction of their thought distortions. Treatment focuses on recognizing and managing deviant sexual behavior and offenders' thoughts and attitudes that promote it. However, in pursuing safe and effective treatment of sex offenders in the community, therapists must obtain full disclosure of offenders' sexual histories. Sex offenders must carefully assess their lives and identify relationships, emotional states, attitudes, and behaviors that they may consider "normal" which are not acceptable to the larger community. Use of the polygraph helps ensure that offenders fully reveal their sexual histories--information that is essential to the development of effective treatment programs. Polygraph testing is useful for periodic monitoring of the offender in treatment and focuses on his/her activities in the community setting. The goal of polygraph examination is to obtain information necessary for risk management and treatment, and to reduce the sex offender's denial mechanisms. The examiner evaluates the offender's answers to test questions and renders an opinion; truthful, deceptive, or inconclusive. Deceptive results flag areas that the treatment provider and supervising officer need to investigate further. Every effort is made to assist the offender in obtaining a positive evaluation so that treatment can be informed and relevant. To this end, polygraph data should be used in conjunction with other information when making decisions about case management of sex offenders. Keywords: Polygraph, sex offender testing George H. Baranowski is Director of Mindsight Consultants in Michigan City, Indiana and is a member of the APA. Requests for reprints should be addressed to the author at Mindsight Consultants, 128 West 10th Street, Suite 102, Michigan City, Indiana 46360-3514. Polygraph, 1998, 27(2). 75 Managing Sex Offenders in the Community Introduction passed an amendment to the Florida Statute to mandate the use of There is growing utilization of polygraph testing as part of the polygraph testing in the treatment and treatment program of sex offenders. A control of child sexual abusers. The recent article in the Chicago Tribune issues of validity, reliability and (May 16, 1997) pointed out that Texas admissibility of the polygraph are Officials report there are nearly vital questions to many. As a quick 50,000 sex offenders on probation who answer, current studies show that are subject to polygraph testing, field polygraph testing has an overall electronic monitoring and neighborhood accuracy rate of 98%, which compares notices. The Hunt County Texas favorably with other scientific probation department advised they measurement disciplines that are would not supervise a sex offender routinely admitted as evidence, without polygraph testing, the article including ballistics, handwriting reported. A natural transition may analysis, or hair and fiber evidence. occur which will see polygraph testing Many professionals who work with child in probation monitoring of offenders sexual abuse cases see considerable in non-sexual cases. As reported in utility in the use of polygraph tests the Los Angeles Times (June 10, 1997), both as a means of probation or parole U.S. District Judge Richard Haik surveillance of convicted child sexual postponed the sentencing of a abuse offenders and as an aid to the convicted drug dealer who advised he therapists working with these had only dealt drugs this single offenders. The National Conference on incident. The possible sentence may Sentencing Advocacy (Practicing Law be 5 years in prison and a $350,000 Institute, 1991), recommended an fine. Judge Haik has ordered the expansion of the use of polygraph defendant to undergo a polygraph test moni toring of probated offenders, to verify the defendant's assertion. especially sex offenders. Well established scientific Several jurisdictions have begun principles provide the basis for the sex offender testing programs. As of modern polygraph test. The parent this writing, Alaska, Arizona, science is psychophysiology, a Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, recognized specialty within the field Texas, and Washington have such of psychology. The polygraph was not programs. A bill in New Jersey has invented for, nor is it limited to, just been introduced to provide use in detecting deception. It is a polygraph monitoring tests every six scientific instrument long used in the months to sex offenders who committed psychophysiology field to measure and their crime against a victim under the record simultaneously reactions that age of 18. An option to sentencing relate to psychological states. There would give the New Jersey Court the has been a movement among some ability to extend probation to polygraph professionals to implement a "lifetime community supervision," change in traditional polygraph requiring polygraph monitoring. terminology toward what they consider Arizona has had such enactment the to be a more descriptive model. For past 5 years, with outstanding example, they suggest the discipline results. For example, in Maricopa itself be termed "forensic County, over 1200 probationers have psychophysiology". The description been involved in the program which which traditionally has been called shows only 1.5% have re-offended (19 "polygraph examiner" would be termed individuals) (1997). This figure, as "forensic psychophysiologist". The opposed to a figure of 94% re-offense overall complex of activities in communities who are without conducted by the forensic treatment and polygraph testing, psychophysiologist would be called a stands in strong testament to this "psychophysiological detection of program's benefit. As of this deception" test or "PDD". (It's noted writing, the Florida legislature has that the term polygraph also works as Polygraph, 1998, 27(2). 76 George H. Baranowski a "polygraph detection of deception" Specific Testing test} . To paraphrase Dr. William Yankee's discussion on this matter Upon occasion, both public and (1994), he clarifies that the private polygraph examiners conduct polygraph is actually the instrument polygraph testing on individuals and not the process. The term accused of sexually molesting polygraph means many writings. Dr. children. Specific issue testing, as Yankee noted that this instrument is it is called, serves to assist the utilized in the science of forensic investigators in determining whether psychophysiology and the practitioner charges should be brought. A is the forensic psychophysiologist. polygraph test in such cases is no To illustrate his position Dr. Yankee different from testing an individual noted that, a surgeon may use a suspected of another offense, such as scalpel in his work, it would be burglary, murder, or shoplifting. inappropriate to call him a Like other offenders, child sexual "scalpelist". However, other abusers have denial, irrational professionals in the field respond thinking behaviors, and other that the traditional terms of protective mechanisms for their self­ "polygraph, polygraph examiner, preservation. Training in polygraph polygraphy, and polygraphist", are question formulation emphasizes well ingrained within the public and morally neutral questions that define professionals alike, and that these events. For example, the examinee terms are both accurate and adequate. would be asked, "Did you put your hand Whether or not these suggested changes on Child X's vagina?" If indications will prevail is unknown. The matter are the examinee did touch the child will obviously come before the in that manner, the social and legal polygraph committees of the ASTM, meaning of that incident will be (American Standards and Testing deemed independently of any Materials) who are working on the rationalization, feeling of guilt, or establishment of standards for the lack of feeling of guilt, on the part field. This paper does not intend to of the examinee. In a polygraph test, take a position in this matter, and the examiner does not present for purposes of simplicity, questions that would require the traditional terminology was utilized. examinee to be subjective. For example,