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Topic summary

Posted by George W. Maschke
 - Apr 07, 2013, 02:59 AM
The reported CIA polygraph failure rate of nearly 75% was from a March 2005 article by Gabriel Schoenfeld. It turns out, he misconstrued a statement by Melissa Boyle Mahle. It seems the CIA polygraph failure was probably closer to 50%. See the discussion thread, Melissa Boyle Mahle on CIA Polygraph Policy and in particular, replies #3 and #13.
Posted by Trident77
 - Apr 07, 2013, 12:01 AM
Mr. Maschke,

I appreciate the work you have put into this website. In you post from 2005, you state that the CIA pre-employment polygraph failure rate is reportedly near 75%.

Do you have any reason to believe this failure rate has changed significantly since then?

Thanks,

Trident77

Posted by opp
 - Jul 18, 2005, 05:12 PM
I spoke with a guy who is in charge of a particular department at the CIA and he told me that three out five well qualified individual didn't make it thru the polygraph last month. It's bad, bad, bad!
Posted by Bill Crider
 - Jul 18, 2005, 03:29 PM
I think the CIA poly is longer and more in depth and creates more chances for failure than the FBI one.
Posted by cavhan7
 - Jul 17, 2005, 04:43 AM
I really would appreciate honest answers from everyone on this one. Is it the fact that more is on the line for CIA than FBI that appicants tend to fail more by getting nervous or is it that CIA is stricter and will me less leniant towards the differences in heart rate and what not?
Posted by Fair Chance
 - Jul 01, 2005, 12:36 AM
Dear Readers,

Let's add some more fuel for thought.  On Govexec.com today there was an article about how the security backlog in government is not improving despite efforts to do so.  It seems that with every one hundred new contract background investigators hired each month, seventy leave.  If they start using the polygraph to screen the background investigators, 50% would fail and only fifty a month would be hired.  There would be a net twenty contractors less per month.  This is why they are not polygraphed.

Beware other government agencies.  The law of supply and demand is starting to rear its ugly head.

Regards.
Posted by George W. Maschke
 - Jun 30, 2005, 04:16 AM
The CIA's pre-employment polygraph failure rate is reportedly close to 75%, while the rate for the FBI is reportedly about 50%.

To the best of my knowledge, the CIA's polygraph regulation has not been publicly released, and it is not clear whether it places a ceiling on the number of polygraph sessions that may be administered to an applicant.

Note that with the CIA, virtually all applicants are initially told that they are "having problems" and are treated to one or more follow-up "tests."
Posted by opp
 - Jun 30, 2005, 12:06 AM
 Which of the two – CIA or FBI has the highest polygraph failing rate, and how many polygraphs does the CIA allow you to take?