I failed my FBI polygraph recently. I am a 22 year old college senior who applied for the internship program. And boy, after reading this site I am really kicking myself in the nuts right now.

I basically failed the question on drug policy and idiotically I gave them a written statement because I knew it would be impossible to land the position after failing the test regardless of whether I was telling the truth or being deceptive. I didn't confess to any specifics, just acknowledged that I failed the test and attributed that failure to "an incident concerning marijuana", and generically said I was sorry that I applied to the position knowing that I might not have been suitable. 

What will the consequences be? I know that polygraphs are not admissible evidence in court, but given my pseudo-confession will I be prosecuted? Will this impact my ability to secure federal employment (excluding law enforcement agencies)? Do civilian employers typically submit FOIA requests that would reveal the failed test and confession? Do most law firm recruiters conduct such background checks? Universities? 

Frankly I was never really interested in a law enforcement career to begin with (I'm more interested in becoming an attorney), I'm just hope this doesn't follow me around and totally screw over my life.

panopticon wrote on Mar 2^nd, 2012 at 8:24pm:


You can only get some of your records under teh Privacy Act. Others cant get anything, usualy, until your dead. http://www.justice.gov/usao/reading_room/guidefoia.html