ABSTRACT
The uses and limits of penile plethysmograph (PPG) assessment in forensic sexology is discussed in the context of a comparison of British and Czech practice. The PPG has been used in the Czech Republic since the 1960s and in the UK since the 1970s – in prisons and forensic mental health services – as a part of case formulation, treatment planning, and risk management. Some sexologists have criticized its lack of standardization and limited reliability and validity. This chapter aims to contribute to unification of expert opinion with a view to providing better services for patients with paraphilias. It is argued that sexual arousal profiles are best viewed not as traits, but as part trait and part state; as such, concerns about PPG test–retest reliability are less problematic. We suggest the PPG is regarded as a useful clinical tool in formulation and treatment planning rather than as a psychological test.
