Dear where is the integrity:

I have taken a polygraph examination with the FBI on two occasions, told the complete truth by naively believing that the truth would prevail, didn’t use countermeasures of any kind, and was still found deceptive (or inconclusive) on both occasions. Since then no one from FBI has returned my calls or letters, and I have had two conditional offers of employment with other agencies yanked directly on the basis of my FBI polygraph and without any offer of an exam administered by those agencies.

I have consulted with an attorney in the matter since it seems fairly straightforward, but was advised not to do anything since the repercussions of filing a lawsuit would not only exclude me from employment with an intelligence agency, but also with any government agency requiring a simple background check (what manager would risk hiring someone who has a lawsuit pending against the FBI?). Even having the FBI records sealed would raise suspicions to a hiring manager as to why they were sealed. So my question to you is: “where is the integrity?”

Fletch.

Dear where is the integrity,

I tend to agree with you. However, I think the overriding point with the polygraph is that it is not an accurate device for detecting criminals let alone weeding out otherwise unsuitable candidates. The problem exists where innocent individuals are wrongfully and permanently branded liars, while unsuitable candidates (or even criminals) are pass through. Look at Rick Ames, who ‘passed’ his way through at least 5 times while committing espionage or, in the criminal sense, we can turn to Gary Ridgeway, who continued his killing spree for an additional 20 years (!) after a polygraph cleared him as a suspect and turned the focus of the investigation on to an innocent man who ‘failed’. I’m surprised that none of the victims have filed a wrongful death suit against the investigating department for such a folly.

My point here is not to argue the utility of the polygraph, but to point out the dangers of continuing to rely on it as it is used today, be it a police department or an intel agency. The point is that their accuracy is highly suspect, it harms innocent individuals (not just applicants, but victims in the Ridgeway care), and poses a grave danger to the law enforcement and especially the intelligence community – bad people DO get through regardless of the polygraph. Until this is changed, it will do significantly more harm than it ever can do good.

Fletch.

pillpopper,

I absolutely agree with you.  In fact, from an examiner's own mouth - the polygraph allegedly works by determining which questions are most "threatening" to a person.

If one understood the idea behind control questions (choosing to not attempt countermeasures), which questions would be more threatening?  At this point it isn't between deception and truth!  For this candidate, it is simply knowing that a control question won't get him/her disqualified but a relevant question could!  During my exam, that's what I found myself thinking about - not "hmmm, did I exceed the agency's drug policy?" (I didn't), but rather "shit, this is a relevant question - I can't react or I'll fail" (reaction given).   

Seems pretty unfair to me.  Examiners - is this not at all the way things work?  Please enlighten us because I genuinely would like to know.

I'm new to the site and just surfing and learning, but I noticed that you referred to the FBI as the Federal Bureau of Interpretation and also as the Federal Bureau of Intimidation. Pardon me for being crass, but you don't deserve to be an FBI agent if you don't know that FBI stands for Famous But Incompetent. Did J. Edgar Hoover really sleep with a night light?

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Okay, so in other words, if you "pass" the polygraph we're still going to conduct an in-depth background investigation because your "pass" doesn't necessarily mean you were telling us the truth about not being a spy, drug abuser or drug dealer.

However, if you "fail" the polygraph then we're just going to skip the in-depth background investigation and disqualify you because your "fail" necessarily and without a doubt indicates that you are either a spy, drug abuser or drug deal as well as a liar.

Riiight.  Anyone else see a problem with this?