From introduction: "For more than ten years the polygraph has been the subject of research and increased application with sex off enders in the United Kingdom. However, it is not without its detractors (Ben-Shakhar, 2008; Lykken, 1998; Meijer, Verschuere, Merckelbach and Crombez, 2008). Indeed, Craig (2011), described it as “a lightning rod for controversy” (p. 59), principally because of ongoing disputes with regard to its scientifi c acceptability (Grubin, 2008), its accuracy/ validity (Madsen, 2009) and its ethical standing (Vess, 2010)."(...)