Author
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Topic: Customs and Border Protections
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dkrapohl Member
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posted 04-05-2013 07:38 PM
Congratulations to John Schwartz and his cadre of CBP polygraph examiners for exceptional work in keeping bad guys from getting badges and guns. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/04/04/on-polygraph-tests-would-be-border-patrol-agents-confess-to-crimes.html What's really impressive is that his polygraph program appears to have cut in half the incidence of problem employees among those who did undergo applicant polygraph testing. Polygraph critics will have a hard time spinning that statistic. Great job, John and crew. IP: Logged |
NHPolygraph Member
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posted 04-06-2013 07:01 AM
That's great news! Thanks for the post.IP: Logged |
Barry C Member
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posted 04-08-2013 09:29 PM
Oh Don, how naive you are. Just listen to these words of wisdom from "Beast Blogger": quote: People think a polygraph is a magical tool that can surf it's way into your mind and see your past in crystal HD to determine if you are lying or not. The actual polygraph machine and computer do nothing but measure how much you shifted your weight to the left for that one moment, that different breath you once took for possibly no reason or the increase in your skin temperature when you got a visual of something horrific you were asked. The polygraph doesn't spit out a "true/false" alarm like it was an episode of the Simpsons. It just records a bunch of squigly lines and a human being decides what those lines mean. If that guy or gal doesn't like you because of the color of your skin, because you voted democratic/republican or whatever reason they want then those squigly lines could mean you shot Kennedy. If they like you and want you to pass then the squigly lines meant nothing and you passed. If they don't care and are doing their best to determine the truth then who knows what the results may be. Yeah it's good that they found a few bad apples but at what cost? How many truly evil people have no remorse whatsoever and breeze through the polygraph because they feel no guilt about anything? Catch 10 bad guys and destroy the careers and reputations of 500? There is a reason this thing isn't allowed in courts anymore.
And then there is this more recent post after he took the time to reflect a little more: quote: This entire article is misleading. They have been under fire for their polygraph program since it started and now starting to have the discrimination complaints roll in. Examiners were going insane on applicants by shouting at them , calling them dirtbag mexicans and tons of other stuff until they failed the exam. They have screened and hired over 10,000 employees in the time period they are talking about and the best they can do is drag out less than 12 examples of this stuff? Not one verified cartel member or terrorist? They tout a 60% fail rate? Do they really think 60% of the veterans, college graduates and current police officers they are failing from these polygraphs are cartel members or threats to national security? The only thing this polygraph exam has done is to catch a handfull of undesirables at the expense of the reputations and careers of a couple thousand innocent people.
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NHPolygraph Member
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posted 04-09-2013 09:30 AM
Since we have implemented pre-employment polygraph screening in my agency, there has not been a single employee who has been polygraphed, investigated or knowingly involved in any major crimes or incidents. It's noteworthy that there have been employees hired prior to polygraph who have been investigated, disciplined and/or terminated for criminal behavior or major incidents. We are not kidding ourselves, we know the process is not perfect and there are likely, most certainly, polygraphed employees who are and have been involved in things we have not found out both during employment and prior to.... Needless to say, we are getting much better candidates with far fewer problems. [This message has been edited by NHPolygraph (edited 04-09-2013).]
[This message has been edited by NHPolygraph (edited 04-09-2013).] IP: Logged |
NHPolygraph Member
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posted 04-09-2013 10:03 AM
My agency averages 125 pre-employment screenings a year and we have very similar results with disclosures:Armed Robery Burglaries Sexual Assaults Aggrevated Sexual Assaults Drug Dealers all of whom would have most likely been hired before polygraph use.... IMHO It's a good article! IP: Logged |
Barry C Member
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posted 04-09-2013 12:07 PM
We've used polygraph for so long, I don't know what it has done. I was told by a member of our administration that, based on an informal review he did, our problem employees tend to be people we've hired despite troubles in the background / polygraph stage, e.g., lying about something trivial for whatever reason, getting caught and then asking for mercy. The lesson we learned: if people don't abide by the standards, they are out. Bending invites trouble. In any event, you may want to consider documenting what you've experienced. Even as a case study, it's worthwhile - and could be helpful in areas you haven't considered yet (like licensing). Done right, you could compare issues from non-polygraphed employees to those of polygraphed employees. (You just need to set up the comparison review time period / window consistent with the group window to which you're comparing.) IP: Logged | |