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Pailryder and/or Gary Davis,

Do either of you have an answer for this lady?

TC

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I am assuming accusations were made, and that she was told (probably by somebody in LE who knows otherwise) that she needed to take the polygraph to "clear her name", or "eliminate herself as a suspect" (which is not true, the polygraph can't do that). 

Not knowing the truth about polygraphy, and being naive and gullible about it (like most of the public) she believed the LE person and  eagerly volunteered to take it as a way of clear her name and reputation as a "foster mom".

She then was polygraphed, told the truth, yet failed.  As a result, most people ASSUMED she was guilty and "passed judgment" on her, accordingly. 

This made her VERY frustrated and angry.   As a result, she started "looking for answers".  So, she searched everything she could about the polygraph (not something a guilty person is likely to do).  She found this BBS, learned the truth about the polygraph and made her post.

It is a common pattern.  Wish I had a dollar for every time it has happened.  But, yes, the above is all assumption, but based on personal experience and that of many others.  As far as assumptions go, most polygraph operators would probably assume she is just lying.

So, ASSUMING my version is true, and that she is not just a child molester putting on and "act" by coming to this board under an "alias" pretending to be "looking for answers" and advice.  Maybe as a way of  making herself feel less "guilty".  What should she do?  What recourse does a person like this have, assuming she is being truthful?

Thanks,   

TC

P.S. Given your recent claim that single issue polygraphs are "very accurate", and the persistent claim by polygraphers that the test is 98% accurate, one could quite easily assume she IS lying.   So, all ASSumptions aside, the million dollar question still remains:  "Are polygraphs accurate?"

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Hopefully, fostermom will pipe in again and state whether or not she was asked to take the poly before or after any factual evidence had been discovered (i.e. anything other than an accusation of abuse).   

In cases where there is no evidence, just an accusation, are accused persons asked to take a poly?   

Investigative tool?  Can you elaborate?  Isn't the polygraph just a form  of interrogation?   Is a polygraph chart labeled "deception indicated" considered evidence?

Regardless, family members, friends, neighbors, the media...etc. assume people to be guilty just for failing a polygraph.  And you can fail a polygraph despite telling the truth.   That is the problem, and apparent concern of fostermom.

TC

This is foster mom again. I don't know how private this is to say to much to you or who ever. I don't have anything to hide. I didn't use my name is because I didn't want it to get back to the people that are giving me this problem. I found other people that are like me. They told the truth on the  polygraph and they failed to. One was a police man to try to go into the secret service. Was he lying that he failed to? My story is we were foster parents for 5 years we had 19 infants and children in our home. We adopted our 17 infant. I took the foster infant that was in my care at the time for a visit to see her mom. When I went to pick the infant up she had marks on her face. I asked what happened. And the only answer I got was I had to take her to the agency. They took her from me and took pictures. And said this happen before and she could not come home with me. I don't know what they mean by that. One time she had a bruise on her face. But I told them what happened. They called me a lier. When they took her to the doctors she had something wrong with one of her bibs. I'm not a abuser. And I was talked into a polygraph. We were dumb all the way threw this. We only have ourselves to blame. We didn't get a lawyer until it was to late.  I used to love life.  But now since this happened. I gave up on everything. I was humiliated, called a lier, and ashamed for something I DIDN'T do.  I still can't understand what happened to me that day. All is I'm looking for is answers why this had to happen to me. And my name cleared so I can get my job back. If I could only get a judge to listen to me. And know that I'm telling the truth. Just give me a chance to clear my name. I can't with this "indicated" hanging over my head. All is I'm doing is praying for all this to go away and for me to get my life back. I'm sorry this probely sound like I'm babbling on. But I still can't grasp what happened to me. Take care. fostermom      

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The polygraph has not been scientifically shown to detect deception in a reliable and accurate way.  Certainly not accurate enough to legitimately smear a person's name.  So that is a sad state of affairs.   

In cases where attorneys come to you to supposedly clear the name of their client, did the client take the original (name smearing police poly) at the advice of their attorney, or were simply talked into it by the police?  And, effectively, interrogated without the attorney present?

Thanks

TC

If they have all this evidence against her you mentioned above, why the need for the charade of a polygraph:  "You need to take this 98% accurate (a lie) test to clear your name (another lie)".

If the polygraph has not been scientifically shown to be accurate enough to "clear one's name", is really just used to "coerce a confession" or otherwise get the person to unwittingly produce self-incriminating information (as an "investigative tool" as you put it) , people have a right to know that.  So I guess the real blame I have for the polygraph is the way it is presented and represented.

What if she had actually PASSED her polygraph despite the photos...etc., and as a result, people assumed she was INNOCENT.  I would place just as much BLAME on the polygraph in that case.

My point is that people should give little if any weight to the results of a polygraph, either way.  I'm talking about employers, neighbors, friends...etc.  You are right, they SHOULD focus on photos, medical reports...etc.  

I'd be interested to know the affect all this evidence would have on the polygraph operator's performance.  The polygraph is rather subjective.  Do polygraphers have access to photos, medical reports...etc?  Couldn't that prejudice to polygrapher and affect his/her ability to render objective results?

TC

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Your post was moved to a new message thread because it was off-topic for this thread, which is about the San Diego Police Department's polygraph program. In due time, these posts will be moved there, too.

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Unfortunately, it is difficult, if not impossible, to prove that one hasn't done something. What can be shown, however, is that polygraph "testing" has no scientific basis and that the results should not be relied upon. Polygraphy is inherently biased against the truthful, and it is common for truthful people to wrongly fail. A statistical analysis by Dr. Alan Zelicoff based on the best available polygraph field studies suggests that "if a subject fails a polygraph, the probability that she is, in fact, being deceptive is little more than chance alone; that is, one could flip a coin and get virtually the same result for a positive test based on the published data."

To vindicate yourself, and to be able to work again as a foster parent, I think you're going to need legal representation. If you don't have a lawyer, Martindale's lawyer locator service might help you find one:

http://www.martindale.com

AntiPolygraph.org would be happy to assist your lawyer with documentation of polygraphy's unreliability.