Federal government looking to punish man who taught people how to beat polygraph tests

[davidn3600]

WASHINGTON — Prosecutors are asking a federal judge to send a “strong message” by sentencing an Indiana Little League coach to prison for trying to teach as many as 100 people across the country how to beat lie detector tests.

In a test case aimed at deterring other such polygraph instructors, prosecutors have urged the judge to sentence Chad Dixon to one year and nine months in prison, citing a “career of criminal deceit” that included teaching the techniques to child molesters, intelligence employees and law enforcement applicants.

Authorities assert Dixon crossed the line between free speech protected under the First Amendment and criminal conduct when he told some of his clients to conceal what he taught them while undergoing government polygraphs.

“Properly understood, his crimes encompass inviting total strangers into a scheme to defraud and obstruct, and joining in their criminal enterprises,” prosecutors wrote. “Dixon adopted a mercenary-like attitude towards the nation’s border security and the security of the nation’s secrets. He also acted with callous disregard for the most vulnerable in society – our children. . . . Dixon’s misconduct was purposeful, dangerous and it requires punishment.”

The decision to prosecute Dixon and the attempt to imprison him has been cited as an example of the Obama administration’s overzealousness in detecting and deterring potential “insider threats,” a catchall phrase meant to describe employees who might become spies, leak to the news media, commit crimes or become corrupted in some way.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/08/30/200876/feds-want-prison-time-in-unprecedented.html#.UiJaVz-tjD8

Polygraphs are junk science. Their results are not admissible in any court of law in this nation. Controlled scientific studies routinely document their inaccuracies. Why the feds are so determined to prosecute people who instruct others on how to beat them is kind of odd considering such information is readily available on the internet, and the results either way have no effect in a trial.

[gopiscrap]

1. Fucking authority assholes

tough shit if the guy can beat the poly....he has right under this great capitalistic nation to earn a living and ply his trade.

[giftedgirl77]

2. Because the military still uses them regularly

as part of their screen process for Intel positions. While they aren't admissible in court they can still be beneficial when deciding if people are being deceitful.

[nebenaube]

3. Highly doubtful...

It doesn't work.

[giftedgirl77]

7. Well considering that their office

is directly across the hall from me, I think I have it on good authority that they still use them.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

30. Your proximity gives you special insight?

Under that reasoning, Sarah Palin who can see Russia or the former Soviet Union from her front porch is an expert on Russia.

[giftedgirl77]

32. To the fact that they are done & why yes.

We work 6 ft from each other & have for over 3 yrs. I know why they are given, who they are given to, & who gives them. All of our departments work very close to each other & each department has a purpose in which we must have at least some understanding of, anyone who has worked for any entity that has several different departments would understand that.

Your Sarah Palin logic is a fail & moronic, it's good to know you keep her so close to your heart.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

34. Proximity does not give you any special insight as to whether polygraphs work.

[Recursion]

31. DoD and DHS use full-scope polygraph clearances

And one more, though I can't remember off the top of my head (Energy, maybe?)

Despite the name "full-scope", there's only a strictly limited set of questions they can ask (mostly about mishandling of classified information; they aren't allowed, for example, to ask you about drug use on the poly, though that seems to keep happening to people regardless).

[giftedgirl77]

33. You are correct, they are a big thing where we are

because of the large amount of Intel ppl we have. It is nothing like people assume they are, where they can ask any random questions. But they are solely used when dealing with TS issues. They are also completely recorded, not a situation I would ever subject myself to. They can keep their TS.

[Egalitarian Thug]

6. Yep, utter and complete bullshit. Just because someone in "authority" believes

utter and complete bullshit, it doesn't transmogrify nor smell any better.

[giftedgirl77]

11. Way to babble incoherently, do you have a point?

Our Brigade alone has two full time polygraphers that screen Intel folks from all branches. You don't have to like it but it doesn't make it any less true.

[hobbit709]

17. As someone one said back in the 60's.

There are British and American jails and plush Moscow hotels full of people who passed their security clearance tests"

[giftedgirl77]

20. Intel people are the weirdest people I have ever

encounter so I would not doubt that statement in the least. The ones I have dealt with over the last 3 years are arrogant & think they are so smart they can get away with anything. Yet somehow we always bust them doing the dumbest shit.

It's painful & was a huge culture shock.

[Egalitarian Thug]

18. I never doubted for an instant that the military uses them. The military is, hands down,

the very best place to sell complete and utter bullshit.

Fortunately, the "all volunteer" U.S. military has effectively skimmed off a good portion of the dimmest among us and made them that much easier to spot.

There's no welfare like corporate welfare, and the military is the world's largest trough at which to feed. Do you have any idea how much these full-time polygraphers are being paid to ply their trade? GI or contractors?

BTW, incoherency is not defined by your ability, or lack thereof, to understand what was written or said.

[giftedgirl77]

21. The all volunteer military went to shit when it

began to give waivers to everyone no matter their background or history because we were worn so thin by being strung between two countries.

As far as pay goes as Soldiers we are all paid the same based on time in grade and time in service, unless we have hazardous or special duty pay, so don't try to pawn the bs line of Soldiers making some kind of mega bucks because it's bullshit. Now contractors is a completely different story.

Polygraphs are ran by DA Civilians who are also paid on a pay schedule which you won't get into the 6 figure incomes either and that's who runs the polygraphs for the military.

You may want to brush up on how we as Soldiers get paid before you start spouting off nonsense.

[Egalitarian Thug]

22. Considering that my family has devoted more than half it's males to

military adventurism for far longer than this nation has existed, I assure you that I am more than conversant with military/government pay grades both here and abroad.

I take it from your reply that the answer to the first question is no. Your answer to the second is vague, but seems to indicate that these polygraphers are civilian contractors, who I am sure are not very well paid at all, but I am also fairly certain are better paid than you are. What I am completely sure of is that the company for which they work is massively overpaid and the executives of that/those companies are well in the top decile, salary-wise.

You also seem to have decided that I am of the opinion that our service people are paid too much, that is completely wrong. Anyone dedicated or foolish enough to risk their life signing up for the meat grinder, deserves way more than the assholes in Washington will ever agree to give them.

[giftedgirl77]

23. Well if you were so familiar with the pay scales

of our military then you wouldn't have made the statement regarding the ridiculous wages Soldiers supposedly made. I told you polygrahers are DA Civilians or DOD Civilians not contractors. Therefore they are still paid on a gov scale & not banking by any definition of the word.

I think we are talking across each other & saying somewhat the same thing. I wasn't trying to argue.

Bottom line was DA Civilians still do polygraphs on our troops for their TS Clearance. Why I don't know. I stuck with my secret bc I didn't want to deal with all the bullshit & would have a nervous breakdown just being strapped into that chair

[Egalitarian Thug]

25. I think you're right. Wrong foot, erroneous assumptions and all that, no problems here...

...for now (Bwahhahaha!)

(That last bit was a joke)

[giftedgirl77]

26. Ok, then we will make peace for now....

[backscatter712]

10. Polygraphs are about as reliable as flipping a coin.

The .gov needs to abandon this woo.

[giftedgirl77]

15. I'm not denying that, I'm not Intel

by trade just had the misfortune to be assigned to one of their units. I feel for the people that go in there, they come out looking beat the hell up.

It always takes the military decades to catch up to the rest of the world.

[meow2u3]

4. Polygraphs are unreliable as lie detectors

But, AFAIK, they're useful as anxiety detectors.

Personally, I don't think polygraphs are junk science when used as diagnostic tools for anxiety disorders, but they are junk science when used as lie detectors. Sociopaths can beat polygraphs while they lie like carpets, whereas nervous Nellies and Neds can be taken for liars when they're telling the truth.

[Link Speed]

12. They are so easy to beat

Just shift into neutral and control your heartbeat. Do not look at the test administrator.

I have taken three polygraph tests and made shit up just to see if I could get away with it. Never got caught.

[meow2u3]

14. I couldn't pass a polygraph

Too anxious.

[Link Speed]

16. There's that, too

Some people cannot tell the truth and pass.

That's why they are utterly useless.

[NuclearDem]

27. Clench your sphincter, apply deodorant to your fingertips.

Test beaten.

[Orrex]

36. Whoops! I totally had that backwards.

Lesson learned!

[NuclearDem]

37. Hey, I won't judge if you deodorize your ass

[Laelth]

5. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[Hassin Bin Sober]

8. Next they should go after those people that tell suspects to exercise their 5th amendment ...

... when questioned by police.

Go after the ACLU too!

The nerve, making the police do their jobs!

[backscatter712]

9. Polygraphs are nothing but woo.

There's a reason they're not admissible as evidence.

This prosecutor's really overreaching.

[tammywammy]

13. He did plead guilty.

Prosecutors, however, describe Dixon’s actions as helping job applicants to conceal or lie about information sought by government polygraphers, which constitutes what is known as an “obstruction of an agency proceeding” charge, court filings show. They sought a wire fraud charge against Dixon for a “scheme” that helped applicants get jobs by making “false and fraudulent statements.” Dixon could have faced up to five years in prison for the obstruction charge and up to 20 years for the wire fraud charge.

According to prosecutors, Dixon taught seven federal law enforcement applicants and two government contractors, including one who had a security clearance with an unnamed intelligence agency.

However, the most incriminating evidence appears to have come from Dixon’s interactions with two undercover agents. Dixon, for instance, advised one undercover agent posing as the brother of a violent Mexican drug trafficker to withhold details during a polygraph for a Customs and Border Protection job, prosecutors said.

“I would probably reference him as a distant relative,” Dixon told the undercover agent. “If they ask questions about him, if it does come up, just say, ‘Look, I don’t really know what he’s into.’”

[markiv]

19. 'Remember Jerry, it's not a lie, if *you* believe it'

anyone see that Seinfeld episode?

[devils chaplain]

24. "Lie Detectors" detect lies like dousing rods detect water. N/T

[NuclearDem]

28. Good on him.

Polygraphs are complete crap.

That's a professional opinion.

[NaturalHigh]

29. Aldrich Ames beat a polygraph.

They're junk science, plain and simple.

[Billy Love]

35. I've taken polys and lied my ass off before and beaten them.

It's a matter of practice.

You have to find a focus point on the wall and just relax, and answer their question.