I am a sub contractor in Florida, I was contracted to remodel kitchen cabinets in a customers home. One week after the remodel was complete; the local police contacted me and requested an interview with me. They said the customer for whom I did the remodel filed a police report for missing jewelry. I agreed and proceeded to the interview seeing has how I have nothing to hide or fear. They told me that they had more suspects to interview in addition to me, the electrician, appliance delivery people, cabinet company, etc.
They tape recorded the interview, and during the process pulled out a finger print card and stated that they had recovered evidence in the form of finger prints from the jewelry box. They asked if I would comply and let them take my finger prints and come down to the station to take a voice stress test. I said sure, no problem, because again I have nothing to hide, because I did not do anything wrong.
My question is this,
I have been doing some research on this type of test, and I find that they pretty much are useless, or similar to a polygraph. Should I allow them to do a VSA seeing as how I know for a fact that I have loads of stress anyway, and I am almost positive I would fail because of this. Besides, wouldn’t the finger prints be sufficient enough proof to clear me from their list of suspects.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
???

You answered your own question.  Do not submit to any type of "lie detector" test.  It's their burden to find out who did it using legitimate forensic science, such as fingerprints.  Some might tell you to get a lawyer, but it might be early for that.  Just politely decline the test.  Good luck.

Thank you for your input, it is greatly appreciated, I will update my post as things unfold.

I would also like to add, I think that this web site is a great resource for people in need of information when their rights are at stake.
To whom it may concern, keep up the good work.

I wish that I had this type of information 15 years ago when I was given a polygraph test at my place of employment, and wrongfully disscharged for not passing it. I took two poly test within a two week period, I passed the first, and failed the second. The examiner said that my breathing was erratic, and that I was too nervous. He concluded that I must be hiding something, so therefor my District Mgr told me that they had to let me go.
It didn't matter to them that at the time I took test, I was going through a divorce, and had the flu.....
To this day, I am still upset over the termantion, I only wish that we had laws in place back then to enable us to file lawsiuts for such things.  >:(

Anyway, thanks again.

down and out,

Thank you for your kind words regarding AntiPolygraph.org. This website was created for the benefit of people who find themselves in situations such as yours, as well as those who have already fallen victim to the quackery of the lie detector.

I didn't reply earlier because I think mustbaliar's reply was very much to the point. But it is perhaps worth noting in addition that when the police told you that fingerprints were found on the jewelry box, it may have been a simple interrogator's ruse. Here's how it works: the interrogator falsely claims that fingerprints were found at the scene of the crime and asks the suspect if he/she would be willing to provide his/her prints. In fact, no fingerprints were found, and the real purpose is to see if the suspect will willingly provide prints. If the suspect refuses or hesitates, guilt is inferred. Conversely, if the suspect readily agrees to provide prints, innocence might be inferred. This is actually a pretty clever interrogational ruse that I do not necessarily find objectionable, though investigators should bear in mind that it is far from infallible. An innocent person might still refuse to submit to voluntary fingerprinting while a guilty person might readily agree to it.

The fact that the police tape-recorded their interview of you is a good thing, as it creates an objective record of what was said (and not said) during the interview/interrogation. Some law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI, cynically refuse to tape record interrogations precisely to prevent any such objective record from being created. Then if there's any dispute about what was said, it's the word of a law enforcement officer against that of an accused criminal. The FBI seems to like it that way. But it doesn't serve the interest of equal justice under the law.

As for voice stress analysis, it's sheer quackery. The "National Institute of Truth Verification", manufacturer of the most widely used voice stress analyzer, has admitted in court that their device is not capable of lie detection. Voice stress analysis is a complete and utter fraud that has regrettably been embraced by numerous law enforcement agencies. As with the polygraph, many detectives are evidently stupid or credulous enough to actually believe in it. You are wise to refuse to submit to this pseudoscientific nonsense.

George,

Once again, thank you.
I feel much better, and a tad bid wiser with your input, and having read your section titled “the lie behind the lie detector”

I also wanted to give an update to the situation.

It appears as though the police have caught the person who took the jewelry, I was told that it was in fact one of the appliance delivery people. The guy confessed, and they even recovered some of the jewelry at his home.
I would also like to add that the police didn’t even bother to give me a call and inform me of this. I had to hear it from the cabinet shop that contracted me to do the job….
Go figure… ::)

Anyway, I will continue to visit your site on a regular basis, I find the posts and message boards very enlightening and informational.
I will be sure to let everyone know about this site, and encourage them to visit, and educate themselves about the truth in regards to polygraph and VSA tests.

Kind Regards
Down_and_out
;D