U.S. polygraphers questioned accuracy of tests on detainees overseas
Source: McClatchy Newspapers
A soldier is examined during Operation Iraqi Freedom at Ali Base, Iraq, March 4, 2006.
U.S. polygraphers questioned accuracy of tests on detainees overseas
By Marisa Taylor | McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON The U.S. military conducted hundreds of polygraph tests on detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan despite doubts about whether innocent civilians could be accurately separated from accused terrorists, documents obtained by McClatchy show.
The Air Force alone tested more than 1,000 detainees in Iraq to determine whether they were involved in terrorist attacks on U.S. military personnel or whether they should be released. As the screening was under way, polygraphers voiced concerns about the results, in part because they were posing questions through interpreters in a war-torn country.
I have serious questions as to the accuracy of exams done in this environment, wrote one polygrapher who was involved in 240 of the tests over two deployments. I think the decision was made to contribute to the war effort . . . with little regard to the problems associated with doing these.
The polygraphers observations from 2004 to 2008 offer yet another example of the U.S. militarys controversial detainee-interrogation policies overseas in the wake of 9/11. Their experiences also raise broader questions about the growing use of polygraph abroad often with the encouragement of the U.S. government.
Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/12/06/176309/us-polygraphers-questioned-accuracy.html
slackmaster
(60,567 posts)...and there are people who can fool them without any special training.
DefenseLawyer
(11,101 posts)There is no scientific basis for them at all.
slackmaster
(60,567 posts)DefenseLawyer
(11,101 posts)A fair number of states, including Indiana, where I practice, do allow polygraph results but only if it is a "stipulated" polygraph, that is one where both parties agree to stipulate to the admissibility of the results prior to the administration of the test. Everywhere else they are banned completely.
AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)in this witchcraft. Seriously.
DefenseLawyer
(11,101 posts)whether they REALLY believe it is a lie detecting machine is another question entirely.
meow2u3
(24,764 posts)The only thing polygraphs show is the degree of anxiety over the questions the polygraph administrator asks. They're useless for their traditional purpose, i.e., detecting liars.
Sociopaths can easily ace polygraphs and persons with anxiety disorders will no doubt flunk them, even when they're telling the truth.
rock
(13,218 posts)hobbit709
(41,694 posts)If they're not accurate enough tp be legal evidence in court here, then they're not accurate enough anywhere else in the world either.
Xithras
(16,191 posts)Better than random chance, but not by a hell of a lot.
By the way, do you know what the great secret is to beating them? Be in a good mood, and stay that way. The more nervous you are, the more accurate they are.
Of course, smart people just say no to them anyway. Even if you're innocent, a passed polygraph will not exonerate you if the police suspect you of a crime...but failing one will make you their ONLY suspect. When you're accused of a crime, there's rarely any benefit for the accused to take one.
DefenseLawyer
(11,101 posts)And it's very rare indeed, but if I have a client in a case where the evidence isn't strong and I know the prosecutor would probably rather not pursue it but for an angry victim or public opinion, I have in a handful of cases had the client take a private polygraph (not stipulated and not revealed to the state ahead of time); if he passed I gave the results to the prosecutor- not as evidence in the case but as something for the prosecutor to "hang his hat on" when explaining to a victim why is was punting a case. In those rare cases it has had value in that regard. Notice none of that has anything to do with using a polygraph as evidence of truthfulness.
xtraxritical
(3,576 posts)jonthebru
(1,034 posts)I and other workers were given lie detector tests. (This was 1976, by the way.) Afterwards we all compared notes on the questions. I was an innocent kid and the kicker question that gives them the measure was "Have you ever lied to someone who loved you?" Another guy, a Hispanic dude a little older than me, was asked about marijuana dealing in that question, I forget the actual wording of his question. Then they ask the same yes or no questions to get some information.
This story could be pointing out how our intelligence people are not as intelligent as we think. Ironic, that is.
Archae
(46,337 posts)FBI chief, who passed several polygraph tests with flying colors.
All the while he was selling out to the old Soviet Union.
Puzzler
(2,505 posts)(some "strong" language)