Original reporting and commentary about polygraphs, voice stress analyzers, and other purported "lie detectors."
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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: PENTAGON FORESEES EXPANDED POLYGRAPH TESTING Despite escalating criticism concerning the validity of polygraph testing, the Defense Department may seek to increase reliance on the polygraph as a security and …
Saipan Tribune staff reporter Edith G. Alejandro reports. Excerpt: The Department of Public Safety yesterday disclosed that applicants for the new batch of the Police Academy will undergo polygraph test in January 2003 prior to the release of the names of those who will be accepted to the institution. Police Commissioner Edward Camacho and officer-in-charge …
Ryan Goudelocke reports for The Advocate of Baton Rouge, Louisana. Excerpt: They’re called “lie detectors” for a reason: For decades polygraph operators have claimed the ability to sniff out deception by asking searching questions and watching squiggly lines drawn on paper. And it’s a staple of crime fiction: Usually there’s a harshly lit room where …
Political correspondent Brendan Nicolson reports for The Age. Excerpt: Lie detector tests being carried out on officers of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation were not scientifically proven, and could be beaten by real spies and incriminate innocent officers, the Federal Opposition has warned. Labor’s justice spokesman Daryl Melham told The Sunday Age that the polygraph, …
In an article titled, “Long arm of the law reaches out for help,” San Diego Union-Tribune staff writer Shanna McCord reports on the SDPD pre-employment polygraph failure rate. Excerpt: And then there’s a lie detector test, which weeds out a large number of applicants. “Number one for us is honesty,” said Stacee Botsford, a recruiter …
John Steinbachs reports for the Ottawa Sun. Excerpt: Every year, thousands of hopeful RCMP recruits face a battery of tests and background checks in their quest to wear the red serge. Now, the federal police force is considering using lie detectors to make sure recruits have the integrity to be a Mountie. Internal proposals to …