Dear Mercible,

I have often mentioned the pre-screening use of polygraph without any specific incident knowledge or testing as a 50/50 coin toss.  The NAS did specify that specific incident polygraph testing was far better than chance but far from perfect. 

The NAS was very critical in the current usage of polygraph in pre-screening employment with no specific incident known or researched.  They did say that such usage was far from perfect and not much above a 50/50 coin toss.

I am probably one of the most realistic posters here who has consistantly admitted that the government has only tried to increase polygraph usage in pre-employment since the NAS study.

The FBI pre-screening polygraph was given in my case, prior to any background information being gathered.  There was no specific incident information available to even be questioned.  Roughly 50% of all FBI applicants who make it to the polygraph phase are disqualified on the polygraph alone with no background check.  If you see me quote the 50/50 coin toss, I am relating it to the polygraph pre-prescreening exam as the FBI uses it.

Regards.

darkcobra2005 wrote on Sep 3^rd, 2005 at 9:21pm:


The 50% FBI polygraph failure rate is pulled not from thin air, but from the mouths of senior FBI officials who are in a position to know. See FBI Polygraph Failure Rate Reportedly Near 50%.

darkcobra2005 wrote on Sep 4^th, 2005 at 2:35am:


I would agree there is no research that indicates the percentage of FBI applicants who fail the poly, but there should be, it's obviously a problem. I don't know what kind of checks the FBI conducts on applicants before the poly or if all of that is done afterwards, assuming of course, the applicant passes? I would think it would at least look at the background forms the applicant fills out for any possible problems before the applicant is extended a conditonal job offer--at least that was the case for me. 

George, 

Thanks for the clarification.