AntiPolygraph.org Message Board

Yesterday, AntiPolygraph.org published one of the most poignant stories I've worked on: the case of an innocent mother of four who attempted to kill herself after being publicly branded as a liar, told that she was disgusting, would never see he kids again, and was going to go to jail:

https://antipolygraph.org/blog/2020/01/25/polygraph-test-drives-innocent-steve-wilkos-show-guest-to-attempted-suicide/

The as-yet-unaired episode of The Steve Wilkos Show in which this Kafkaesque scenario was played out is reportedly to be broadcast some time in February 2020.

It's noteworthy that the polygraph operator involved, Daniel D. Ribacoff (https://www.indepthpolygraphs.com/examiner/dan-ribacoff), is a member in good standing of the American Polygraph Association (APA), and that his daughter and business partner, Lisa Ribacoff (https://www.indepthpolygraphs.com/examiner/lisa-ribacoff), is a member of the APA board of directors (https://www.polygraph.org/apa-board-of-directors).

I invite anyone with relevant knowledge of this incident, including especially employees of NBCUniversal Television Distribution, which produces The Steve Wilkos Show, to contact me privately (https://antipolygraph.org/contact.shtml).

The woman's name is Anca Pennington, and she shares her story on this matter in a series of YouTube videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNF0meOmvco

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJG6IlxplcOkjGGkcd20gHA/videos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=0

A noteworthy update to the original blog post (https://antipolygraph.org/blog/2020/01/25/polygraph-test-drives-innocent-steve-wilkos-show-guest-to-attempted-suicide/) has been added.

I posted this is the comment section of the article but ill post this again here for visibility

I'd like to point out that Mr Ribacoff is in violation of APA code of ethics. His claims of 99% accuracy according to a APA study is not true. I reached out to the APA to find the study and this was the response: "Mean accuracy excluding inconclusive results is mid 80% for the better performance techniques" Under the code of ethics of the APA section 4.1 states "A member shall not knowingly make, publish, or cause to be published, any false or misleading statements or advertisements relating to the Association or the polygraph profession." Further more I'll point out section 3.1 of the APA code of ethics " Each polygraph report shall be a factual, impartial, and objective account of information developed during the examination, and the examiner's professional conclusion based on analysis of the polygraph data." It would seem that its a conflict of interest given the fact that Mr. Ribacoff has a financial stake in the show and catching a liar would drive ratings.

Here is Mr.Ribacoff's site with the APA claim in writing https://www.indepthpolygraphs.com/faqs

From the APA web site...

Through strict adherence to training and education standards, APA examiners are able to attain accuracy rates exceeding 90 percent.

Quote from: danmangan on Jan 28, 2020, 08:59 PMFrom the APA web site...

Through strict adherence to training and education standards, APA examiners are able to attain accuracy rates exceeding 90 percent.

I would like to point out that yesterday the site stated 99.4% and that has been corrected to say a vary high rate with a link to the study.

Joe,

Archive.org's Wayback Machine project has a record of Daniel Ribacoff's FAQ (https://tinyurl.com/wk73862) as it appeared in 2017, where it includes his claim of 99.4% accuracy.

It's also worth noting that The Steve Wilkos Show has deleted the video clip of February 2020 previews that it had posted on 26 January 2020, and which contained a snippet from the episode during which Anca Pennington appeared.

Quote from: danmangan on Jan 28, 2020, 08:59 PMFrom the APA web site...

Through strict adherence to training and education standards, APA examiners are able to attain accuracy rates exceeding 90 percent.

I would also like to know why it is that the APA studies find mid 80% yet they make a claim of over 90% .... witch is it.

and if this is such a god send of a machine like Mr.Ribacoff like to point out why doesn't he show the charts more on the show. 

Beginning in 1997, for some fifteen (15) years, the APA promoted polygraph as being 98.6%accurate. Since that time the organization has been gradually walking back that lofty claim.

Being exposed as a mother who burned her child's leg would seem more of an impetus to suicide than being falsely accused of lying. Just sayin.

Animal, are you a polygraph apologist?

I apologize for my apologetic apology.

Apology accepted, Animal.

You're a DODPI/DACA/NCCA guy, right?

You exist in a strange bubble my friend. My post had nothing to do with the polygraph.

The polygraph microcosm is a strange bubble indeed.

So what brings you here?

QuoteBeing exposed as a mother who burned her child's leg would seem more of an impetus to suicide than being falsely accused of lying. Just sayin.

Did you even read the blog post (https://antipolygraph.org/blog/2020/01/25/polygraph-test-drives-innocent-steve-wilkos-show-guest-to-attempted-suicide/)? Medical professionals determined the marks on the little girl were not burn marks. And being falsely accused has a lot more weight than you give it credit for.

 I sent the following questions to the Steve Wilkos show about 36 hours ago and never got a response. I am wondering if anyone has any input?

Do you see that it is a conflict of interest that Mr.Ribacoff has a financial interest in the show, given that certain results of the polygraph may drive viewership?

Has the show ever used a different polygraph examiner other than Mr.Ribacoff and his firm? If so who?

Other examiners at other agencies will have a quality control or an independent examiner look over the results of the polygraph before making a determination. Given the severity of the accusations and public nature of the show, has Mr.Ribacoff ever sent the results of a polygraph to a quality control or independent examiner? If so, how frequently?   

Other examiners at other agencies such as CIA, NSA, and DIA, will give out an inconclusive result and have the person in question come back another day with another examiner. Has Mr.Ribacoff ever done this to a guest of the show?

Is the polygraph exam administered by Mr.Ribacoff recorded and archived? Video? Audio? For how long is a record kept?
Has Mr.Ribacoff ever publicly given out an inconclusive result on the show? If so when?

Mr.Ribacoff has stated that body language is a factor before the exam begins. Mr.Ribacoff has also claimed that he can tell if someone is going to fail or not based on how they enter the room. What assurances can Mr.Ribacoff provide that he is being partial and fair to someone who is innocent and just nervous?
Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOywiFWpwQs&feature=emb_logo

Mr.Ribacoff has publicly made claims on the show that the polygraph is "99.4% accurate". Can Mr.Ribacoff provide a independent peer reviewed study that substantiates such a claim?
Source : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOywiFWpwQs&feature=emb_logo

Given Mr.Ribacoff's claims of accuracy of the polygraph, why does the guest need to sign a defamation wavier? 

Given Mr.Ribacoff's claims of accuracy, why isn't the scorecard or the charts shown publicly more often?

Are guest ever given the chance to explain reactions on the test during the test, such as being tired? How is this factored into the test?

Other polygraph agencies use words like: deception detected, significant response, inconclusive, ect. Why does the show choose to use "did not tell the truth" or "told the truth"? 

In 1998 Justice Clarence Thomas of the supreme court stated in a ruling on the polygraph "There is simply no consensus that polygraph evidence is reliable".  Fast forward to 2017 when Mr.Ribacoff publicly stated advancements have been made and was extremely accurate. Can Mr.Ribacoff please explain the advancements made?      
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/supcourt/stories/wp040198.htm

Given Justice Clarence Thomas remarks and ruling, do you see that it is ethical and right to publicly shame and assume guilt to someone who refused to take the polygraph?

I've seen both Steve and Mr.Ribacoff make numerus accusations to guests based largely or solely on the results of the polygraph. Do you see this as circumventing the legal system by publicly shaming guests?

Do you ever follow up with guests after the show? Do you feel a sense of responsibility to those falsely accused? If so what steps have you taken to remedy the situation?

Has Steve ever taken a polygraph? Has Steve ever been certified as a polygraph examiner?

Has the American Polygraph Association or any other governing body corrected statements or raised concerns about events that have taken place on your show? 

Just going though a number of episodes I can find numerous ethical code violations set forth by the APA. As a mater of personal opinion this is the most appalling show I have ever seen.   

Those are excellent questions to ask, Joe. I, of course, would also take the approach of his own personal honor. Mr. Wilkos was a cop at one point.

The show has always turned my stomach. I've never been able to watch it. One strong argument he has, unfortunately, is that there are a lot of instances where apparently his show caused valid investigations into folks, and folks were brought to justice for some heinous crimes.

However, notice, in Miss Pennington's case, law enforcement did get involved and did investigate and found no cause to pursue a case against her. And just because she was found innocent does not mean being falsely accused does not cause a lasting effect on a person. I know from personal experience, and mine was nowhere near on the scale her's is.

So that turns it into a 'well the positive results outweigh the negative results' type of situation, and I just do not believe in those. The show is faulty, fraudulent, and as a former law enforcement officer himself, Mr. Wilkos should be ashamed.

Quote from: 062825272F440 on Jan 30, 2020, 12:39 PM

QuoteBeing exposed as a mother who burned her child's leg would seem more of an impetus to suicide than being falsely accused of lying. Just sayin.

Did you even read the blog post (https://antipolygraph.org/blog/2020/01/25/polygraph-test-drives-innocent-steve-wilkos-show-guest-to-attempted-suicide/)? Medical professionals determined the marks on the little girl were not burn marks. And being falsely accused has a lot more weight than you give it credit for.

The woman has more issues than being falsely accused, and is probably a bad candidate for the antipolygraph poster girl. She should have never been exploited on a tv show. She needs psychotherapy.

Quote

Quote from: 062825272F440 on Jan 30, 2020, 12:39 PM

QuoteBeing exposed as a mother who burned her child's leg would seem more of an impetus to suicide than being falsely accused of lying. Just sayin.

Did you even read the blog post (https://antipolygraph.org/blog/2020/01/25/polygraph-test-drives-innocent-steve-wilkos-show-guest-to-attempted-suicide/)? Medical professionals determined the marks on the little girl were not burn marks. And being falsely accused has a lot more weight than you give it credit for.

The woman has more issues than being falsely accused, and is probably a bad candidate for the antipolygraph poster girl. She should have never been exploited on a tv show. She needs psychotherapy.

I'm sorry, Mr. Animal, but there is a heck of a lot of a difference between 'has more issues' and 'she purposefully burned her child's leg'. I'm not denying she has issues, I am saying that you were dead wrong to insinuate she burned her child's leg when trained medical and law enforcement professionals cleared her of any wrong doing. And what is with the dehumanization? "The woman"? It sounds like you have some issues yourself, sir. Her name is Miss Pennington. And it seems to me that you have the most to say about 'the woman', but you are absolutely MIA when I and others clearly stated several times that she was found to be innocent of the crimes she was accused of doing. You won't argue specifics, you will only argue generics.

Quote

Quote from: 062825272F440 on Jan 30, 2020, 12:39 PM

QuoteBeing exposed as a mother who burned her child's leg would seem more of an impetus to suicide than being falsely accused of lying. Just sayin.

Did you even read the blog post (https://antipolygraph.org/blog/2020/01/25/polygraph-test-drives-innocent-steve-wilkos-show-guest-to-attempted-suicide/)? Medical professionals determined the marks on the little girl were not burn marks. And being falsely accused has a lot more weight than you give it credit for.

The woman has more issues than being falsely accused, and is probably a bad candidate for the antipolygraph poster girl. She should have never been exploited on a tv show. She needs psychotherapy.

This public record https://inmate.watch/details/68573/ seems to show that Miss Anca Pennington was arrested for assault and battery on Jan. 30 2020, held on $50,000 bail, and and released on Feb. 4. However the record is marked "Last update: Nov. 9, 2019" which undermines its reliability.

Even if this is true, it doesn't mean that Anca attacked anybody. She is the kind of person who gets arrested if somebody else attacks her.

I can't find any other news about this. Does anybody else know anything?

It's dehumanizing to call someone a woman? Please list your full protocol so that I don't get your undies in a bunch.

Quote from: AuntyAgony on Feb 10, 2020, 08:51 AM

Quote

Quote from: 062825272F440 on Jan 30, 2020, 12:39 PM

QuoteBeing exposed as a mother who burned her child's leg would seem more of an impetus to suicide than being falsely accused of lying. Just sayin.

Did you even read the blog post (https://antipolygraph.org/blog/2020/01/25/polygraph-test-drives-innocent-steve-wilkos-show-guest-to-attempted-suicide/)? Medical professionals determined the marks on the little girl were not burn marks. And being falsely accused has a lot more weight than you give it credit for.

The woman has more issues than being falsely accused, and is probably a bad candidate for the antipolygraph poster girl. She should have never been exploited on a tv show. She needs psychotherapy.

This public record https://inmate.watch/details/68573/ seems to show that Miss Anca Pennington was arrested for assault and battery on Jan. 30 2020, held on $50,000 bail, and and released on Feb. 4. However the record is marked "Last update: Nov. 9, 2019" which undermines its reliability.

Even if this is true, it doesn't mean that Anca attacked anybody. She is the kind of person who gets arrested if somebody else attacks her.

I can't find any other news about this. Does anybody else know anything?

Yeah, and I'm not gonna give this joker Animal the time of day anymore. So ridiculously hostile and whatnot for no reason. And even if she did assault someone, that could be any range of physical assault. It may not even be that bad. Or even if it is, there are plenty of people easily prone to violence, but would never purposefully burn a child's leg!! I mean, my gosh. The burden of proof is with the accusers. That's how the justice system works. That's the beauty of the system.

In a recent Facebook post, Daniel Ribacoff denied that his polygraph results were wrong, but he deleted his denial when challenged:

https://antipolygraph.org/blog/2020/06/14/tv-polygraph-operator-daniel-ribacoff-denies-falsely-branding-steve-wilkos-show-guest-as-a-liar-but-deletes-posts-when-challenged/

Ribacoff has also recently made his Twitter account (@DanielRibacoff (https://twitter.com/DanielRibacoff)) private.

While Ribacoff's tweets were private earlier today, he has again made his Twitter feed (https://twitter.com/DanielRibacoff) public.

Joe, excellent and well thought out post.  I would like to add however that the APA is more interested in collecting dues and selling icons for polygraphists to attach to their web sites and business cards than advancing the "ethics" of polygraphy.  Indeed, how can standards exist for a device that has been proven to be ineffective.  Anyone that utilizes a polygraph, CVSA or any related device either has to be an immoral, a liar or simply ignorant. 

QuoteIndeed, how can standards exist for a device that has been proven to be ineffective.

Can you cite the studies that came to this conclusion? I'd like to review them.

Quote

QuoteIndeed, how can standards exist for a device that has been proven to be ineffective.

Can you cite the studies that came to this conclusion? I'd like to review them.

See William G. Iacono and Gershon Ben-Shakhar's article, "Current Status of Forensic Lie Detection With the Comparison Question Technique: An Update of the 2003 National Academy of Sciences Report on Polygraph Testing" in Law and Human Behavior and the sources cited therein:

https://doi.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Flhb0000307

Thanks for that. Can you refer me to any similar writings by Furedy?

QuoteThanks for that. Can you refer me to any similar writings by Furedy?

You can review John Furedy's writings on polygraphy here:

http://www2.psych.utoronto.ca/users/furedy/polygraph.htm

It turns out that months before Steve Wilkos publicly branded Anca Pennington as a liar, telling her that she was disgusting, would never see her kids again, and was going to go to jail—all based on polygraph results—which culminated in her attempted suicide, he had told a radio talk show host who asked him how credible lie detectors are that he would never take one:

https://antipolygraph.org/blog/2021/07/20/steve-wilkos-on-lie-detectors-hell-no-i-would-never-take-one/