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 … Read more
The St. Petersburg Times calls for dumping the polygraph in this editorial. Excerpt: In a stark overreaction to the spying allegations against Wen Ho Lee, a scientist at the Los Alamos weapons lab in New Mexico, Congress ordered the Energy Department to begin a massive polygraph screening program for employees at the nation’s nuclear weapons … Read more
In a press release occasioned by the commencement of the National Academy of Sciences’ polygraph review, Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) expresses his concerns about the Department of Energy’s use of polygraphs: “I hope the work of this committee, backed by the NAS, will give us an objective analysis of polygraphs, and help determine the necessity … Read more
Steven Aftergood reports in today’s edition of the electronic newsletter Secrecy News: NATIONAL ACADEMY BEGINS POLYGRAPH STUDY The National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences is undertaking a new review of the validity and reliability of the polygraph, or “lie detector.” The 18 month review, which was proposed by Sen. Jeff Bingaman and … Read more
Jennifer McKee of the Albuquerque Journal writes in part: The Department of Energy intends to sink almost a million dollars into an upcoming study to determine – once and for all – how well widespread lie detector tests work in preventing espionage. “While we must take the utmost precaution in protecting the nation’s secrets with … Read more
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 … Read more