Hello,
Any and all replies will helpful. A sincere thank you to anyone and everyone that replies.
What kind of sedatives/medications are helpful in producing a truthful chart?
What amounts of those sedatives should be taken?
How long prior to the exam should those be taken?
What affect will those sedatives have?
Will the polygrapher know that sedatives have been taken?
Do most police polygraphers tell applicants on the spot that they've passed or failed?
Does "staff review" mean the polygrapher is trying to get a confession prior to making a decision? Or is there really a "staff" that reviews the charts?
If the polygrapher leaves you alone in the room after the polygraph is it a given that you are being watched on camera?
Do the gadgets placed on your finger tips measure how much you're sweating or if you are applying pressure to the arm of the chair or both?
Last, is it true that a Florida examiner has to rule either "pass" or "fail". I was told that "inconclusives" don't exist there.
Thank you!
Trooper,
Because the most commonly used polygraph technique, the so-called "Control Question Test," is scored by comparing the examinee's reactions to relevant questions to his/her reactions to "control" questions, and not on the basis of the examinee's overall level of reactivity, it is doubtful that sedatives would do much to help one to pass it. See Chapter 3 of The Lie Behind the Lie Detector (http://antipolygraph.org/lie-behind-the-lie-detector.pdf) for an explanation of polygraph procedure, and Chapter 4 for an explanation of how to pass.
It is not unusual for polygraphers to leave law enforcement applicants uncertain whether they have passed or failed, especially when they have, in fact, passed. In many agencies, the results are reviewed by another polygrapher, so there's a chance that the original polygrapher's opinion could be overturned.
Examinees are indeed frequently under observation when the examiner leaves the room, either through a closed-circuit television camera or a two-way mirror.
The sensors attached to the fingertips measure skin conductance (or, in some cases, resistance), which is a function of perspiration. They do not measure pressure.
The claim that inconclusives don't exist in Florida is nonsense.
Thanks, George for taking time out to respond! I greatly respect you and your vast knowledge on the polyjunk.
Is there anyway to control my skin conductance?
Trooper,
What ever you do, do not even go near the polygrapher under the influence of sedatives. They look for reduced or diminished responses. Your most likely going to be bagged (accused) or at a mininum grilled about why the reactions to his/her questions are muted. Its an automatic disqualification in all circumstances, should you cough up the info, especially if you don't have a prescription for the drug. You want to be mentally sharp and prepared for the battle to come.
Now if you have a Doctors prescription for the drugs, you will be automatically exempt from the test. As any drug, especially opioids and sedatives mess with there ability to readily read your reactions. All you need is a doctors letter stating that you are under a doctors care and why you are taking the prescription. And wahlah ... get out of polygraph free. And let me just say that they don't much like losing out on there ounce of sweat from you. But then again who cares what a polygrapher thinks!! hehehe
Download the The Lie Behind the Lie Detector (TLBTLD) and read it thoroughly and be prepared to do mental battle with the polygrapher, especially read chapter 3 & 4. Sedatives and drugs are not neccessary and will not make you mentally sharp for the fight.
Good Luck !!
Thank you, EsoJupiter. ;D
I'm reading George's book now and plan to read it again before my polygraph in order to soak up all the information I can to pass with flying colors.
Let me get this straight,
You are willing to take drugs to hide the fact that you have taken drugs in the past in order to get a LE job? (I assume this based on your monicker being "trooper")
Yeah, you have a real good career in LE ahead of you there. Sorry, but in this case I kind of hope you screw it up and fail.