LONDON, (Reuters) – Sex offenders in Britain will be forced to take lie detector tests as a condition of probation on release from prison, the Justice Ministry said yesterday.
Twenty-five offenders have been chosen to take part in a three-year pilot project that starts on Wednesday.
Justice Minister David Hanson said 350-450 offenders are expected to be tested over the next three years and those who refuse could be returned to prison.
“The tests will help us determine whether the polygraph can be a useful additional tool in the management of sex offenders, in order to protect the public,” Hanson said in a statement.
Professor Don Grubin, who will carry out the tests, said they were part of a package of measures aimed at stopping reoffending.
“Disclosures made during polygraph examinations, as well as conclusions drawn from passed or failed examinations, allow probation officers and the police to intervene to reduce risk,” he said.
“Just as important, it is also aimed at enhancing the cooperation of offenders with supervision, helping them to focus on, and avoid, the sorts of behaviours that make re-offending more likely.”
The ministry said each polygraph session will take between 90 minutes and two hours and will follow an interview during which the subject will be told the questions they will be asked so they can make any relevant disclosures beforehand.
After the polygraph session, the subject will be told the results of the test and asked to account for any failures.