Author archives

“A Boom in Polygraph Studies”

Steven Aftergood reports in today’s edition of the electronic newsletter Secrecy News: A BOOM IN POLYGRAPH STUDIES Now that Congress has drastically expanded the number of national security personnel who are subject to polygraph testing, the government is belatedly initiating new studies to test the validity of the polygraph. The Department of Energy will release …

“DOE Agrees to Fund Bingaman-Urged Polygraph Validity Study”

A press release from Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM). Excerpt: Bingaman first suggested a comprehensive review of the science behind polygraphs last year when he opposed DOE’s plans for expanded polygraph testing of its employees. In October 1999, Bingaman proposed and won Congressional approval of an amendment to a key appropriations bill calling for the National …

“Polygraph’s Failure Fuels Debate”

Cincinnati Post staff writer Kimball Perry writes in part: A polygraph test that failed to detect the lies of convicted murderer Denise Lipscomb may kill attempts to routinely use the tests in Hamilton County courts. In documents unsealed Friday at the request of The Post, Ms. Lipscomb’s attorneys, in preparing her defense, noted she passed …

2,000+ Polygraphs Likely at Los Alamos

Jennifer McKee of the Albuquerque Tribune writes in part: More than 2,000 Los Alamos National Laboratory employees may have to take lie-detector tests as part of an anti-spying program included in the Defense Authorization Bill signed into law this week. The program, which expands polygraph tests to as many 20,000 employees throughout the Department of …