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Am i completely screwed and should I even bother with any law enforcement endeavors. Oh and by the way I am not a serial killer drug addict!!! Shocked
At this point, you'll want to send a registered letter to the sheriff's office affirming that you told the truth during your polygraph examination. You may want to additionally request a "re-test" and that your letter be included with any information about your polygraph results that the sheriff's office may share with any other law enforcement agencies. Because some agencies do have regional information-sharing arrangements regarding applicants, it's possible that your polygraph results will hurt your chances of employment with other agencies near you.
That said, many law enforcement applicants who have failed a polygraph with a particular agency have gone on to find employment with other agencies -- even ones with a polygraph requirement. Before your next polygraph (should you be required to take one), you'll want to educate yourself about polygraphy and learn what can be done to mitigate the risk of another false positive outcome. A good place to start would be our free book, The Lie Behind the Lie Detector (1 mb PDF).
Posted by: T.M. Cullen Posted on: May 4th, 2009 at 9:44pm
Now for the, more or less, standard polygrapher response:
"Mr. Applicant. How do you know you were telling the truth? Maybe you are just coming to this board to join in on the 'pity party', or make polygraphers look bad!
I'd be VERY surprised if you told the truth but FAILED! The test is highly accurate. maybe you just had a bad polygrapher. Had I conducted the test, things would have been different. I don't have access to your charts or the questions they asked you so.....
Besides, nobody OWES YOU A JOB! Maybe you should just "take your spanking" and move on like a good little boy. Your polygrapher was there to HELP YOU. It's not the polygrapher's fault if you didn't take advantage of their assistance!
Look, no test is perfect. Even DNA, X-ray, and MRI testing have error rates. So that's a good indication that polygraphy is SCIENTIFIC, if it has errors JUST LIKE THE ABOVE SCIENTIFIC TESTS!
Besides, what EXPERIENCE do you have Mr. Applicant? Have you been to polygraph school? Any experience conducting polygraphs? Hmmm? I didn't think so! Stop listening to that George M. He works for Iran ya know?
Move along son. NEXT!"
Posted by: T.M. Cullen Posted on: May 4th, 2009 at 9:36pm
...was told that I had failed because I had committed a serious crime (murder, rape etc) and that I was lying about drug use. Here's the thing, I recently graduated with two masters degress one of them in Criinal Justice. I always stayed out of trouble because I didn't want to ruin my opportunities and jail really is a deterrent to me. He asked me after wards if there was something I was forgetting (as if the thing was reading my sub-conscious) I told him no.
Just another example of a polygraphic artist claiming he can tell you are lying by measuring fluctuations in your blood pressure-breathing pattern-perspiration. Maybe he could divined your "life's storty" by examining a stool sample from you.
Polygraphers deny it vehemently, but the preemployment polygraph is nothing more than a fishing expedition/interrogation disguised as a scientific test for truthfulness. Their whole goal is to see "what they can get out of upi?" Their first goal is to get you to BELIEVE their "crystal ball" can tell if you are a big fibber. Or they tell you it can see if you are troubled BY YOUR ANSWER. To be honest, it absolutely CAN tell if you troubled. It just can't tell WHY. Though they will tell you in not uncertain terms that you MUST be bothered by your answer or the quesition, so you must "PURGE YOUR SOUL", so you feel better (if not all warm and fuzzy). With all the "pop" cultural mystique surrounding the polygraph, people tend to fall for it. It IS a very clever interrogation technique. I must admit.
Lucky for you, some LE agencies no longer use the polygraph. Had you applied for a federal position at the FBI/CIA/NSA/DIA you really would be screwed as a failed polygraph at one of those agencies will disqualify you at the others.
Share your experience with family, friends, and especially those you know who might end up needing to submit to a polygraphic interrogation.
TC
Posted by: jstwnhngt Posted on: May 4th, 2009 at 7:28pm
I recently took a polygraph for a local sheriffs office. I sat in this torture chair for 5 hours didn't take the test until 3:45 minutes into the session. Hadn't eatin in the previous seven hours and was told that I had failed because I had committed a serious crime (murder, rape etc) and that I was lying about drug use. Here's the thing, I recently graduated with two masters degress one of them in Criinal Justice. I always stayed out of trouble because I didn't want to ruin my opportunities and jail really is a deterrent to me. He asked me after wards if there was something I was forgetting (as if the thing was reading my sub-conscious) I told him no. He askd what I was thinking about when he asked the question. I told him i was thinking about serious crimes, I did study crimes and criminal theories in grad school and thats what I thought about. Am i completely screwed and should I even bother with any law enforcement endeavors. Oh and by the way I am not a serial killer drug addict!!!