https://lawrencekstimes.com/2026/03/30/dgco-bail-fund-polygraphs-pre/

Douglas County bail fund to host event on ‘the trouble with polygraphs’
by Mackenzie Clark

The Douglas County Community Bail Fund will soon host a talk on the “history, application, and pitfalls of the use of polygraphs in our legal system,” according to organizers. 

The event, “The trouble with polygraphs,” is set for 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 1 in Meeting Room C at the Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St.

David Graham, criminal defense and constitutional rights attorney, will give a presentation and participate in a Q&A with those in attendance about the detriments of polygraph testing, according to the hosts.

Polygraphs, often referred to as “lie detector tests,” measure physiological changes that could indicate someone is being untruthful. However, there are no universal physiological signs of deception, and there are many ways to “beat” polygraphs. They are considered pseudoscience and are not admissible in court, but law enforcement officers can still use them to coerce confessions or release results to media in order to taint a jury pool and make it easier to secure a conviction.

The event is free to attend and open to the public. Hosts will provide light refreshments.

The bail fund formed in 2022 “with a mission to reduce the monetary bail burden imposed on legally innocent Douglas County residents,” according to its board of directors.