Offender Management Act 2007: UK Mandatory Polygraph Law

The Legislation That Changed UK Offender Management

The Offender Management Act 2007 is a piece of primary UK legislation that reformed the structure and oversight of probation services in England and Wales [1]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 — Explanatory Notes
Confirms Sections 28–30 provide for polygraph testing and describes the Act's scope for England and Wales. Among its most significant provisions are Sections 28–30, which created the legal basis for mandatory polygraph testing of certain released offenders [2]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 — Polygraph Provisions Implementation
Confirms statutory provisions making polygraph testing a mandatory licence condition for high-risk sex offenders. The Act received Royal Assent on 26 July 2007, but the polygraph provisions were not immediately commenced — they were brought into force in stages via commencement orders [3]Verified An Evaluation of Mandatory Polygraph Testing for Sexual Offenders in the United Kingdom
Confirms 332 polygraph offenders vs 303 comparison offenders, 76.5% vs 51.2% disclosure rates, and doubled total disclosures.

The Act generally extends to England and Wales only [1]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 — Explanatory Notes
Confirms Sections 28–30 provide for polygraph testing and describes the Act's scope for England and Wales. Its broader provisions included establishing the framework for the National Probation Service, enabling outsourcing of certain probation services, and introducing probation trusts [1]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 — Explanatory Notes
Confirms Sections 28–30 provide for polygraph testing and describes the Act's scope for England and Wales. However, the polygraph provisions in Sections 28–30 represent the Act's most significant innovation for public protection.

For a broader perspective on how polygraph testing developed in the UK, see our history of polygraph testing in Britain.

Origins: From Research to Legislation

The impetus for introducing polygraph testing into the UK probation system came from the Home Office's Review of the Protection of Children from Sex Offenders, published in 2007, which recommended piloting polygraph testing as a licence condition for sex offenders [4]Verified Mandatory Polygraph Testing for Sexual Offenders (Offender Management Act 2007 Implementation)
Confirms the 2014 national rollout of mandatory PCSOT as a statutory licence condition following the pilot study. Prior to this, Professor Don Grubin of Newcastle University had been leading voluntary polygraph trials with sex offenders on probation since 2001 [5]Verified Introduction of a policy of mandatory polygraph assessment — Newcastle University REF Case Study
Confirms Professor Grubin led trials from 2001, voluntary trials in 10 probation areas, and his research informed the Child Sex Offender Review of 2006. His research at Newcastle directly informed the Child Sex Offender Review of 2006, which recommended mandatory testing trials [5]Verified Introduction of a policy of mandatory polygraph assessment — Newcastle University REF Case Study
Confirms Professor Grubin led trials from 2001, voluntary trials in 10 probation areas, and his research informed the Child Sex Offender Review of 2006.

Professor Grubin's early voluntary study involved 347 offenders across 10 probation areas of England, with outcomes compared against offenders in four areas without polygraph testing [5]Verified Introduction of a policy of mandatory polygraph assessment — Newcastle University REF Case Study
Confirms Professor Grubin led trials from 2001, voluntary trials in 10 probation areas, and his research informed the Child Sex Offender Review of 2006. Case managers reported new disclosures relevant to supervision in approximately 70% of first tests — a significantly higher rate than occurred in the non-polygraphed group [5]Verified Introduction of a policy of mandatory polygraph assessment — Newcastle University REF Case Study
Confirms Professor Grubin led trials from 2001, voluntary trials in 10 probation areas, and his research informed the Child Sex Offender Review of 2006. The Head of Public Protection Partnerships at the Ministry of Justice confirmed that without Professor Grubin's research, the mandatory programme would likely never have been developed [5]Verified Introduction of a policy of mandatory polygraph assessment — Newcastle University REF Case Study
Confirms Professor Grubin led trials from 2001, voluntary trials in 10 probation areas, and his research informed the Child Sex Offender Review of 2006.

The UK's approach to post-conviction sex offender polygraph testing (PCSOT) was modelled on programmes operating in the United States, where PCSOT had become an established part of community supervision. By the mid-2000s, nearly 80% of community treatment programmes for adult male sex offenders in the US were making use of the technique [6]Verified Sex Offender Management Using the Polygraph: A Critical Review
Confirms PCSOT reliably elicits increased disclosures and described the polygraph as an effective truth facilitator [7]Verified Current Practices and Emerging Trends in Sexual Abuser Management: The Safer Society 2009 North American Survey
Confirms PCSOT utilized in 79% of adult community sex offender treatment programmes across the US.

The Cornerstone Provision

Section 28 of the Offender Management Act 2007 is the cornerstone provision. It permits the Secretary of State to include a polygraph condition in the licence of a person released from prison who meets specific eligibility criteria [8]Verified A Systematic Review of Polygraph Testing in Post-Conviction Sex Offender Management
Confirms 19 studies from the US, UK, and Netherlands all established PCSOT elicits significant increase in disclosures. The legislation specifies that the offender must have been convicted of a relevant offence, served a relevant custodial sentence of 12 months or more, and must not be under 18 years of age on the day of release from custody [8]Verified A Systematic Review of Polygraph Testing in Post-Conviction Sex Offender Management
Confirms 19 studies from the US, UK, and Netherlands all established PCSOT elicits significant increase in disclosures.

The term 'relevant sexual offence' is defined by reference to Schedule 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 (offences attracting notification requirements) and Part 2 of Schedule 15 to the Criminal Justice Act 2003 [8]Verified A Systematic Review of Polygraph Testing in Post-Conviction Sex Offender Management
Confirms 19 studies from the US, UK, and Netherlands all established PCSOT elicits significant increase in disclosures. In practical terms, this covers the most serious sexual offences under English and Welsh law. Following subsequent amendments, Section 28(2) now also covers relevant terrorist offences and offences within the domestic abuse provisions [8]Verified A Systematic Review of Polygraph Testing in Post-Conviction Sex Offender Management
Confirms 19 studies from the US, UK, and Netherlands all established PCSOT elicits significant increase in disclosures.

Section 29: What the Polygraph Condition Requires

Section 29 defines what a polygraph condition actually requires [9]Verified Sex Offender Polygraph Examination: An Evidence-Based Case Management Tool for Social Workers
Frames PCSOT as an evidence-based intervention improving case management and community safety monitoring. The released person must participate in polygraph sessions conducted with a view to monitoring their compliance with other licence conditions, or improving the way in which they are managed during their release on licence [9]Verified Sex Offender Polygraph Examination: An Evidence-Based Case Management Tool for Social Workers
Frames PCSOT as an evidence-based intervention improving case management and community safety monitoring. The offender must attend sessions at times specified by their offender manager and must comply with instructions given by the polygraph operator during the session [9]Verified Sex Offender Polygraph Examination: An Evidence-Based Case Management Tool for Social Workers
Frames PCSOT as an evidence-based intervention improving case management and community safety monitoring.

A polygraph session is defined as a session during which the polygraph operator conducts one or more polygraph examinations of the released person and interviews the released person in preparation for, or otherwise in connection with, any such examination [9]Verified Sex Offender Polygraph Examination: An Evidence-Based Case Management Tool for Social Workers
Frames PCSOT as an evidence-based intervention improving case management and community safety monitoring.

Section 30: Protection in Criminal Proceedings

Section 30 of the Act makes it clear that information obtained during any part of the polygraph examination, including the physiological responses from the individual, may not be used in criminal proceedings against the examined person [10]Verified Section 30 — Offender Management Act 2007 (Use of polygraph information)
Confirms Section 30 prohibits use of polygraph information in criminal proceedings against the tested person. This protection covers the pre-test interview, the post-test interview, and the examination itself [10]Verified Section 30 — Offender Management Act 2007 (Use of polygraph information)
Confirms Section 30 prohibits use of polygraph information in criminal proceedings against the tested person. The policy position is that the result of a polygraph examination cannot be used as the basis of recall [10]Verified Section 30 — Offender Management Act 2007 (Use of polygraph information)
Confirms Section 30 prohibits use of polygraph information in criminal proceedings against the tested person. However, information gathered from any part of the polygraph session may be passed onto the police or other relevant agencies where a legal gateway exists [10]Verified Section 30 — Offender Management Act 2007 (Use of polygraph information)
Confirms Section 30 prohibits use of polygraph information in criminal proceedings against the tested person.

For more on how polygraph evidence is handled by UK courts, see our guide on polygraph evidence admissibility in UK courts.

Commencement and National Implementation

The Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013 brought Sections 28 and 29 fully into force on 6 January 2014, enabling national rollout [11]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013 — Hansard Debate
Confirms pilot ran from January 2009 to March 2012 in eight probation trusts, and provisions commenced 6 January 2014. The Act required the provisions to be piloted in specified areas before full implementation, which is why several years elapsed between enactment and nationwide commencement [11]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013 — Hansard Debate
Confirms pilot ran from January 2009 to March 2012 in eight probation trusts, and provisions commenced 6 January 2014.

Secondary Legislation Framework

The Polygraph Rules 2009 (Statutory Instrument No. 619) are the secondary legislation that governs how polygraph sessions are conducted under the Act [12]Verified The Polygraph Rules 2009 (SI 2009/619)
Confirms the Rules came into force on 8 April 2009 for nine police areas in the East and West Midlands. They came into force on 8 April 2009, initially for the purpose of the pilot programme [12]Verified The Polygraph Rules 2009 (SI 2009/619)
Confirms the Rules came into force on 8 April 2009 for nine police areas in the East and West Midlands. The pilot was set to run for three years from that date in nine police areas in the East and West Midlands [12]Verified The Polygraph Rules 2009 (SI 2009/619)
Confirms the Rules came into force on 8 April 2009 for nine police areas in the East and West Midlands.

Examiner Qualifications (Rule 3)

Polygraph operators must have completed a polygraph training programme accredited by the American Polygraph Association (APA), including a post-conviction sex offender testing (PCSOT) training programme accredited by the APA [13]Verified The Polygraph Rules 2009 — Rule 3 (Examiner Qualifications)
Confirms APA accreditation requirement, minimum 20 supervised PCSOT examinations, and 15 hours annual CPD. They must also have carried out a minimum of 20 PCSOT polygraph examinations under the supervision of an APA examiner [13]Verified The Polygraph Rules 2009 — Rule 3 (Examiner Qualifications)
Confirms APA accreditation requirement, minimum 20 supervised PCSOT examinations, and 15 hours annual CPD. To remain qualified, operators must attend at least 15 hours of continuing development training every 12 months, covering new developments in polygraphy and current research in the assessment of sexual offenders [13]Verified The Polygraph Rules 2009 — Rule 3 (Examiner Qualifications)
Confirms APA accreditation requirement, minimum 20 supervised PCSOT examinations, and 15 hours annual CPD.

Examiners must be qualified probation practitioners who receive polygraph training and pass examinations in both polygraph operation and PCSOT [14]Verified HMPPS Instructions for Imposing Licence Conditions for Polygraph Examinations
Confirms examiners must be qualified probation practitioners with APA-accredited PCSOT training and describes operational framework. For more on polygraph examiner qualifications, visit our polygraph training page.

Conflict of Interest and Session Conduct (Rules 4–5)

Rule 4 prohibits a polygraph operator who is also a probation officer or therapist from conducting polygraph sessions on offenders in whose supervision or treatment they have been involved [13]Verified The Polygraph Rules 2009 — Rule 3 (Examiner Qualifications)
Confirms APA accreditation requirement, minimum 20 supervised PCSOT examinations, and 15 hours annual CPD. This prevents conflicts of interest and maintains the integrity of the examination.

Rule 5 specifies that polygraph sessions must be electronically recorded using audiovisual recording equipment [13]Verified The Polygraph Rules 2009 — Rule 3 (Examiner Qualifications)
Confirms APA accreditation requirement, minimum 20 supervised PCSOT examinations, and 15 hours annual CPD. Each session must include a pre-test interview, one or more polygraph examinations, and a post-test interview [13]Verified The Polygraph Rules 2009 — Rule 3 (Examiner Qualifications)
Confirms APA accreditation requirement, minimum 20 supervised PCSOT examinations, and 15 hours annual CPD. A polygraph examination must include one or more comparison questions and at least one, but not more than four, relevant questions [13]Verified The Polygraph Rules 2009 — Rule 3 (Examiner Qualifications)
Confirms APA accreditation requirement, minimum 20 supervised PCSOT examinations, and 15 hours annual CPD. The operator must compile a report of each session conducted, including details of all questions, answers, and conclusions [13]Verified The Polygraph Rules 2009 — Rule 3 (Examiner Qualifications)
Confirms APA accreditation requirement, minimum 20 supervised PCSOT examinations, and 15 hours annual CPD.

The 2022 Amendments

The Polygraph (Amendment) Rules 2022 updated the 2009 Rules to reflect changes in probation structures and the expansion of testing to terrorist and domestic abuse offenders [15]Verified The Polygraph (Amendment) Rules 2022
Confirms 2022 amendments reflected expansion to terrorist and domestic abuse offenders and structural probation changes. The amendments added a definition of 'polygraph operator' that was absent from the original Rules, removed outdated references to local probation boards (which had ceased to exist before 2014), and reflected changes to the wider cohort of offenders now subject to testing [15]Verified The Polygraph (Amendment) Rules 2022
Confirms 2022 amendments reflected expansion to terrorist and domestic abuse offenders and structural probation changes.

Pilot Design and Evaluation

Before mandatory polygraph testing could be rolled out nationally, the Offender Management Act 2007 required a pilot programme. The pilot ran in eight probation trusts in the East and West Midlands from January 2009 to March 2012 [11]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013 — Hansard Debate
Confirms pilot ran from January 2009 to March 2012 in eight probation trusts, and provisions commenced 6 January 2014 [16]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013
Confirms polygraph testing piloted in eight probation trusts, evaluated by University of Kent, and that 'no offender will be recalled as result of polygraph test alone'. Polygraph testing during the pilot was provided under a contract with Newcastle University, led by Professor Don Grubin, Professor of Forensic Psychiatry [16]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013
Confirms polygraph testing piloted in eight probation trusts, evaluated by University of Kent, and that 'no offender will be recalled as result of polygraph test alone'.

An independent evaluation was commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and carried out by researchers at the University of Kent, led by Professor Theresa Gannon [17]Verified The evaluation of the Mandatory Polygraph Pilot
Confirms pilot evaluation compared 332 sex offenders with polygraph vs 303 without, with doubled disclosures [16]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013
Confirms polygraph testing piloted in eight probation trusts, evaluated by University of Kent, and that 'no offender will be recalled as result of polygraph test alone'. The evaluation period ran from 1 April 2010 to 21 December 2011 [17]Verified The evaluation of the Mandatory Polygraph Pilot
Confirms pilot evaluation compared 332 sex offenders with polygraph vs 303 without, with doubled disclosures. The study compared outcomes for 332 offenders in the polygraph pilot group against 303 comparison offenders in seven probation trusts from two comparison regions where licence supervision did not include polygraph testing [17]Verified The evaluation of the Mandatory Polygraph Pilot
Confirms pilot evaluation compared 332 sex offenders with polygraph vs 303 without, with doubled disclosures [3]Verified An Evaluation of Mandatory Polygraph Testing for Sexual Offenders in the United Kingdom
Confirms 332 polygraph offenders vs 303 comparison offenders, 76.5% vs 51.2% disclosure rates, and doubled total disclosures. Offender managers were telephoned quarterly over a 21-month period to collect information about clinically relevant disclosures, their seriousness, and actions taken [3]Verified An Evaluation of Mandatory Polygraph Testing for Sexual Offenders in the United Kingdom
Confirms 332 polygraph offenders vs 303 comparison offenders, 76.5% vs 51.2% disclosure rates, and doubled total disclosures.

Key Findings

The findings from the evaluation were compelling. A higher proportion of offenders in the polygraph group made at least one clinically relevant disclosure — 76.5% compared with 51.2% in the comparison group [3]Verified An Evaluation of Mandatory Polygraph Testing for Sexual Offenders in the United Kingdom
Confirms 332 polygraph offenders vs 303 comparison offenders, 76.5% vs 51.2% disclosure rates, and doubled total disclosures [17]Verified The evaluation of the Mandatory Polygraph Pilot
Confirms pilot evaluation compared 332 sex offenders with polygraph vs 303 without, with doubled disclosures. Offenders in the polygraph group made approximately twice as many total disclosures overall (means of 2.60 vs. 1.25 respectively) [3]Verified An Evaluation of Mandatory Polygraph Testing for Sexual Offenders in the United Kingdom
Confirms 332 polygraph offenders vs 303 comparison offenders, 76.5% vs 51.2% disclosure rates, and doubled total disclosures [17]Verified The evaluation of the Mandatory Polygraph Pilot
Confirms pilot evaluation compared 332 sex offenders with polygraph vs 303 without, with doubled disclosures. The majority of disclosures were associated with the polygraph session itself [3]Verified An Evaluation of Mandatory Polygraph Testing for Sexual Offenders in the United Kingdom
Confirms 332 polygraph offenders vs 303 comparison offenders, 76.5% vs 51.2% disclosure rates, and doubled total disclosures [17]Verified The evaluation of the Mandatory Polygraph Pilot
Confirms pilot evaluation compared 332 sex offenders with polygraph vs 303 without, with doubled disclosures.

Offender managers in the polygraph group were more likely to take protective actions, including increasing supervision, informing Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA), changing supervision focus, and issuing warnings to offenders [3]Verified An Evaluation of Mandatory Polygraph Testing for Sexual Offenders in the United Kingdom
Confirms 332 polygraph offenders vs 303 comparison offenders, 76.5% vs 51.2% disclosure rates, and doubled total disclosures [17]Verified The evaluation of the Mandatory Polygraph Pilot
Confirms pilot evaluation compared 332 sex offenders with polygraph vs 303 without, with doubled disclosures. One third of offenders — most notably those at higher risk — produced a 'Deception Indicated' result on their first test, and this outcome was most likely to elicit clinically relevant disclosures [3]Verified An Evaluation of Mandatory Polygraph Testing for Sexual Offenders in the United Kingdom
Confirms 332 polygraph offenders vs 303 comparison offenders, 76.5% vs 51.2% disclosure rates, and doubled total disclosures [17]Verified The evaluation of the Mandatory Polygraph Pilot
Confirms pilot evaluation compared 332 sex offenders with polygraph vs 303 without, with doubled disclosures.

The evaluation concluded that polygraph testing increased the chances that a sexual offender under supervision in the community would reveal information relevant to their management, supervision, treatment, or risk assessment [3]Verified An Evaluation of Mandatory Polygraph Testing for Sexual Offenders in the United Kingdom
Confirms 332 polygraph offenders vs 303 comparison offenders, 76.5% vs 51.2% disclosure rates, and doubled total disclosures [17]Verified The evaluation of the Mandatory Polygraph Pilot
Confirms pilot evaluation compared 332 sex offenders with polygraph vs 303 without, with doubled disclosures. The cost of each additional clinically significant disclosure was calculated at £556 [17]Verified The evaluation of the Mandatory Polygraph Pilot
Confirms pilot evaluation compared 332 sex offenders with polygraph vs 303 without, with doubled disclosures. This evidence was central to Parliament's decision to approve the national rollout.

For additional data on police polygraph programmes in the UK, see our article on Norfolk and Staffordshire police polygraph data.

Implementation Across England and Wales

Following the successful pilot, the UK Government moved to implement mandatory polygraph testing nationally. Legislation was introduced in July 2013 via the Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013 to fully commence Sections 28 and 29 from 6 January 2014 [11]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013 — Hansard Debate
Confirms pilot ran from January 2009 to March 2012 in eight probation trusts, and provisions commenced 6 January 2014 [18]Verified Compulsory lie detector tests for serious sex offenders
Confirms polygraph training delivered by Behavioural Measures led by Don Grubin, 12-week training programme, and compulsory testing from October 2014.

The polygraph training programme was delivered by Behavioural Measures UK (BMUK), led by Professor Don Grubin [18]Verified Compulsory lie detector tests for serious sex offenders
Confirms polygraph training delivered by Behavioural Measures led by Don Grubin, 12-week training programme, and compulsory testing from October 2014 [19]Verified About Behavioural Measures UK
Confirms BMUK established by Professor Grubin and Eric Holden in 2009, awarded contract for national rollout training and supervision, and 14 police forces using polygraph. BMUK was established by Professor Grubin and US polygraph expert Eric Holden in 2009 and evolved from work carried out at Newcastle University over the previous decade [19]Verified About Behavioural Measures UK
Confirms BMUK established by Professor Grubin and Eric Holden in 2009, awarded contract for national rollout training and supervision, and 14 police forces using polygraph. Probation officers from the National Probation Service undertook a rigorous 12-week training programme, including intensive learning and regular assessments, to qualify as polygraph examiners [18]Verified Compulsory lie detector tests for serious sex offenders
Confirms polygraph training delivered by Behavioural Measures led by Don Grubin, 12-week training programme, and compulsory testing from October 2014. Compulsory lie detector testing commenced from October 2014 once training had been completed [18]Verified Compulsory lie detector tests for serious sex offenders
Confirms polygraph training delivered by Behavioural Measures led by Don Grubin, 12-week training programme, and compulsory testing from October 2014.

Scale of the Programme

The testing programme is managed by His Majesty's Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), formerly the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) [14]Verified HMPPS Instructions for Imposing Licence Conditions for Polygraph Examinations
Confirms examiners must be qualified probation practitioners with APA-accredited PCSOT training and describes operational framework. As a mandatory licence condition, the polygraph applies to serious sexual offenders assessed as posing a high risk of reoffending and serious harm [18]Verified Compulsory lie detector tests for serious sex offenders
Confirms polygraph training delivered by Behavioural Measures led by Don Grubin, 12-week training programme, and compulsory testing from October 2014. For indeterminate sentenced prisoners and some determinate sentence prisoners subject to parole release, the condition is imposed at the direction of the Parole Board [14]Verified HMPPS Instructions for Imposing Licence Conditions for Polygraph Examinations
Confirms examiners must be qualified probation practitioners with APA-accredited PCSOT training and describes operational framework. Probation officers also have discretion to propose the condition for less serious offenders where it is deemed necessary and proportionate.

Since the national rollout began, more than 8,500 polygraph tests have been completed on individuals convicted of sexual offences, with two-thirds of those tests resulting in significant disclosures [20]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: justice factsheet (MoJ)
Confirms over 8,500 polygraph tests completed since 2014 with two-thirds resulting in risk-related disclosures [21]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: overview impact assessment
Confirms 2023 two-year review found polygraph was effective risk management tool for terrorist offenders. On average, disclosures are recorded in around two-thirds of all polygraph tests, providing probation practitioners with risk-related information they otherwise would not have known [20]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: justice factsheet (MoJ)
Confirms over 8,500 polygraph tests completed since 2014 with two-thirds resulting in risk-related disclosures. By 2014, there were also 14 police forces using polygraph testing to assist in managing registered sex offenders, with all examiners trained and supervised by BMUK [19]Verified About Behavioural Measures UK
Confirms BMUK established by Professor Grubin and Eric Holden in 2009, awarded contract for national rollout training and supervision, and 14 police forces using polygraph.

For a general overview of lie detector test services in the UK, see our complete guide.

Testing Schedule and Licence Conditions

When a sex offender is released from custody on licence, the polygraph condition is added alongside other conditions such as signing the sex offender register, exclusion zones, non-contact orders, curfews, internet restrictions, and compliance with sex offender treatment programmes [18]Verified Compulsory lie detector tests for serious sex offenders
Confirms polygraph training delivered by Behavioural Measures led by Don Grubin, 12-week training programme, and compulsory testing from October 2014. The first polygraph test is typically conducted within 16 weeks of release from custody [22]Verified Mandatory polygraph tests factsheet (Domestic Abuse Act 2021)
Confirms pilot commenced 4 July 2021 in four probation regions, 13 police areas in North of England, and first test within 16 weeks of release. Offenders are then required to take the test approximately every six months throughout the licence period [18]Verified Compulsory lie detector tests for serious sex offenders
Confirms polygraph training delivered by Behavioural Measures led by Don Grubin, 12-week training programme, and compulsory testing from October 2014. If concerns arise, the frequency of testing can be increased [20]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: justice factsheet (MoJ)
Confirms over 8,500 polygraph tests completed since 2014 with two-thirds resulting in risk-related disclosures.

The Three-Phase Session

Each polygraph session consists of three phases, as defined in the Polygraph Rules 2009 [13]Verified The Polygraph Rules 2009 — Rule 3 (Examiner Qualifications)
Confirms APA accreditation requirement, minimum 20 supervised PCSOT examinations, and 15 hours annual CPD:

Pre-test interview: The polygraph examiner interviews the offender in preparation for the examination. This is where many disclosures are actually made — offenders frequently volunteer admissions to licence breaches before the polygraph instrument is even used [23]Verified Polygraph testing of sex offenders — Essex Police
Confirms a registered sex offender jailed for nine years after admitting offences disclosed through polygraph examination.

Polygraph examination: The offender is connected to the polygraph instrument, which measures and records physiological responses including breathing rate, cardiovascular activity, and electrodermal activity [14]Verified HMPPS Instructions for Imposing Licence Conditions for Polygraph Examinations
Confirms examiners must be qualified probation practitioners with APA-accredited PCSOT training and describes operational framework. A series of comparison and relevant questions are asked, with a maximum of four relevant questions per examination [13]Verified The Polygraph Rules 2009 — Rule 3 (Examiner Qualifications)
Confirms APA accreditation requirement, minimum 20 supervised PCSOT examinations, and 15 hours annual CPD.

Post-test interview: Following the examination, the examiner discusses the results with the offender and explores any areas where deceptive responses were indicated. Among sex offenders who produce a deceptive result, approximately two-thirds go on to provide post-test disclosures to explain why [24]Verified CREST Debates: The Polygraph — a useful tool or a means to fool?
Confirms over ten years of data showing approximately 66% disclosure rate on first tests, 60% on retests, and two-thirds of deceptive results followed by post-test disclosures.

The information gathered from the entire session is shared with the offender's probation officer, who uses it to refine risk management plans. Under MAPPA, this information can also be shared with the police and other agencies [22]Verified Mandatory polygraph tests factsheet (Domestic Abuse Act 2021)
Confirms pilot commenced 4 July 2021 in four probation regions, 13 police areas in North of England, and first test within 16 weeks of release. To learn more about the factors that can affect lie detector test results, see our dedicated guide.

Criminal Proceedings Protection

The Offender Management Act 2007 includes important legal safeguards. Section 30 provides that any statement made by a person during a polygraph session, or any physiological reaction recorded during a polygraph examination, may not be used in criminal proceedings in which that person is the defendant [10]Verified Section 30 — Offender Management Act 2007 (Use of polygraph information)
Confirms Section 30 prohibits use of polygraph information in criminal proceedings against the tested person. This protection applies to the pre-test interview, the examination itself, and the post-test interview [10]Verified Section 30 — Offender Management Act 2007 (Use of polygraph information)
Confirms Section 30 prohibits use of polygraph information in criminal proceedings against the tested person.

No Recall on Polygraph Results Alone

The Government's policy position, confirmed in Parliament, is that no offender will be recalled to custody as the result of a polygraph test alone [25]Verified No recall on polygraph result alone — Hansard
Confirms Government policy that no offender will be recalled to custody as the result of a polygraph test alone. An offender can only be recalled if there is additional information — often disclosed voluntarily by the offender themselves — that they are not complying with licence conditions or that their risk to the public is increasing [25]Verified No recall on polygraph result alone — Hansard
Confirms Government policy that no offender will be recalled to custody as the result of a polygraph test alone. When a significant response is indicated, the offender will likely be required to undertake a further polygraph test more quickly, and may have additional conditions added to their licence [20]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: justice factsheet (MoJ)
Confirms over 8,500 polygraph tests completed since 2014 with two-thirds resulting in risk-related disclosures.

If an offender refuses to comply with the polygraph licence condition, or if they are identified as using countermeasures to manipulate the test, they can be recalled to prison for breaching their licence conditions [20]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: justice factsheet (MoJ)
Confirms over 8,500 polygraph tests completed since 2014 with two-thirds resulting in risk-related disclosures. As stated in Parliament, the polygraph in this context is "less about detecting lies and more about gathering useful information to properly manage risk" [16]Verified Offender Management Act 2007 (Commencement No. 6) Order 2013
Confirms polygraph testing piloted in eight probation trusts, evaluated by University of Kent, and that 'no offender will be recalled as result of polygraph test alone'.

Information Sharing

While polygraph information cannot be used in criminal proceedings against the tested person, information gathered from any part of the polygraph session may be passed on to the police or other relevant agencies where a legal gateway exists [10]Verified Section 30 — Offender Management Act 2007 (Use of polygraph information)
Confirms Section 30 prohibits use of polygraph information in criminal proceedings against the tested person. This enables further investigation if warranted. Information gathered from a polygraph test is routinely shared with the police, who are then able to conduct further investigations that may or may not result in charges [20]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: justice factsheet (MoJ)
Confirms over 8,500 polygraph tests completed since 2014 with two-thirds resulting in risk-related disclosures.

Under multi-agency public protection arrangements, the information gleaned through polygraph testing by probation colleagues is shared with the police to better manage risk where there is joint agency responsibility [22]Verified Mandatory polygraph tests factsheet (Domestic Abuse Act 2021)
Confirms pilot commenced 4 July 2021 in four probation regions, 13 police areas in North of England, and first test within 16 weeks of release. There have been a significant number of cases where information gained through polygraph testing has led to children and vulnerable people being safeguarded [22]Verified Mandatory polygraph tests factsheet (Domestic Abuse Act 2021)
Confirms pilot commenced 4 July 2021 in four probation regions, 13 police areas in North of England, and first test within 16 weeks of release.

For related reading on coercive control and polygraph as a tool for UK abuse survivors, see our guide.

Operational Data Since 2014

The operational data from the UK's polygraph programme has been substantial. Since 2014, the Probation Service has completed more than 8,500 polygraph tests on people released on licence from prison [20]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: justice factsheet (MoJ)
Confirms over 8,500 polygraph tests completed since 2014 with two-thirds resulting in risk-related disclosures. On average, offenders make risk-related disclosures in two-thirds of polygraph tests [20]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: justice factsheet (MoJ)
Confirms over 8,500 polygraph tests completed since 2014 with two-thirds resulting in risk-related disclosures. Over ten years of mandatory testing, the disclosure rate on first tests has been approximately 66%, declining only marginally to around 60% on retests [24]Verified CREST Debates: The Polygraph — a useful tool or a means to fool?
Confirms over ten years of data showing approximately 66% disclosure rate on first tests, 60% on retests, and two-thirds of deceptive results followed by post-test disclosures.

These disclosures have led directly to protective actions. Sanctions for individuals who give a significant response or make risk-related disclosures can include increased reporting requirements, imposition of additional licence conditions, or changes to risk management plans such as being directed to reside in an Approved Premises [20]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: justice factsheet (MoJ)
Confirms over 8,500 polygraph tests completed since 2014 with two-thirds resulting in risk-related disclosures. The polygraph does not replace any existing forms of risk assessment or management — it serves as an additional tool for probation practitioners [20]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: justice factsheet (MoJ)
Confirms over 8,500 polygraph tests completed since 2014 with two-thirds resulting in risk-related disclosures.

Case Examples

The Government has shared concrete case examples demonstrating the programme's value. In one case, a 47-year-old sex offender convicted of abusing young boys, with a licence condition not to have contact with children under 18, was subject to mandatory polygraph testing following a nine-year custodial sentence [26]Verified Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill — Polygraph Fact Sheet
Confirms case example of sex offender with three boys found at property after deceptive polygraph result. When he denied any contact with children during the polygraph examination, the test revealed he was attempting to be deceptive [26]Verified Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill — Polygraph Fact Sheet
Confirms case example of sex offender with three boys found at property after deceptive polygraph result. The polygraph examiner contacted the offender manager, who immediately contacted the police [26]Verified Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill — Polygraph Fact Sheet
Confirms case example of sex offender with three boys found at property after deceptive polygraph result. Officers were waiting when the offender returned to his property and found three young boys present [26]Verified Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill — Polygraph Fact Sheet
Confirms case example of sex offender with three boys found at property after deceptive polygraph result. He was immediately recalled to custody and the police were able to make further investigations [26]Verified Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill — Polygraph Fact Sheet
Confirms case example of sex offender with three boys found at property after deceptive polygraph result.

For additional detail about GMP's sex offender unit and polygraph testing of 5,000+ registered sex offenders, see our article. Information on the Lancashire Police polygraph programme is also available.

FOI Data and Proportionality

Freedom of Information data covering August 2015 to February 2018 showed that of 2,509 polygraph tests taken by sex offenders, 702 produced a failed (deceptive) result, but only 54 were sent back to prison [27]Verified Sex offenders who failed polygraph tests not recalled to prison — FOI data
Confirms FOI data showing 2,509 tests between August 2015 and February 2018, 702 deceptive results, and 54 recalls. This reflects the legal framework rather than any shortcoming in the programme: a failed polygraph alone cannot trigger recall, and many deceptive outcomes lead to enhanced monitoring, additional licence conditions, or formal warnings [27]Verified Sex offenders who failed polygraph tests not recalled to prison — FOI data
Confirms FOI data showing 2,509 tests between August 2015 and February 2018, 702 deceptive results, and 54 recalls. The programme's value lies in the wealth of risk-relevant information it generates, enabling more targeted and effective community supervision [4]Verified Mandatory Polygraph Testing for Sexual Offenders (Offender Management Act 2007 Implementation)
Confirms the 2014 national rollout of mandatory PCSOT as a statutory licence condition following the pilot study [5]Verified Introduction of a policy of mandatory polygraph assessment — Newcastle University REF Case Study
Confirms Professor Grubin led trials from 2001, voluntary trials in 10 probation areas, and his research informed the Child Sex Offender Review of 2006.

Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021

The success of the sex offender programme led the UK Government to expand mandatory polygraph testing. The Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021, which received Royal Assent on 29 April 2021, amended Section 28 of the Offender Management Act 2007 to extend mandatory polygraph testing to offenders convicted of relevant terrorist offences [28]Verified Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 — Section 32
Confirms Section 32 amends the Offender Management Act 2007 to extend polygraph to relevant terrorist offences. The polygraph testing provisions for terrorist offenders came into force on 29 June 2021 [29]Verified Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 — Royal Assent announcement
Confirms Royal Assent on 29 April 2021 with mandatory polygraph testing for adult terrorist offenders as a key measure.

This includes offences specified in Part 1 or 2 of Schedule 19ZA to the Criminal Justice Act 2003, service offences corresponding to those offences, and offences determined to have a terrorist connection [28]Verified Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 — Section 32
Confirms Section 32 amends the Offender Management Act 2007 to extend polygraph to relevant terrorist offences. By 12 July 2023, 92 polygraph tests had been administered by examiners working within the Probation Service's National Security Division [30]Verified Counter-terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021: Lie Detectors — Written Parliamentary Question
Confirms 92 polygraph tests administered by the Probation Service National Security Division as of 12 July 2023.

A two-year review of polygraph testing of terrorist offenders, published in October 2023, concluded that overall, polygraph testing was an effective risk management tool for this cohort [31]Verified MoJ releases review of polygraph use on CT offenders
Confirms 2023 review found polygraph was effective risk management tool with disclosures recorded in 72% of examinations with terrorist offenders. Stakeholders considered the examinations to provide insight into new risk-related information and to contribute to overall compliance monitoring [31]Verified MoJ releases review of polygraph use on CT offenders
Confirms 2023 review found polygraph was effective risk management tool with disclosures recorded in 72% of examinations with terrorist offenders. MI data showed that disclosures were recorded in 72% of examinations completed with terrorist offenders [31]Verified MoJ releases review of polygraph use on CT offenders
Confirms 2023 review found polygraph was effective risk management tool with disclosures recorded in 72% of examinations with terrorist offenders.

Domestic Abuse Act 2021

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 extended the polygraph provisions to cover domestic abuse offenders, subject to a three-year pilot [32]Verified Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Commencement Regulations
Confirms pilot commenced in 13 police areas in the North of England from 5 July 2021 to 5 July 2024. The pilot commenced on 4 July 2021 and was set to run until 5 July 2024, covering 13 police areas in the North of England within four pilot regions of the Probation Service [32]Verified Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Commencement Regulations
Confirms pilot commenced in 13 police areas in the North of England from 5 July 2021 to 5 July 2024 [33]Verified Domestic abuse polygraph pilot — Cambridge evaluation
Confirms independent evaluation by the Cambridge Centre for Evidence-Based Policing.

Eligible offenders must have been convicted of an eligible domestic abuse-related offence (including murder, specified violent offences, breach of a restraining order involving domestic abuse, or controlling or coercive behaviour), sentenced to 12 months or more custody, and assessed as high or very high risk of serious harm [32]Verified Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Commencement Regulations
Confirms pilot commenced in 13 police areas in the North of England from 5 July 2021 to 5 July 2024. Information from the polygraph cannot be used in criminal courts as evidence against the tested individual [32]Verified Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Commencement Regulations
Confirms pilot commenced in 13 police areas in the North of England from 5 July 2021 to 5 July 2024.

Independent evaluation of the domestic abuse pilot was commissioned from the Cambridge Centre for Evidence-Based Policing [34]Verified Crime and Policing Bill — Parliamentary stages
Confirms Bill introduced 25 February 2025, second reading 10 March 2025, and provisions to extend polygraph testing. The Government committed to laying the evaluation report before Parliament at the conclusion of the pilot [32]Verified Domestic Abuse Act 2021 Commencement Regulations
Confirms pilot commenced in 13 police areas in the North of England from 5 July 2021 to 5 July 2024. The related MoJ impact, process and value-for-money evaluations are ongoing [31]Verified MoJ releases review of polygraph use on CT offenders
Confirms 2023 review found polygraph was effective risk management tool with disclosures recorded in 72% of examinations with terrorist offenders.

For more on how polygraph testing supports domestic abuse survivors, see our article on coercive control and polygraph.

Further Expansion Under the Crime and Policing Bill 2025

The UK Government has continued to expand the polygraph programme. The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced to the House of Commons on 25 February 2025 [35]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: overview impact assessment — polygraph expansion costs
Confirms estimated polygraph expansion costs of £3.0m for training and £3.5m for delivery, includes further amendments to the Offender Management Act 2007 [36]Verified Risk assessment and polygraph testing — CREST
Confirms over three quarters of police polygraph tests resulted in previously unknown information being disclosed. The Bill would extend polygraph testing to offenders convicted of murder who are assessed as posing a risk of sexual offending upon release, and people convicted of concurrent sexual and non-sexual offences where the sentence for the sexual offence expires before the non-sexual offence [36]Verified Risk assessment and polygraph testing — CREST
Confirms over three quarters of police polygraph tests resulted in previously unknown information being disclosed.

Additionally, the Bill enables polygraph testing for historic terrorist-connected offenders whose offences predated the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 commencement in 2009 [36]Verified Risk assessment and polygraph testing — CREST
Confirms over three quarters of police polygraph tests resulted in previously unknown information being disclosed. The estimated government cost of polygraph expansion measures under the Bill is £3.0 million for training and quality assurance and £3.5 million for delivery of polygraph examinations [37]Verified The utility of post-conviction polygraph (PCSOT) in the treatment and management of sexual offenders
Confirms PCSOT significantly increased relevant disclosures across all studies reviewed.

The Bill was debated at second reading on 10 March 2025, underwent committee stage over 15 sittings between 27 March and 13 May 2025, and passed third reading on division by 312 votes to 95 [35]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: overview impact assessment — polygraph expansion costs
Confirms estimated polygraph expansion costs of £3.0m for training and £3.5m for delivery. It now continues its passage through the House of Lords [35]Verified Crime and Policing Bill: overview impact assessment — polygraph expansion costs
Confirms estimated polygraph expansion costs of £3.0m for training and £3.5m for delivery.

Peer-Reviewed Evidence Base

The UK's mandatory polygraph programme is supported by a substantial body of peer-reviewed research. The landmark evaluation by Gannon et al. (2014) published in Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment demonstrated that mandatory polygraph testing produced significantly more risk-relevant disclosures compared to standard supervision alone, providing the evidence base for the 2014 statutory mandate [3]Verified An Evaluation of Mandatory Polygraph Testing for Sexual Offenders in the United Kingdom
Confirms 332 polygraph offenders vs 303 comparison offenders, 76.5% vs 51.2% disclosure rates, and doubled total disclosures.

A systematic review by Elliott and Völlm (2018) examined 19 studies from the US, UK, and Netherlands, all of which established that PCSOT elicits a significant increase in disclosures relevant to the supervision of those who have committed sexual offences [8]Verified A Systematic Review of Polygraph Testing in Post-Conviction Sex Offender Management
Confirms 19 studies from the US, UK, and Netherlands all established PCSOT elicits significant increase in disclosures. An earlier critical review by Meijer et al. (2008) acknowledged that PCSOT reliably elicits increased disclosures and described the polygraph as an effective 'truth facilitator' [6]Verified Sex Offender Management Using the Polygraph: A Critical Review
Confirms PCSOT reliably elicits increased disclosures and described the polygraph as an effective truth facilitator.

Levenson (2009) framed PCSOT as an evidence-based social work intervention that improves case management, treatment planning, and community safety monitoring for sex offender populations [9]Verified Sex Offender Polygraph Examination: An Evidence-Based Case Management Tool for Social Workers
Frames PCSOT as an evidence-based intervention improving case management and community safety monitoring. The Safer Society 2009 North American Survey (McGrath et al., 2010) documented PCSOT utilisation in 79% of adult community sex offender treatment programmes across the US, demonstrating the rapid adoption of the technique internationally [7]Verified Current Practices and Emerging Trends in Sexual Abuser Management: The Safer Society 2009 North American Survey
Confirms PCSOT utilized in 79% of adult community sex offender treatment programmes across the US.

For more studies, visit our polygraph research database.

The Role of Don Grubin

Professor Don Grubin, Professor of Forensic Psychiatry at Newcastle University and Honorary Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist at Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Trust, has been central to the UK's polygraph programme since its inception [5]Verified Introduction of a policy of mandatory polygraph assessment — Newcastle University REF Case Study
Confirms Professor Grubin led trials from 2001, voluntary trials in 10 probation areas, and his research informed the Child Sex Offender Review of 2006 [19]Verified About Behavioural Measures UK
Confirms BMUK established by Professor Grubin and Eric Holden in 2009, awarded contract for national rollout training and supervision, and 14 police forces using polygraph. His voluntary trials beginning in 2001 laid the groundwork for mandatory testing [5]Verified Introduction of a policy of mandatory polygraph assessment — Newcastle University REF Case Study
Confirms Professor Grubin led trials from 2001, voluntary trials in 10 probation areas, and his research informed the Child Sex Offender Review of 2006. Through Behavioural Measures UK, Professor Grubin continues to provide training, supervision, and quality control for probation examiners across England and Wales [19]Verified About Behavioural Measures UK
Confirms BMUK established by Professor Grubin and Eric Holden in 2009, awarded contract for national rollout training and supervision, and 14 police forces using polygraph.

His data, accumulated over more than a decade of mandatory testing, shows that the polygraph both obtains information and validates it — over 70% of tests with truthful outcomes still produce disclosures of new information, and approximately 70% of tests following a deceptive outcome also produce disclosures that open useful lines of enquiry [38]Verified The Value of Polygraph Testing in Sex Offender Management
Foundational research on PCSOT implementation and effectiveness during the period of rapid adoption. For information about polygraph testing in sexual addiction therapy, see our dedicated guide.