I have a friend

[boeing747]

Well too everyone on this site who is scared of failing the poly because of illegal drug use many years ago.  I have who friend who works for a very respectable government agency and back in the days of youth, we would smoke marijuana everyday during the summer.  He finally shaped up and stopped using the crap.  He wanted to go into law enforcement and was afraid of his past drug use.  He studied the methods used to cheat the polygraph and passed with flying colors and was hired.  Too everyone who is scared, just study the material here closely and get a private polygrapher and do a couple practice polygraphs and you will do fine.  The polygraph is a junk machine and couldn't tell you anything.  Anybody can beat this no matter what.

[retcopper]

Tell that to the female CIA agent who just flunked the polygraph and admitted to lying.  Do you think she got caught using counter measures?  mmmmmm

[Mr. Mystery]

 Do you think she got caught using counter measures?  mmmmmm

No I don't.  The first counter measure taught is:

MAKE NO ADMISSIONS!

Since she couldn't get this basic counter measure correct I doubt she tried any other CMs.

[retcopper]

So she makes an admission.  Doesnt mean she didnt use cms during the test.  Why dont you face it, she got caught.

[boeing747]

Just stop being naive.  Anyone can pass the test if they want.  You can't do anything about it.  Why dont you polygraphers be honest for once and admit that the polygraph is junk.  You want truth from all your applicants so be honest with them.  To me you guys are the deceitful ones.  Everybody agrees with that.

[dimas]

Just stop being naive.  Anyone can pass the test if they want.  You can't do anything about it.  Why dont you polygraphers be honest for once and admit that the polygraph is junk.  You want truth from all your applicants so be honest with them.  To me you guys are the deceitful ones.  Everybody agrees with that.

I kind of have to interject here and put my humble 2 cents in.  While I agree that the polygraph in NO way should be the sole determining factor in making a decision that will affect a person's life forever.  I do believe that it is and will probably continue to be a great interview tool and a noteworthy confession maker.  

It amazes me how everyone is quick to dismiss the polygraph as junk.  Yes, it is not 100% right nor an exact tool, but neither am I!  and I have never seen or heard coworkers in any of the departments I have worked in say the same about my interview and confession skills.  Yes, some of us have a very good sense at telling who "is" and "is not" a scum bag and whether or not they are lying.  I happen to be pretty darn good at it. Let me pose a hypothetical and say "what if the polygrapher also happens to be a damn good cop with damn good intuition, interview skills etc.?"  Would he not be even better at eliciting confessions with the polygraph than without?  

[Sergeant1107]

Let me pose a hypothetical and say "what if the polygrapher also happens to be a damn good cop with damn good intuition, interview skills etc.?"  Would he not be even better at eliciting confessions with the polygraph than without?  

In my opinion the use of the polygraph as an interrogation intimidator is fine.  You could also put a shiny rock on the table in the interview room and tell the suspect that it glows when someone tells a lie in its presence.  If the suspect believes you then the shiny rock will be just as effective as the polygraph in eliciting damaging admissions.

The problem, in my opinion, comes when the interview ends and no confession has been made.  In cases like that the polygraph is precisely as effective as the aforementioned shiny rock would be in determining what the suspect was thinking during the interview.  

If polygraphs were only used in such a manner, that is, in an attempt to elicit a damaging admission, I wouldn't have a problem with it.  If an applicant for a law enforcement job admitted to something of a disqualifying nature during their polygraph exam that would be great.  But if they didn't admit to anything because they had nothing to admit and were disqualified anyway that would be terrible.  And I believe that qualified and honest people are DQ'd because of a false-positive on the polygraph at a much higher rate than dishonest, unqualified people who somehow made it through the background check are tripped up at the last minute by making a disqualifying admission during their polygraph.

[mrsebbys]

all these questions make me nervous about taking the test.  

If I am taking the test and have nothing to hide but I get nervous for what ever reason, is that a reason for me to fail?  

I'm the type of individual that will get semi-nervous if someone starts asking too many questions.  

[underlyingtruth]

all these questions make me nervous about taking the test.  

If I am taking the test and have nothing to hide but I get nervous for what ever reason, is that a reason for me to fail?  

I'm the type of individual that will get semi-nervous if someone starts asking too many questions.  

Well, you should be nervous.  It's a crap-shoot and your future is based on non-scientific process of a faulty mechanism.  Being informed about the mind-games and the use of CMs is the only thing that will help relieve your nervousness.  In addition to using CMs, you should also practice controlling your body language.  
Read the section in TLBTD about "How Polygraphers May Expect Deceptive Subjects to Behave" that starts around page 135.