Background
For over 17 years, I worked in various electronics engineering disciplines. Educated in electronics engineering technologies, with a major in Microwave Electronics Engineering, and having worked in electronics disciplines such as research and development from very low frequency devices to microwave devices, and having worked in manufacturing engineering, and process engineering, I find the polygraph argument to be interesting but deceptive.
The Polygraph
Concisely, the polygraph depends on the generation and maintenance of fear in the examinee, and along with that fear, the cultivation and maintenance of deception and ignorance.
People that are not scientists or electronics engineers will be in general, deafly afraid of the 'aura' of the lie detector machine and the lie detection process.
Again, concisely, the polygraph machine whether using an analog or digital chart recording technology, or using a computerized recording technology can only measure physiological responses that can be affected by both internal and external changes.
The CQT and other non-lie detection methods are nothing more than crapshoots that depend upon the emotional and mental makeup of the polygraph examiner, the surroundings, the nervousness and tension of the examinee, bodily discomforts both internal and external of the examinee.
I do loathe the polygraph process. States are using the polygraph process increasingly in their sex offender programs not because there are scientific and engineering bases for its use, but because of the "fear factor". The lie detection process depends on the ignorance of the examinee of the machine, of the polygraph examiner, and of the polygraph process, and the generally intimidating atmosphere the examinee is thrust into.
There is indeed great utility in the use of the polygraph interrogation process, but only with the machine being used as a fear factor prop. Although the lie detection process has extremely low validity, its utility remains high, and the machine and its process will continue to be used increasingly by the States, as the states force this lying process upon captive victims of its use.
Abusive powers of the States will continue as long as organization such as Antipolygraph.org, and the ACLU don't aggressively, day in and day out attack these false belief systems in the courts, and in the legislatures.
We need this argument about the polygraph machine and its process brought to the fore again in the publics eye. As long as the process of the lie detection remains in the background, hiding in the shadows of secrecy, this malignant growth will continue to grow in its use amongst the States probation departments.
Bennie,
some primary reasons the polygraph community developed the concept of the Post-Conviction Sex Offender Treatment polygraph are, 1) they have a "captive" clientele and, 2) no politician or other public figure will go on the record opposing it because they will be seen as "pro child molestation" or some other unacceptable label. They needed new business after the passing of the EPPA, so they went looking for something that would be around a while.
Interesting that a majority of the American Psychology Association(whose members actually conduct most sex offender treatment programs) doesn't support the polygraph as a viable "treatment tool".
I will have to take the CVSA in the beginning of next year for a cop job and I think I'd rather take the poly due to the amount of research that discredits it along with the CM's avail. I do believe the CVSA to be total junk science, but would still be more comfortable with the poly.