| Ethical practice in sex offender assessment: consideration of actuarial and polygraph methods. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 20944058 Owner: NLM Status: In-Data-Review |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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The current generation of community protection laws represents a shift in priorities that may see the individual rights of sex offenders compromised for the goal of public safety. At the center of many judicial decisions under these laws are the risk assessment reports provided by mental health practitioners. The widespread enactment of laws allowing for additional sanctions for sex offenders, and a burgeoning research literature regarding the methods used to assess risk have served to heighten rather than resolve the ethical concerns associated with professional practice in this area. This article examines ethical issues inherent in the use of two assessment methods commonly used with sex offenders in the correctional context, focusing on actuarial measures and polygraph tests. Properly conducted and adequately reported actuarial findings are considered to provide useful information of sufficient accuracy to inform rather than mislead judicial decision makers, although careful consideration must be given to the limitations of current measures in each individual case. Despite its increasing use, polygraph testing is considered controversial, with little consensus regarding its accuracy or appropriate applications. On the basis of the current state of the professional literature regarding the polygraph, its use with sex offenders raises unresolved ethical concerns. |
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Authors:
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James Vess |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article Date: 2010-10-13 |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Sexual abuse : a journal of research and treatment Volume: 23 ISSN: 1573-286X ISO Abbreviation: Sex Abuse Publication Date: 2011 Sep |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2011-09-15 Completed Date: - Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 9506704 Medline TA: Sex Abuse Country: United States |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 381-96 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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1Deakin University. |
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From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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