Original reporting and commentary about polygraphs, voice stress analyzers, and other purported "lie detectors."
Ann Geracimos reports for the Washington Times. Unfortunately, it seems that Mrs. Geracimos interviewed only polygraphers for this article, and in explaining to her how polygraph “tests” are interpreted, they apparently neglected to explain the trickery behind “control” questions. Excerpt: The word “polygraph” means “many writings” in graph form — a simple definition that gets …
Dan Vergano reports for USA Today. Excerpt: A long-time law enforcement favorite, the lie detector, now finds itself sweating the hot lights of scientific inquiry. Crime dramas have long depicted the polygraph’s tangle of wires and wiggling chart lines uncovering lies during a hard-boiled criminal interrogation. As suspects are questioned, the device checks for sweaty …
Joe Bauman of the Deseret News reports in this single-source article on polygraphy: The accuracy of polygraph tests compares well with that of other forensic techniques — but sometimes emotions can short-circuit the results, a national expert says. The tests record physiological responses to questions. The queries usually cover both a crime under investigation and …
Greg Lavine reports for the Salt Lake Tribune. Excerpt: Academic experts who study lie detection say that polygraph tests can play a useful role in cases such as the abduction of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart, but the scientific community remains divided over whether such examinations can accurately determine guilt or innocence. At least two family members, …