A Survey of the Views of Catholic Safeguarding Coordinators about the Inclusion of the Polygraph in Psychological Risk Assessments of Clerics

• Authors: Daniel T. Wilcox , Rosalind Berry , Emma Grove

Abstracts

EN

This paper reflects the views of Catholic safeguarding coordinators (SCs) with regard to the inclusion of the polygraph in forensic psychological risk assessments that they have commissioned. The contents are derived from feedback forms sought of these instructing parties, relating to fifteen priests referred for assessment by SCs from eight different Catholic dioceses in England. The SCs responded to a post-assessment survey including a range of questions concerning their perceptions of the utility of independent, secularly organised, forensic psychological risk assessments undertaken during the period from January 2019 to December 2021. Feedback was obtained in relation to twelve of the clerics, with two SCs having left their positions during the period and as such, not avail able to provide feedback, and one SC not responding to the feedback request. Replies were received from SCs representing seven of the twenty-two Catholic dioceses in England. The overall survey results reflected that a significant majority of respondents positively connoted the value of independent secularly organised forensic psychological risk assessments. However, their expressed views about the polygraph in this context were more varied, thus prompting the authors to produce this separate paper.

Keywords

EN

polygraph; psychological assessment; risk; church safeguarding; priest; sex offences

• Publisher: Krakowska Akademia im. Andrzeja Frycza Modrzewskiego
• Journal: European Polygraph
• Year: 2022
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 1 (55)
• Pages: 31-43

Dates

published

2022

Contributors

author

Daniel T. Wilcox

• Wilcox Psychological Associates Limited, Birmingham, England

author

Rosalind Berry

• Wilcox Psychological Associates Limited, Birmingham, England

author

Emma Grove

• Wilcox Psychological Associates Limited, Birmingham, England

References

• Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021, c. 32. https://www.legislation.gov. uk/ukpga/2021/11/part/2/crossheading/polygraph-conditions-in-licences-forrelease Domestic Abuse Act 2021, c. 76. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2021/17/section/76/enacted
• Jack A. & Wilcox D.T. (2018). Th e psychological assessment of clerics. Pastoral Psychology, 67(1), 55–64.
• Jones R. (2011). The canon law of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England: A handbook (2nd ed.). Bloomsbury.
• Lie-detectors might be useful. (2019, January 26). Th e Economist. https://www.economist.com/britain/2019/01/26/lie-detectors-might-be-useful-even-if-theydont-work
• Offender Management Act 2007, c. 28. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2007/21/section/28Wilcox D.T. (2000). Application of the clinical polygraph examination to the assessment, treatment and monitoring of sex off enders. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 5, 134–152.
• Wilcox D.T. (2019). A polygraph assisted psychological assessment of risk of sexual harm posed by a priest. European Polygraph, 2(48), 85–93.
• Wilcox D.T., & Collins N. (2020). Polygraph: Th e use of polygraph in the assessment and treatment of sex off enders in the UK. European Polygraph, 14(2), 55–62.
• Wilcox D.T., Jack A., Donathy M.L. & Berry R. (2020). Case studies using the polygraph to assist in assessing sexual risk in three clerics. European Polygraph, 14(2), 17–36.

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/EP-2022-0003

Biblioteka Nauki

2131844