Original reporting and commentary about polygraphs, voice stress analyzers, and other purported "lie detectors."
Sheila Burt reports for the Daily Northwestern on the campus visit of two CIA recruiters, Marcus and Elizabeth, in an article titled, “CIA recruiters more Moneypenny than Bond.” Excerpt: …applicants must go through a rather extensive interview process before becoming official CIA agents. The process includes a background check, a lie detector test and a …
Chris Ingalls reports for KING5.com. Excerpt: SEATTLE – The polygraph promises to find the answer and that’s why it is widely used in Washington state to screen potential employees for high-security jobs. But there are new doubts about whether lie detectors really work. In today’s security-conscious environment, much of the tax money is used to …
Washington Post staff writer Susan Schmidt reports in an article titled, “Physicist’s Case Examined for Link to Alleged Spy.” Excerpt: FBI inspectors are now poring over the activities of [former Supervisory Special Agent James J.] Smith’s squad. According to sources with knowledge of the FBI’s Los Angeles office, two other agents who worked with the …
Davis Enterprise staff writer Elisabeth Sherwin reports in an article titled, “Sheriff Prieto pushes high standards.” Excerpt: [Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto] said 15 people interviewed recently to become deputy sheriffs. As part of the screening process, candidates are routinely given polygraph tests. Out of the 15 who took the test, only four passed and …
Bob Park of the American Physical Society comments on Department of Energy polygraph policy in his weekly What’s New column: The National Academy of Sciences completed its review of scientific evidence on the polygraph (WN 15 Dec 00). The NAS report, “The Polygraph and Lie Detection” (NAS Press, 2003), found polygraph tests to be unacceptable …
The Albuquerque Tribune comments on the Energy Department’s decision to ignore the conclusions of the National Academy of Sciences regarding polygraph screening. Excerpt: It’s like the sequel to a goofy movie: “DOE – Dumb, Dumber, Dumbest.” Sometimes – even giving it the vast benefit of the doubt – the U.S. Department of Energy is infuriating …
Lisa Friedman of the Tri-Valley Herald Washington Bureau reports. Excerpt: WASHINGTON — Federal lawmakers and lab weapons scientists said Tuesday they are disappointed with Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham for disregarding an 18-month, $800,000 study by the nation’s top scientists that found polygraph testing does not work. “It shows how bankrupt they are,” said Livermore thermonuclear …
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 …
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. …
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 …