Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

["Foubert, John" <>]

I don't have an article to cite on this issue of polygraphs and rapists, but 
this may give you a start....

Polygraphs rely on individuals to have a nervous response to lying.  A 
sociopath and/or someone who does not get nervous when lying will pass a 
polygraph just fine because he/she sees no problem with lying because he/she 
lacks a conscience to say "you shouldn't lie, it is wrong."  That, to may 
understanding, is one reason why polygraphs are not admissible as evidence in 
court.   There are, I am sure, many perpetrators who lack a conscience, and 
thus could easily pass a polygraph and then claim vindication.  What the 
polygraph would really show is that they are either a sociopath and/or that 
they have no conscience; something we basically so often already know (unless 
there is a case of mistaken identity) from the fact that they raped someone.  
You might start searching in Google Scholar for articles about rape and 
polygraph and see what you come up with.  Just a thought.

John Foubert

**************************************
John D. Foubert, Ph.D., LLC
Associate Professor and Program Coordinator
College Student Development Master's Degree Program
Oklahoma State University
School of Educational Studies
314 Willard Hall
Stillwater, OK 74078
(405) 744-1480
(405) 744-7758 fax