John Fleck reports for the Albuquerque Journal. Excerpt: The Department of Energy wants to continue polygraphs to hunt for spies, bucking a report from federal science advisers who said the technique is flawed. In a notice published Monday, the department announced it wants to keep its polygraph program, which screens nuclear weapons workers in a … Read more
Los Alamos Monitor assistant editor Roger Snodgrass reports. Excerpt: The Department of Energy has rejected the results of an $870,000 study by the National Research Council on the validity of polygraph tests for screening national security risks. DOE said that unless something unexpected arises from public comments, it will continue its current program as is. … Read more
Senator Pete Domenici of New Mexico criticizes the Department of Energy’s decision to continue its reliance on polygraph screening: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: CHRIS GALLEGOS APRIL 14, 2003 (202) 224-7082 DOMENICI: DOE WORRIES SHOULDN’T MEAN CONTINUATIONOF FLAWED POLYGRPAH POLICY WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Pete Domenici today questioned the Department of Energy intention to continue heavy reliance on … Read more
Representative Ellen Tauscher, whose district includes Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, has issued a press release on the Energy Department’s decision to ignore the conclusions of the National Academy of Sciences: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: April Boyd, 202/225-1880 April 14, 2003 www.house.gov/tauscher Statement by Rep. Ellen Tauscher on Polygraph Testing Below is a statement by Rep. Ellen … Read more
The Associated Press reports in this story published in the Washington Times. Excerpt: The Energy Department decided yesterday to continue using polygraph tests to protect the nation’s nuclear-arms stockpile, despite a scientific study that found severe shortcomings in the tests’ accuracy. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said the department must use the best tools available to … Read more
Steven Aftergood of the Federation of American Scientists’ Project on Government Secrecy discusses the National Academy of Science’s polygraph report in his Secrecy News e-mail publication: DOE TO REISSUE UNALTERED POLYGRAPH REGS In a remarkable testament to the stubbornness of the security bureaucracy and its resistance to external criticism, the Department of Energy is proposing … Read more
Eric Lichtblau reports for the New York Times. Excerpt: WASHINGTON, April 10 – A former F.B.I. agent arrested on Wednesday in an espionage case had not been given a polygraph test in his nearly 30 years with the bureau, and lax oversight of his relationship with an informer now accused of being a Chinese double-agent … Read more
In an article titled, “DNA testing clears name of Kansan in rape case,” the Associated Press reports on the case of Eddie James Lowery, who falsely confessed to rape after failing a polygraph “test.” As a result of the polygraph-induced false confession, Lowery, a soldier then stationed at Ft. Riley, Kansas, spent ten years in … Read more
Noted skeptic James Randi comments on polygraphy in this week’s Swift newsletter: We’ve assailed the use of polygraph (“lie detector”) technology here, many times. It is simply an area of failed technology, one that seemed promising, but then proved to be not only faulty, but quite dangerous to those upon whom was inflicted. State and … Read more
Peggy Brickley reports for The Scientist. Excerpt: Life scientists who work on sensitive government projects could find themselves hooked-up to polygraph machines in spite of continued criticism of the science behind such lie-detector tests. “It’s everywhere — every three- and four-letter agency you can imagine, including the US Postal Service,” said Stephen E. Fienberg, chairman … Read more