nonombre wrote on Aug 6
th, 2006 at 3:21am:
Mr. Maschke,
Look what you have done. You definatively announce that a question about DUI on a polygraph exam is a control question (and should therefore be manipulated in some way.) Yet when challenged, you defend yourself by saying: ..."I find it hard to believe...it's stupid to "waste" a relevant question on drunk driving."
Mr. Maschke, this is people's LIVES here. You risk careers and futures by the "information" you so confidently provide (e.g., the identification of a test question by one type or another). You then defend your "information" with purely subjective assertions such as ..."I find it hard to believe?"
Nonombre,
I am keenly aware (
having experienced it first hand) that people's lives may be significantly changed based on the result of the fraudulent procedure that is polygraph screening. That's why this website exists.
You make a good point: the fact that using a relevant question about driving while under the influence as a relevant question, even as federal law enforcement agencies such as the FBI are using the same question as a probable-lie "control" question, is pretty stupid doesn't necessarily mean that a local law enforcement agency such as yours wouldn't do it.
For example, even the LAPD
until recently used so vague a question as, "Based on your personal bias, have you ever committed a negative act against anyone?" as a
relevant question. That's pretty stupid, but they did it.
So yes, I agree that it is possible that a question generally used as a probable-lie "control" question might nonetheless be used by some agencies as a relevant question.
Quote:Where is YOUR "double blind" study, Mr. Maschke?
The
double-blind method is appropriate to studies of such questions as whether a test for deception works or not. But you wouldn't do a double-blind study to learn about polygraph formats themselves: instead, you would go to the polygraph literature, which is what we've done. For example, we know that the FBI uses a question about driving while under the influence of alcohol as a probable-lie "control" question because while we have reports from numerous applicants that this question is being asked, we also know that it is not one of the relevant questions included in DoDPI's
"Law Enforcement Pre-Employment Test," the format used by all federal law enforcement agencies that rely on pre-employment polygraph screening.
Quote:I will tell you again, my department and many others want to make sure that we don't hire people who like to drive drunk. DUI (of the "not caught" variety) is a routenely asked relevant question.
Perhaps, but let's be candid: as a polygrapher, you have an obvious motive to lie. Although I'm not accusing you of deception, any documentation of your above claim would be welcome.
Quote:However, if you are so sure the question is indeed a control, then feel free to keep identifying it as such. Myself and other the other police police examiners will continue to clean up your mess. We have for some time.
Examples?
Quote:Sorry sir, you know I am not going to provide you with examples of question types.
Since you're an anonymous examiner with an anonymous department, why not?
Quote:However, I will ask you again for the sake of people reading this site and taking for "gospel" the things you say. PLEASE double check everything. You have been wrong a lot lately.
Documentation, please?
Quote:Mr. Maschke, whether you care to believe it or not, you have hurt the unsuspecting with your arrogant assertions and the opinions you present as unmitigated fact. I ask you again to check your sources, look at both sides, and consider all possibilities before you advise the naive to engage in behaviors for which you have to date refused to take responsibility for...
Regards,
Nonombre
Again, if you see anything posted here by me (or anyone else) that you believe to be false or otherwise misleading, please feel free to point it out and to explain it. If there's something you'd rather not post publicly, feel free also to send me a private message through this board, or to give me a call via Skype, etc.