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Abstract
Therapeutic polygraph examination has been a central tenet of sexual offense-specific treatment for many years. However, concerns about the reliability and validity of the tool have resulted in the field slowly lessening its reliance on its use. This study is a qualitative phenomenological inquiry. Eight participants, all of whom have practiced in the field of sexual offense-specific treatment, were interviewed to explore their perceptions of the polygraph, what ethical concerns they have about the use of polygraph, and what type of support they would need moving forward. The major findings included identifying how integrated the polygraph had become in their practice of sexual offense-specific treatment, their concern that the tool would be misused by professionals and harm, in various forms, could come to their clients as a result, and how critical professional connection and development were to the participants. Recommendations for future research, opportunities for furthering social justice in the field, and ideas for supporting professional development for sexual offense-specific treatment providers are delineated.