Polygraph, Sex Offenders and the Court

About a century ago, Dean John Wigmore, Northwestern University School of Law, hypothesized that if "there is ever devised a psychological test for the valuation of witnesses, the law will run to meet it." But his prophesy has yet to prove itself. In fact, it often seems that the law has been running away from the polygraph. In his new book, Ken Blackstone explains that this has less to do with the validity of the polygraph and more to do with the lack of a bright line between forensic and utility polygraph. Polygraph, Sex Offenders, and the Court: • Provides a history of civil commitment in the United States of America • Describes the psychological and physiological fundamentals of polygraph testing • Explains the complexity of the polygraph protocol • Establishes standards for professionals to expect in polygraph testing