The Department of Defense Polygraph Institute (DoDPI) has significantly changed the chart-scoring rules for federally-administered polygraph examinations. A copy of the DoDPI's Numerical Evaluation Scoring System, dated August 2006, has been provided to AntiPolygraph.org (376 kb PDF):
http://antipolygraph.org/documents/dodpi-numerical-scoring-08-2006.pdf The most recent version of this document previously made available to AntiPolygraph.org was dated August 2004:
http://antipolygraph.org/documents/dodpi-numerical-scoring-08-2004.pdf Under the 2006 rules, the number of respiratory features considered "diagnostic" for scoring purposes has been reduced from 10 to 6 while the number of cardiovascular features considered diagnostic has been reduced from 7 principle and 3 secondary features to 1 primary and 1 secondary feature.
No explanation is offered for these changes. What this inescapably entails is that some polygraph charts that were scored as "deception indicated" under the old rules would be scored as "no deception indicated" or "inconclusive" under the new rules, because some reactions to relevant questions would no longer be scored. The converse is also true, and the charts of some who passed would no doubt have to be scored as "deception indicated" or "inconclusive" because some reactions to "control" questions could no longer be considered.
This raises the question, will applicants for federal employment who "failed" under the old scoring rules be given the opportunity to have their polygraph charts re-evaluated under the new scoring rules and to have their applications re-instated if they now pass?
If not, why not? Conversely, will the polygraph charts of those who have "passed" and been hired be re-evaluated to see if such persons would have "failed" under the new scoring rules?
Again, if not, why not? After all, if you are a true believer in polygraphy, any such persons must now be considered unacceptable security risks!
What about those convicted of crimes whose sentencing was influenced by the outcome of a polygraph examination? Will they be able to challenge their sentences after having their polygraph charts re-scored under the new rules?
Does not justice demand it? Paragraph 1.6 of the DoDPI document admonishes polygraph students, "It is absolutely critical that you dedicate yourself to mastering test data analysis for peoples' lives may, at times, depend upon it." But it seems that DoDPI is playing with peoples' lives by arbitrarily making up the rules as it goes along.
Here are the 2004 scoring rules for scoring the pneumographic channel:
Quote:3.9. Respiratory Features. There are ten diagnostic features used in the evaluation of the respiration channel. Five of these features involve some form of suppression. The features are:
3.9.1. Apnea (blocking)
3.9.2. Increase in amplitude
3.9.3. Decrease in amplitude
3.9.4. Progressive increase followed by a progressive decrease
3.9.5. Progressive increase in amplitude followed by a return to homeostasis
3.9.6. Progressive decrease in amplitude followed by a return to homeostasis
3.9.7. Increase in rate
3.9.8. Decrease in rate
3.9.9. Inhalation/Exhalation (I/E) ratio change
3.9.10. Temporary baseline change
And here are the shortened 2006 scoring rules for the same channel:
Quote:3.9. Respiratory Features. There are six diagnostic features used in evaluation of the respiration channel. Five of these features involve some form of suppression or slowing of the respiratory rate. The features are:
3.9.1. Apnea-blocking (suppression)
3.9.2. Decrease in amplitude (suppression)
3.9.3. Progressive decrease in amplitude (suppression)
3.9.4. Decrease in rate
3.9.5. Inhalation/Exhalation (I/E) ratio change
3.9.6. Temporary increase in baseline
Features struck entirely are:
- Increase in amplitude
- Progressive increase followed by a progressive decrease
- Progressive increase in amplitude followed by a return to homeostasis
- Increase in rate
One feature has been qualified:
- Temporary baseline change -> Temporary increase in baseline
Here are the 2004 scoring rules for the cardiovascular channel:
Quote:3.11. Cardiovascular Features. There are seven principal diagnostic features used in the evaluation of the CV channel. The features are:
3.11.1. Phasic Response: Relatively rapid increase or rise from the pre-stimulus baseline (baseline arousal), irrespective of whether the response returns to the pre-stimulus baseline or establishes a new baseline.
3.11.2. Tonic Response: Relatively slow increase or rise from the pre-stimulus baseline, irrespective of whether the response returns to the pre-stimulus baseline or establishes a new baseline.
3.11.3. Increase in amplitude
3.11.4. Decrease in amplitude
3.11.5. Increase in rate
3.11.6. Decrease in rate
3.11.7. Premature Ventricular Contraction
3.12. There are also three secondary evaluation considerations used in the evaluation of the CV waveform.
3.12.1. Duration
3.12.2. Speed of Arousal
3.12.3. Sympathetic Response versus Parasympathetic Activity
And here is the greatly reduced feature set under the 2006 rules:
Quote:3.11. Cardiovascular Features. There are two diagnostic features used in evaluation of the CV channel. One of these diagnostic features is a secondary feature.
3.11.1 Phasic response (baseline arousal) is the primary diagnostic feature used in evaluating the CV channel. A phasic response is defined as a short-term change in physiological activity following question presentation. Typically, this response has a relatively rapid onset and may return to the pre-stimulus baseline or establish a new baseline within a period characteristic of the response system.
3.11.2. Duration is a secondary CV waveform diagnostic feature considered in certain instances.
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DoDPI Changes Polygraph Chart Scoring Rules (Read 31401 times)
