Police chief supports lie detector tests for sex offenders - Daily Mail

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Police chief supports lie detector tests for sex offenders - Daily Mail Posted: 18 Mar 2020 09:33 AM PDT Assistant chief constable Michelle Skeer, pictured, said mandatory polygraph tests on convicted sex offenders would help police monitor them Convicted sex offenders should undergo compulsory lie-detector tests, a new study suggests. Research by the University of Kent found that mandatory polygraph tests for those convicted of sexual crimes made offenders six times more likely to reveal information relevant to their risk assessment on release. Those who had been convicted of a crime and were applying for notification requirements to be eased were 42.5 times more likely to pass on information if subjected to a lie detector test, the study found. The team looked at 557 convicted offenders who were being supervised by police; 142 suspected of online offences; and 104 who had been convicted and were applying for notification requirements to be lifted. Police and probation staff have piloted the use of polygraphs on convicted sex offenders when released on licence since 2012. The research suggested those suspected of sex offences who underwent polygraph testing were also more likely to pass on relevant information. Those who had the tests were more than seven times more likely to pass on the details than those who did not. But many police officers reported that the tests on suspects added to their workload without producing evidential material, as polygraph results cannot be used in court. Questions have been raised over the reliability and accuracy of the tests. Researchers at the University of Kent found that sex offenders undergoing a lie detector test were more likely to pass on information than those involved in a traditional interview Chief Constable Michelle Skeer, lead for the management of sexual and violent offenders at the National Police Chiefs' Council, said: 'This research has found that polygraph testing leads to more disclosures from registered sex offenders and recommends the introduction of mandatory tests for convicted sex offenders as being the most effective method of monitoring them by police. 'We will give this research careful consideration alongside others in policing and the Home Office as the recommendation would require a change in the law. 'Policing in the UK has some of the most advanced and effective tools in the world to manage registered sex offenders and every day officers effectively manage the risk posed to the public by such people. 'This will always be a complex area of work for police and we continue to look at innovative ways, tools and technologies to keep people safe.'

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