GMP’s Sex Offender Unit: Polygraph Testing & 5,000+ RSOs

A Growing Register

Greater Manchester Police faces one of the largest sex offender management challenges in England and Wales. According to the College of Policing, there are currently over 5,000 registered sexual offenders (RSOs) within Greater Manchester [1]Verified Examining the Sexual Offending Patterns of Registered Sexual Offenders in Greater Manchester
Confirms there are over 5,000 RSOs in Greater Manchester with approximately 3,000 requiring community management, and the register grows by approximately 10% annually, with around 3,000 requiring active community management by the Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU) [1]Verified Examining the Sexual Offending Patterns of Registered Sexual Offenders in Greater Manchester
Confirms there are over 5,000 RSOs in Greater Manchester with approximately 3,000 requiring community management, and the register grows by approximately 10% annually. The register grows by approximately 10% annually [1]Verified Examining the Sexual Offending Patterns of Registered Sexual Offenders in Greater Manchester
Confirms there are over 5,000 RSOs in Greater Manchester with approximately 3,000 requiring community management, and the register grows by approximately 10% annually, and if this upward trajectory continues, the register could list over 8,000 people by 2027 [1]Verified Examining the Sexual Offending Patterns of Registered Sexual Offenders in Greater Manchester
Confirms there are over 5,000 RSOs in Greater Manchester with approximately 3,000 requiring community management, and the register grows by approximately 10% annually.

This local picture reflects a national trend. As of 31 March 2024, there were 70,052 registered sex offenders in the community across England and Wales [2]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: Management of Offenders Factsheet
Confirms 70,052 registered sex offenders in England and Wales as of 31 March 2024, a 52% increase from 2014, and the Creedon Review recommendations, representing a 2% increase from 2023 and a 52% increase from 2014 [2]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: Management of Offenders Factsheet
Confirms 70,052 registered sex offenders in England and Wales as of 31 March 2024, a 52% increase from 2014, and the Creedon Review recommendations. The number of RSOs has more than doubled since 2007, the earliest year for which data is available [2]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: Management of Offenders Factsheet
Confirms 70,052 registered sex offenders in England and Wales as of 31 March 2024, a 52% increase from 2014, and the Creedon Review recommendations. Currently, approximately 62,435 RSOs are registered across England and Wales under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 [3]Verified Tensions Between Police Training and Practice for the Risk Assessment of Registered Sex Offenders in England and Wales
Confirms MOSOVO officer roles, risk assessment procedures, home visit frequencies, and that there are around 62,435 RSOs in England and Wales. The Creedon Independent Review noted that if the average year-on-year increase of 6% nationally was to continue, registered sex offenders could reach 100,000 by 2029 [4]Verified Independent Review into the Police-led Management of Registered Sex Offenders in the Community
Confirms Creedon Review recommendation for College of Policing to develop polygraph training programme for all forces and growing MOSOVO workload pressures.

In addition to those on the register, there are many more individuals in Greater Manchester who are subject to sexual risk orders or have been identified as posing a potential risk but have not been convicted of a sexual offence [1]Verified Examining the Sexual Offending Patterns of Registered Sexual Offenders in Greater Manchester
Confirms there are over 5,000 RSOs in Greater Manchester with approximately 3,000 requiring community management, and the register grows by approximately 10% annually. It is estimated that approximately 70% of offenders currently on the GMP register pose some form of online offending risk [1]Verified Examining the Sexual Offending Patterns of Registered Sexual Offenders in Greater Manchester
Confirms there are over 5,000 RSOs in Greater Manchester with approximately 3,000 requiring community management, and the register grows by approximately 10% annually. These figures create significant demands on SOMU staff and police resources. National guidelines recommend that specialist officers manage approximately 50 offenders each, but GMP officers have historically managed around 65 per officer [5]Verified Manchester Lie Detector Tests for Sex Offenders Become Permanent
Confirms GMP was one of the first forces to pilot polygraph, historical 3,400+ RSO figure, and 65 offenders per officer ratio versus 50 recommended. If you are in the Greater Manchester area and need professional polygraph services, you can explore options for a lie detector test in Greater Manchester.

GMP's Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU)

GMP's Sex Offender Management Unit has been operational since 2003, based at Nexus House [6]Verified Criminal Justice Week: Over 3000 Visits Made by Dedicated Sex Offender Management Unit
Confirms SOMU has been operational since 2003, over 300 SHPOs granted annually, and 3,500+ compliance visits with less than 3% requiring arrest. The unit is a specialist team within the Public Protection Division responsible for the robust management of registered sex offenders in the community. DCI Jen Tattersall heads up SOMU, and has overseen significant operational improvements in recent years [7]Verified Sex Offender Management Unit Discharge Area for Improvement, a Year on from PEEL Inspection
Confirms SOMU team grown to 80 people, 351 arrests (40% increase), 9,700 compliance visits, HMIC area for improvement discharged, and DCI Jen Tattersall as head.

The offender manager team has grown to 80 people, boosted by the now permanent Sex Offender Crime Investigation Team (SOCIT) and its own Intelligence Hub function [7]Verified Sex Offender Management Unit Discharge Area for Improvement, a Year on from PEEL Inspection
Confirms SOMU team grown to 80 people, 351 arrests (40% increase), 9,700 compliance visits, HMIC area for improvement discharged, and DCI Jen Tattersall as head. This multi-team approach is unique to GMP and has proven a major success [7]Verified Sex Offender Management Unit Discharge Area for Improvement, a Year on from PEEL Inspection
Confirms SOMU team grown to 80 people, 351 arrests (40% increase), 9,700 compliance visits, HMIC area for improvement discharged, and DCI Jen Tattersall as head. SOCIT focuses solely on investigating suspected offences by registered sex offenders in Greater Manchester and achieved a 94% solved crime rate in 2025, the highest in the force [8]Verified Sex Offender Management Unit Increasing Public Safety After a Man Is Sentenced for Breach of His SHPO
Confirms 370 arrests in latest year, 8,000+ compliance visits, 94% SOCIT solved crime rate, and live-time updates to offender managers.

GMP's SOMU team works closely with partner agencies including the National Probation Service, housing providers, education services, the NHS, prisons, and others to ensure comprehensive monitoring [6]Verified Criminal Justice Week: Over 3000 Visits Made by Dedicated Sex Offender Management Unit
Confirms SOMU has been operational since 2003, over 300 SHPOs granted annually, and 3,500+ compliance visits with less than 3% requiring arrest. The team has access to digital forensic and polygraph experts to assist with conducting thorough investigations [9]Verified More Online Sex Offenders Arrested, and Children Safeguarded in 2023
Confirms GMP access to digital forensic and polygraph experts, OCAIT operations, 116 proactive arrests, and 64% of online perpetrators under 17. Under the UK Mandatory Polygraph Programme, information gleaned through polygraph testing by National Probation Service colleagues is shared with the police in order to better manage risk [10]Verified Mandatory Polygraph Tests Factsheet
Confirms DCI Jude Holmes endorsement of polygraph, APA-trained probation examiners, information sharing under MAPPA, and significant safeguarding outcomes.

Understanding MOSOVO Operations

Management of Sexual or Violent Offenders (MOSOVO) is the specialist policing function responsible for risk assessing and managing registered sex offenders across England and Wales [3]Verified Tensions Between Police Training and Practice for the Risk Assessment of Registered Sex Offenders in England and Wales
Confirms MOSOVO officer roles, risk assessment procedures, home visit frequencies, and that there are around 62,435 RSOs in England and Wales. UK police officers are specially trained to become MOSOVO officers through a national development programme delivered by the College of Policing [3]Verified Tensions Between Police Training and Practice for the Risk Assessment of Registered Sex Offenders in England and Wales
Confirms MOSOVO officer roles, risk assessment procedures, home visit frequencies, and that there are around 62,435 RSOs in England and Wales. MOSOVO officers conduct unannounced home visits to carry out risk assessments on RSOs, using the Active Risk Management System (ARMS) tool introduced in 2014 [3]Verified Tensions Between Police Training and Practice for the Risk Assessment of Registered Sex Offenders in England and Wales
Confirms MOSOVO officer roles, risk assessment procedures, home visit frequencies, and that there are around 62,435 RSOs in England and Wales.

The frequency of home visits differs according to the offender's risk level: monthly for very high risk, three-monthly for high risk, six-monthly for medium risk, and annually for those assessed as low risk [3]Verified Tensions Between Police Training and Practice for the Risk Assessment of Registered Sex Offenders in England and Wales
Confirms MOSOVO officer roles, risk assessment procedures, home visit frequencies, and that there are around 62,435 RSOs in England and Wales. Each offender is assigned a dedicated offender manager to ensure compliance with notification requirements, and each is subject to a detailed individual risk assessment and risk management plan [11]Verified Introduction to Managing Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders (APP)
Confirms ViSOR national database, MOSOVO training requirements, and multi-agency information sharing protocols.

MOSOVO is a well-established national framework. The independent Creedon Review (2023) noted that the demand and workload for MOSOVO teams has only increased and will continue to do so [4]Verified Independent Review into the Police-led Management of Registered Sex Offenders in the Community
Confirms Creedon Review recommendation for College of Policing to develop polygraph training programme for all forces and growing MOSOVO workload pressures. The review made 33 recommendations to improve sex offender management, including a specific recommendation that the College of Policing develop a training programme specifically for polygraph testing in offender management, to be made available to all forces within 12 months [4]Verified Independent Review into the Police-led Management of Registered Sex Offenders in the Community
Confirms Creedon Review recommendation for College of Policing to develop polygraph training programme for all forces and growing MOSOVO workload pressures. This underscores the growing importance of polygraph in the MOSOVO toolkit. For more information about the wider research base, visit our Polygraph Research Database.

Polygraph Testing as a Risk Management Tool

Polygraph testing is deployed as a key tool within GMP's sex offender management framework. The Offender Management Act 2007 (Sections 28-30) provides the legal basis for including polygraph conditions in the release licences of certain sex offenders in England and Wales [12]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 — Explanatory Notes (Polygraph Provisions)
Confirms legal framework for polygraph conditions, eligibility criteria, Section 28-30 provisions, and that polygraph results cannot be used in criminal proceedings. Following a successful pilot in the East and West Midlands from January 2009 to March 2012, polygraph testing was fully implemented for sex offenders nationwide from January 2014 [13]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013 — House of Lords Debate
Confirms piloting in eight probation trusts from January 2009 to March 2012, full implementation from January 2014, and accuracy levels of 80-90%.

Under the current system, probation officers trained to American Polygraph Association (APA) standards conduct the examinations [10]Verified Mandatory Polygraph Tests Factsheet
Confirms DCI Jude Holmes endorsement of polygraph, APA-trained probation examiners, information sharing under MAPPA, and significant safeguarding outcomes. Polygraph examinations are used to monitor compliance with licence conditions and improve risk management [12]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 — Explanatory Notes (Polygraph Provisions)
Confirms legal framework for polygraph conditions, eligibility criteria, Section 28-30 provisions, and that polygraph results cannot be used in criminal proceedings. Importantly, Section 30 of the Act makes clear that information obtained during polygraph examinations — including physiological responses — may not be used in criminal proceedings against the examined person [12]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 — Explanatory Notes (Polygraph Provisions)
Confirms legal framework for polygraph conditions, eligibility criteria, Section 28-30 provisions, and that polygraph results cannot be used in criminal proceedings. However, disclosures made during testing can trigger further investigation and enforcement action [10]Verified Mandatory Polygraph Tests Factsheet
Confirms DCI Jude Holmes endorsement of polygraph, APA-trained probation examiners, information sharing under MAPPA, and significant safeguarding outcomes.

Since 2014, the Probation Service has carried out over 9,000 polygraph tests on sex offenders nationally [14]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: Overview Impact Assessment
Confirms over 9,000 polygraph tests conducted by Probation Service since 2014, expanded polygraph use under multiple Acts, and proposed further extensions. For police-led testing, nearly 3,500 individuals have been tested and approximately 5,000 tests carried out by police examiners, with over three-quarters resulting in previously unknown information being disclosed [15]Verified Risk Assessment and Polygraph Testing
Confirms nearly 3,500 individuals tested by police examiners, approximately 5,000 tests conducted, and over three-quarters resulting in new disclosures. GMP was one of the first forces to pilot the polygraph for monitoring sex offenders and has embraced it as a permanent addition to their investigative tools [5]Verified Manchester Lie Detector Tests for Sex Offenders Become Permanent
Confirms GMP was one of the first forces to pilot polygraph, historical 3,400+ RSO figure, and 65 offenders per officer ratio versus 50 recommended.

DCI Jude Holmes, former head of the Sex Offender Management Unit for Greater Manchester Police, stated on the UK Government's mandatory polygraph factsheet: polygraph testing allows joint resources to better manage the risk posed by registered sex offenders and concentrate on those who pose the most harm in communities [10]Verified Mandatory Polygraph Tests Factsheet
Confirms DCI Jude Holmes endorsement of polygraph, APA-trained probation examiners, information sharing under MAPPA, and significant safeguarding outcomes. To understand how polygraph compares with other detection technologies, read our guide on facial recognition vs. polygraph.

The Wood 2020 Evaluation: A Landmark UK Study

The most comprehensive UK evaluation of police-led polygraph testing was conducted by Professor Jane Wood and colleagues at the University of Kent, commissioned by the National Police Chiefs' Council [16]Verified An Evaluation of Polygraph Testing by Police to Manage Individuals Convicted or Suspected of Sexual Offending
Confirms two-year evaluation across nine UK police areas involving 800+ individuals, polygraph-tested supervisees nearly 6 times more likely to make risk-relevant disclosures. This two-year evaluation across nine UK police areas involved more than 800 individuals convicted or suspected of sexual offences who were randomly assigned to polygraph testing or comparison groups [16]Verified An Evaluation of Polygraph Testing by Police to Manage Individuals Convicted or Suspected of Sexual Offending
Confirms two-year evaluation across nine UK police areas involving 800+ individuals, polygraph-tested supervisees nearly 6 times more likely to make risk-relevant disclosures.

The research found that polygraph-tested supervisees were nearly 6 times more likely to make at least one risk-relevant disclosure [16]Verified An Evaluation of Polygraph Testing by Police to Manage Individuals Convicted or Suspected of Sexual Offending
Confirms two-year evaluation across nine UK police areas involving 800+ individuals, polygraph-tested supervisees nearly 6 times more likely to make risk-relevant disclosures. Professor Wood stated that the findings support police use of polygraph testing as "a supportive tool for managing individuals convicted of sexual offences" because it elicits important new information that would ordinarily remain unknown [16]Verified An Evaluation of Polygraph Testing by Police to Manage Individuals Convicted or Suspected of Sexual Offending
Confirms two-year evaluation across nine UK police areas involving 800+ individuals, polygraph-tested supervisees nearly 6 times more likely to make risk-relevant disclosures. Chief Constable Michelle Skeer, the NPCC Lead for Management of Sexual and Violent Offenders, confirmed that this research recommends mandatory polygraph testing as the most effective method of monitoring sex offenders by police [16]Verified An Evaluation of Polygraph Testing by Police to Manage Individuals Convicted or Suspected of Sexual Offending
Confirms two-year evaluation across nine UK police areas involving 800+ individuals, polygraph-tested supervisees nearly 6 times more likely to make risk-relevant disclosures.

The Gannon 2012 Pilot Study

The foundational UK pilot study was conducted by Professor Theresa Gannon and Professor Jane Wood for the Ministry of Justice [17]Verified Mandatory Polygraph Testing Pilot Study for Sexual Offenders
Confirms comparison of 332 sex offenders with polygraph vs. 303 without, polygraph doubled disclosures, directly referenced in House of Lords debate. Comparing 332 sex offenders supervised with polygraph against 303 without, the study found that the polygraph group made significantly higher numbers of risk-related disclosures — effectively doubling the number of disclosures compared to the control group [17]Verified Mandatory Polygraph Testing Pilot Study for Sexual Offenders
Confirms comparison of 332 sex offenders with polygraph vs. 303 without, polygraph doubled disclosures, directly referenced in House of Lords debate. These findings were directly referenced in House of Lords debates and were instrumental in the government's decision to make polygraph testing mandatory for high-risk sex offenders nationally [17]Verified Mandatory Polygraph Testing Pilot Study for Sexual Offenders
Confirms comparison of 332 sex offenders with polygraph vs. 303 without, polygraph doubled disclosures, directly referenced in House of Lords debate.

Following the pilot results, the UK government mandated polygraph testing for high-risk sex offenders released on licence in England and Wales through the Offender Management Act 2007 implementation [18]Verified Mandatory Polygraph Testing for Sexual Offenders (Offender Management Act 2007 Implementation)
Confirms UK government mandated polygraph testing for high-risk sex offenders released on licence following 2012 pilot, making PCSOT a statutory licence condition. This made PCSOT (Post-Conviction Sex Offender Testing) a statutory licence condition — the first such mandate in the UK [18]Verified Mandatory Polygraph Testing for Sexual Offenders (Offender Management Act 2007 Implementation)
Confirms UK government mandated polygraph testing for high-risk sex offenders released on licence following 2012 pilot, making PCSOT a statutory licence condition. The legislative rollout represents one of the most significant endorsements of polygraph utility by any government worldwide.

International Research and Systematic Reviews

The evidence base for polygraph in sex offender management extends well beyond the UK. A systematic review by Elliott and Völlm (2018) examined 19 studies from the US, UK, and Netherlands, finding that all established PCSOT elicits significant increases in risk-relevant disclosures [19]Verified The Utility of Post-Conviction Polygraph Testing Among Sexual Offenders
Confirms systematic review of 19 studies from US, UK, and Netherlands all establishing PCSOT elicits significant increases in risk-relevant disclosures.

The landmark US study by Ahlmeyer et al. (2000) demonstrated that polygraph testing dramatically increased admissions of previously undisclosed victims and offences, with substantial increases in reported victim counts and offence variety [20]Verified The Impact of Polygraphy on Admissions of Victims and Offenses in Adult Sexual Offenders
Confirms polygraph testing dramatically increased admissions of previously undisclosed victims and offences with substantial increases in reported victim counts. Research by Grubin and Madsen (2006) in the British context found that polygraph testing produces actionable information for risk management, supporting its clinical utility [21]Verified Accuracy and Utility of Post-Conviction Polygraph Testing of Sex Offenders
Confirms polygraph testing produces actionable information for risk management in the British context.

Early UK feasibility work by Wilcox and Sosnowski (2005) demonstrated significant increases in sexual history disclosure among British sex offenders, confirming the international applicability of the approach [22]Verified Polygraph Examination of British Sexual Offenders: A Pilot Study on Sexual History Disclosure Testing
Confirms early UK pilot demonstrating feasibility and effectiveness of SHDE polygraph testing with British sexual offenders. A preliminary study by Madsen, Parsons, and Grubin (2004) found polygraph-tested offenders made significantly more clinically relevant disclosures, findings that contributed to the subsequent expansion of PCSOT in England and Wales [23]Verified A Preliminary Study of the Contribution of Periodic Polygraph Testing to the Treatment and Supervision of Sex Offenders
Confirms early UK pilot finding polygraph-tested offenders made significantly more clinically relevant disclosures, contributing to PCSOT expansion.

More recently, Kim, Kim, and Chung (2020) studied 52 sex offenders in South Korea and found that the polygraph group disclosed more deviant behaviours and paraphilic interests than the comparison group, supporting the effectiveness of sexual history disclosure examinations with polygraph internationally [24]Verified Improving the Quality of Sexual History Disclosure on Sex Offenders: Emphasis on a Polygraph Examination
Confirms study of 52 sex offenders in South Korea where polygraph group disclosed more deviant behaviours and paraphilic interests. These studies are also discussed in the context of broader polygraph science in our Polygraph Research Database.

Record Arrests and Compliance Activity

GMP's SOMU has demonstrated remarkable operational improvements in recent years. As part of ongoing improvements, the team made 370 arrests in 2024/25, compared to 349 the previous year, and conducted over 8,000 positive compliance visits [8]Verified Sex Offender Management Unit Increasing Public Safety After a Man Is Sentenced for Breach of His SHPO
Confirms 370 arrests in latest year, 8,000+ compliance visits, 94% SOCIT solved crime rate, and live-time updates to offender managers. In the previous reporting period (November 2023 – October 2024), the unit completed over 9,700 compliance visits [7]Verified Sex Offender Management Unit Discharge Area for Improvement, a Year on from PEEL Inspection
Confirms SOMU team grown to 80 people, 351 arrests (40% increase), 9,700 compliance visits, HMIC area for improvement discharged, and DCI Jen Tattersall as head and made 351 arrests — an over 40% increase from the 249 arrests in the prior 12 months [7]Verified Sex Offender Management Unit Discharge Area for Improvement, a Year on from PEEL Inspection
Confirms SOMU team grown to 80 people, 351 arrests (40% increase), 9,700 compliance visits, HMIC area for improvement discharged, and DCI Jen Tattersall as head. The team solved over 860 crimes with a solved outcome rate increasing by 12% compared with the previous year [7]Verified Sex Offender Management Unit Discharge Area for Improvement, a Year on from PEEL Inspection
Confirms SOMU team grown to 80 people, 351 arrests (40% increase), 9,700 compliance visits, HMIC area for improvement discharged, and DCI Jen Tattersall as head.

In the 2023 calendar year, SOMU demonstrated an extraordinary 196% increase in arrests compared to 2022, recording 446 arrests [26]Verified GMP's Sex Offender Management Unit Showcase Further Positive Progress Following PEEL Inspection
Confirms 196% increase in SOMU arrests in 2023, 765 crimes solved (86% increase), and DCI Jen Tattersall leadership. The unit solved 765 crimes that year, representing an 86% increase on 2022 [26]Verified GMP's Sex Offender Management Unit Showcase Further Positive Progress Following PEEL Inspection
Confirms 196% increase in SOMU arrests in 2023, 765 crimes solved (86% increase), and DCI Jen Tattersall leadership. Over 300 Sexual Harm Prevention Orders (SHPOs) have been granted across Greater Manchester annually, giving the team additional powers to enforce restrictions on offenders after prison release [6]Verified Criminal Justice Week: Over 3000 Visits Made by Dedicated Sex Offender Management Unit
Confirms SOMU has been operational since 2003, over 300 SHPOs granted annually, and 3,500+ compliance visits with less than 3% requiring arrest.

HMIC Recognition and Continuous Improvement

GMP's progress in sex offender management has been formally recognised by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). In December 2023, following a PEEL Inspection, HMIC identified an area for improvement relating to how GMP monitors its requirement to visit registered sex offenders [7]Verified Sex Offender Management Unit Discharge Area for Improvement, a Year on from PEEL Inspection
Confirms SOMU team grown to 80 people, 351 arrests (40% increase), 9,700 compliance visits, HMIC area for improvement discharged, and DCI Jen Tattersall as head. Through dedicated effort, the SOMU discharged this area for improvement within a year [7]Verified Sex Offender Management Unit Discharge Area for Improvement, a Year on from PEEL Inspection
Confirms SOMU team grown to 80 people, 351 arrests (40% increase), 9,700 compliance visits, HMIC area for improvement discharged, and DCI Jen Tattersall as head.

The Public Protection Department had already been making significant progress at the time of inspection, with the Sex Offender Management Unit having decreased overdue visits by 81% and overdue specialist risk assessments by 83% since the beginning of 2023 [27]Verified HMICFRS Recognises 'Significant Improvements' at GMP
Confirms SOMU decreased overdue visits by 81% and overdue risk assessments by 83%, GMP recognised as most improved force in the country. GMP has been recognised as the most improved force in the country [27]Verified HMICFRS Recognises 'Significant Improvements' at GMP
Confirms SOMU decreased overdue visits by 81% and overdue risk assessments by 83%, GMP recognised as most improved force in the country.

The force has also introduced innovative digitised processes for sex offender registration, meaning offender managers now receive live-time updates on changes to addresses or associations that subjects have with children [8]Verified Sex Offender Management Unit Increasing Public Safety After a Man Is Sentenced for Breach of His SHPO
Confirms 370 arrests in latest year, 8,000+ compliance visits, 94% SOCIT solved crime rate, and live-time updates to offender managers. This has improved the effectiveness of the unit, expedited arrests, and reduced risk to communities [8]Verified Sex Offender Management Unit Increasing Public Safety After a Man Is Sentenced for Breach of His SHPO
Confirms 370 arrests in latest year, 8,000+ compliance visits, 94% SOCIT solved crime rate, and live-time updates to offender managers. For information about polygraph test pricing or to book a polygraph test, visit our dedicated pages.

Online Offending and Digital Challenges

A major and growing challenge for GMP is online sexual offending. It is estimated that approximately 70% of offenders on the GMP register pose some form of online offending risk [1]Verified Examining the Sexual Offending Patterns of Registered Sexual Offenders in Greater Manchester
Confirms there are over 5,000 RSOs in Greater Manchester with approximately 3,000 requiring community management, and the register grows by approximately 10% annually. In the online space, 64% of perpetrators nationally are under 17 years of age [9]Verified More Online Sex Offenders Arrested, and Children Safeguarded in 2023
Confirms GMP access to digital forensic and polygraph experts, OCAIT operations, 116 proactive arrests, and 64% of online perpetrators under 17. GMP's Online Child Abuse Investigation Team (OCAIT) works closely with SOMU and the NCA, conducting 116 proactive arrests in 2023 [9]Verified More Online Sex Offenders Arrested, and Children Safeguarded in 2023
Confirms GMP access to digital forensic and polygraph experts, OCAIT operations, 116 proactive arrests, and 64% of online perpetrators under 17.

Research conducted by the University of Manchester in partnership with GMP examined 188 individuals recorded as committing indecent image of children offences between 2013 and 2022 [28]Verified Risk and Recidivism of Registered Sex Offenders (University of Manchester & GMP)
Confirms study of 188 individuals with IIOC offences, 55% reoffended after being placed on register, highlighting need for effective monitoring. The study found that 55% of those placed on the sex offender register went on to commit further sexual offences [28]Verified Risk and Recidivism of Registered Sex Offenders (University of Manchester & GMP)
Confirms study of 188 individuals with IIOC offences, 55% reoffended after being placed on register, highlighting need for effective monitoring. These findings underscore the critical importance of effective monitoring tools like polygraph testing in identifying escalating risk before it results in further victimisation.

The Offender Management Act 2007

The legal foundation for polygraph testing of sex offenders in England and Wales rests on Sections 28-30 of the Offender Management Act 2007 [12]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 — Explanatory Notes (Polygraph Provisions)
Confirms legal framework for polygraph conditions, eligibility criteria, Section 28-30 provisions, and that polygraph results cannot be used in criminal proceedings. Section 28 enables the Secretary of State to include a polygraph condition in the release licence of offenders convicted of specified sexual offences who are released on licence and are aged 18 or over on the day of release [12]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 — Explanatory Notes (Polygraph Provisions)
Confirms legal framework for polygraph conditions, eligibility criteria, Section 28-30 provisions, and that polygraph results cannot be used in criminal proceedings. The polygraph condition requires released persons to participate in polygraph sessions conducted with a view to monitoring their compliance with licence conditions or improving how they are managed during release [12]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 — Explanatory Notes (Polygraph Provisions)
Confirms legal framework for polygraph conditions, eligibility criteria, Section 28-30 provisions, and that polygraph results cannot be used in criminal proceedings.

The Act was piloted in eight probation trusts from January 2009 to March 2012, with an independent evaluation by the University of Kent demonstrating its effectiveness [13]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013 — House of Lords Debate
Confirms piloting in eight probation trusts from January 2009 to March 2012, full implementation from January 2014, and accuracy levels of 80-90%. The Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013 brought these provisions into full force from 6 January 2014, enabling polygraph testing as a licence condition throughout England and Wales [13]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013 — House of Lords Debate
Confirms piloting in eight probation trusts from January 2009 to March 2012, full implementation from January 2014, and accuracy levels of 80-90%. The current arrangement for testing sex offenders has been in continuous operation since January 2013 [13]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013 — House of Lords Debate
Confirms piloting in eight probation trusts from January 2009 to March 2012, full implementation from January 2014, and accuracy levels of 80-90%.

Subsequent legislation has expanded the scope of mandatory polygraph testing. The Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 extended polygraph conditions to specified terrorist offenders [14]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: Overview Impact Assessment
Confirms over 9,000 polygraph tests conducted by Probation Service since 2014, expanded polygraph use under multiple Acts, and proposed further extensions, and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 enabled a three-year pilot of polygraph testing with high-risk domestic abuse perpetrators [14]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: Overview Impact Assessment
Confirms over 9,000 polygraph tests conducted by Probation Service since 2014, expanded polygraph use under multiple Acts, and proposed further extensions. The Crime and Policing Bill 2025 proposes further extensions to murderers assessed as posing sexual offending risk and those serving concurrent sexual and non-sexual sentences [14]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: Overview Impact Assessment
Confirms over 9,000 polygraph tests conducted by Probation Service since 2014, expanded polygraph use under multiple Acts, and proposed further extensions. For the latest on the UK Mandatory Polygraph Programme results and statistics, see our dedicated resource page.

Police-Led Polygraph Testing

Separate from the probation-led mandatory programme, police forces including GMP have developed their own polygraph capabilities. Since 2014, two police forces began using polygraphy as part of their management of registered sex offenders, and since then another 12 forces have adopted the practice [15]Verified Risk Assessment and Polygraph Testing
Confirms nearly 3,500 individuals tested by police examiners, approximately 5,000 tests conducted, and over three-quarters resulting in new disclosures. Polygraph testing by police can be used in connection with conditional cautions and Sexual Harm Prevention Orders [15]Verified Risk Assessment and Polygraph Testing
Confirms nearly 3,500 individuals tested by police examiners, approximately 5,000 tests conducted, and over three-quarters resulting in new disclosures.

GMP's FOI disclosure reveals that offenders identified as high harm through the Priority Perpetrator Identification Tool (PPIT) or similar risk assessment processes, or those subject to orders with conditions to protect specific individuals, are considered suitable for polygraph testing [29]Verified GMP FOI Disclosure: Polygraph Policy for Sex Offender Management
Confirms GMP uses Priority Perpetrator Identification Tool for polygraph eligibility, polygraph offered for indefinite notification review and domestic abuse perpetrators. Where an offender is approaching eligibility for review of indefinite notification requirements, the offender manager should consider offering a polygraph examination as a means of demonstrating reduced risk [29]Verified GMP FOI Disclosure: Polygraph Policy for Sex Offender Management
Confirms GMP uses Priority Perpetrator Identification Tool for polygraph eligibility, polygraph offered for indefinite notification review and domestic abuse perpetrators.

The Creedon Independent Review recommended that the College of Policing develop a UK-based polygraph testing training programme for offender management, to be made available to all forces [4]Verified Independent Review into the Police-led Management of Registered Sex Offenders in the Community
Confirms Creedon Review recommendation for College of Policing to develop polygraph training programme for all forces and growing MOSOVO workload pressures. This recommendation reflects the growing confidence in polygraph as a vital part of the sex offender management toolkit. For those interested in the profession, learn more about how to become a polygraph examiner or explore polygraph training opportunities.

How MAPPA Supports Offender Management in Greater Manchester

Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) are the set of arrangements by which police, probation, and prison services work together to assess and monitor violent and sexual offenders to protect the public [4]Verified Independent Review into the Police-led Management of Registered Sex Offenders in the Community
Confirms Creedon Review recommendation for College of Policing to develop polygraph training programme for all forces and growing MOSOVO workload pressures. Under MAPPA, registered sex offenders are managed at three levels depending on their assessed risk, with information shared across agencies to ensure comprehensive supervision.

GMPs SOMU manages Category 1 registered sex offenders, with all individuals allocated to an appropriately trained offender manager [30]Verified MAPPA Joint Inspection Response — Greater Manchester Deputy Mayor
Confirms Category 1 RSOs managed by SOMU with dedicated offender managers, and Greater Manchester's unusually high level of MAPPA resource. The unit works with the National Probation Service under joint multi-agency arrangements. Under MAPPA, information from polygraph testing conducted by probation colleagues is shared with the police to better manage risk, where there is joint agency responsibility [10]Verified Mandatory Polygraph Tests Factsheet
Confirms DCI Jude Holmes endorsement of polygraph, APA-trained probation examiners, information sharing under MAPPA, and significant safeguarding outcomes. There have been a significant number of cases where information gained through polygraph testing has led to children and vulnerable people being safeguarded [10]Verified Mandatory Polygraph Tests Factsheet
Confirms DCI Jude Holmes endorsement of polygraph, APA-trained probation examiners, information sharing under MAPPA, and significant safeguarding outcomes.

The Violent and Sex Offender Register (ViSOR) is the national multi-agency database used as a key tool in effective offender management [11]Verified Introduction to Managing Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders (APP)
Confirms ViSOR national database, MOSOVO training requirements, and multi-agency information sharing protocols. Its effectiveness depends on the quality and timeliness of information recorded within it [11]Verified Introduction to Managing Sexual Offenders and Violent Offenders (APP)
Confirms ViSOR national database, MOSOVO training requirements, and multi-agency information sharing protocols. All registered sex offenders must notify police about changes to personal information including names, aliases, address, passport information, bank details, and travel plans [6]Verified Criminal Justice Week: Over 3000 Visits Made by Dedicated Sex Offender Management Unit
Confirms SOMU has been operational since 2003, over 300 SHPOs granted annually, and 3,500+ compliance visits with less than 3% requiring arrest. If you have concerns about a sex offender in your area, you can contact us or visit our polygraph test locations page for more information.

Expanding Polygraph Use Across England and Wales

The trajectory for polygraph use in UK sex offender management is firmly upward. The Crime and Policing Bill 2025 proposes further extensions of polygraph testing to new categories of offenders [14]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: Overview Impact Assessment
Confirms over 9,000 polygraph tests conducted by Probation Service since 2014, expanded polygraph use under multiple Acts, and proposed further extensions. The Bill directly follows several of retired Chief Constable Mick Creedon's recommendations from his independent review, which was published in April 2023 [2]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: Management of Offenders Factsheet
Confirms 70,052 registered sex offenders in England and Wales as of 31 March 2024, a 52% increase from 2014, and the Creedon Review recommendations.

With the national RSO population projected to potentially reach 100,000 by 2029 [4]Verified Independent Review into the Police-led Management of Registered Sex Offenders in the Community
Confirms Creedon Review recommendation for College of Policing to develop polygraph training programme for all forces and growing MOSOVO workload pressures, the need for efficient and effective management tools has never been greater. Polygraph testing offers a proven method for identifying risk without requiring the resource-intensive surveillance that was previously the primary alternative [5]Verified Manchester Lie Detector Tests for Sex Offenders Become Permanent
Confirms GMP was one of the first forces to pilot polygraph, historical 3,400+ RSO figure, and 65 offenders per officer ratio versus 50 recommended. The evidence from Iacono and Ben-Shakhar (2019), while highlighting methodological debates, has not prevented the continued expansion of PCSOT programmes, with UK policymakers and practitioners consistently finding practical value in the tool [25]Verified The Case Against the Use of Polygraph Examinations to Monitor Post-Conviction Sex Offenders
Foundational research presenting a critical perspective on PCSOT methodology, relevant to the broader scientific debate.

As GMP's experience demonstrates, polygraph testing — when combined with trained SOMU officers, digital forensics, multi-agency cooperation, and robust compliance monitoring — creates a comprehensive framework for protecting the public. The force's record of increasing arrests, improving solved crime rates, and discharging HMIC improvement notices demonstrates that this integrated approach delivers results.