A relative took a poly and was told  - at the end, when still strapped up but the machine was not recording - that there was some sort of "spike" regarding a question about drugs.  Then conversation then turned to the administrator asking if there was "anything that he/she needed to know??"  "What could possibly explain that?"

if said relative fails and gets a re-do, how should he/she approach questions, but particularly the drug topic as it is bound to come up again, that produce a "spike."

From what I understand from said relative, all was "very good, looked great - except for this one topic here. . ." (i.e., the drug issue).  From what I've read on this forum and others, drugs are one of the favorite topics-du-jour during polys.  Also a fun game is trying to get people to 'confess" to things that don't exist by saying things like, "wow, that's interesting. . . maybe you could help me out by explaining THIS. . . ."

So. . . if all was so great, could this spike cause said relative to be denied?  Said relative has already had BI and the poly was the next step to getting a TSC.

Thanks!

George W. Maschke wrote on Aug 19^th, 2009 at 4:40am:



Thanks for this information - there have been so many in his/her office that have been polyed, failed, and then had re-dos that I thought I would ask my initial posting.   

Do you have any idea how long it takes AFTER the polygraph is done to find out if one has passed or failed it - what is the next step (who has the adjuctive determination authority here?).  is it weeks, months?  the relative has already completed and passed the BI check.

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Good question.  Short answer is that the polygraph is not scientifically valid.  It actually an interrogation DISGUISED as a scientific test.

Once a person totally understands that, a lot of things start to "make sense".  Why the examiner seemed to "twist my answers", or "kept asking the same question over and over", or "seemed to be trying to make me unsure of my answer"...etc.   These are all interrogation techniques.  Not a problem.  If you are applying for "sensitive" job, they have an obligation to  interrogate you.  Just realize that THIS is what they are doing.  They are INTERROGATING you not TESTING you.

Just don't play their game.  Stick to your answers.  Don't be talkative.  Don't speculate on why your blood pressure, breathing or other autonomic function fluctuated when asked a certain question.  Just answer that question truthfully and stick to it.

Try not to answer open ended questions, like "tell me about your trip to Mexico"...etc.  Ask them to be more specific.  Say "what do you mean?", or "what would you like to know about my trip to mexico?"

At the NSA and CIA, really good applicants, and employees (taking a periodic "update" poly) are sometimes tested and tested and tested until they pass.  It's a game!  Long time employees who are used to it, know to just "hang in there" and just don't "give'm any rope".  They just sit through it and think about baseball, their upcoming vacation trip, what a joke the whole thing is...etc.

In my case (NSA), the hiring committee and security (poly folks) got into a "pissing contest" over my hiring.  I don't blame the poly folks, as I got so pissed I ripped off the straps and used some, uh, colorful nautical terms, to let them know what I thought of their so-called test.  I think I even mentioned the false negatives of "Aldrich Ames" and used the word "bogus"(not recommended )  So, I'm pretty sure I made some "enemies" in their office that day.

Anyway, to my surprise, six months later, I got a call from HR offering me a retest!  But is was just to make the hiring committee happy.  They had no intention of passing me.  I had disparaged their profession and offended their god.  I had ripped off the "sacred straps" and blasphemed against the "holy box" .    So they were just going through the motions, and trying to dig up some "dirt" they could take gleefully back to the hiring board.  So bet it!

 I must have really pissed them off, because they reported me to the FBI, who investigated me for poss espionage and found absolutely NOTHING!  The SA I talked with was even apologetic about it.  

Just remember, don't trust them if they offer you a retest.  Don't be belligerent either, just trust them or buy their line that they are there "to help you get through this...."

Study TLBTLD, and thoroughly learn and understand what employment screening polygraphs are all about.  Kind of like studying up on car salesman "tricks and tactics" before visiting a car lot.

Good luck,

TC

P.S.  I have this FBI SA's report on file obtained through a FOIA request.  
 

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They usually give you a different examiner.

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My retest pretty much started over.  Pre-test interview (watch what you say there too), data collection with questioning  between readings.  No post test theatrics.  

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The machine measures sudden CHANGES to your nervous system's sympathetic response when asked a question, regardless of what the person's baseline state of nervousness/calm.  Don't try to go "Zen".  Just stay alert in anticipation of the next question. IOW, don't doze off or day dream between questions.  Don't even worry about it.  

The more convinced your relative is that the machine is NOT measuring truthfulness/deception, and that "reactions" don't mean a thing, the better off he/she will be.  One friend I have said he just sat there and though how ridiculous the whole thing was!

If I was interrogating you, and told you that my "spirit guide" was in the room,  and could communicate to me whether you were lying or not, would you feel intimidated?  What if I had a parrot in the room and I claimed I could talk to it and figure out whether you were lying.  Would you be scared?  Think along those terms.  The whole process relies on the test subject being INTIMIDATED by the machine.  Don't be.

Is this for a LE agency, or CIA/NSA/FBI?

TC

T.M. Cullen wrote on Sep 2^nd, 2009 at 9:08pm:



NSA