Poly Test: My Questions. Please Help.

[Polyester]

I just took the polygraph. This was for a big agency in the eastern part of the US. It was for a LEO position at the agency. Also, known as a sworn officer. I believe it was a CQT. Please let me know if I was correct. These questions were done four times. The same questions were asked on each sheet.

1. Is your name <insert name>?

(Irrelevant)

2. Is today <insert date>?

(Irrelevant)

3. Do you intend to tell the truth during this polygraph examination?

(Sac-Relevant)



4. Are you a terrorist, or have you ever been part of a terrorist organization?

(Relevant)

5. Other then what you have told me have you stolen from an employer since the age of 18?


(Control)


6. Did you lie to me about your alcohol use?


(Relevant)

7. Have you ever been in a gang, or affiliated with a gang?

(Relevant)


8. Have you ever lied to a supervisor or a person of authority?


(Control)

9. Since the age of eighteen have you ever commited a serious crime that you would be in jail for?


(Control/Relevant?---Not Sure)


10. Have you used any illegal narcotics in the last three years?


(Relevant)

Please let me know what you guys thing question nine is. Is it enought to use a CM on one control question? That is what i ended up doing. Thanks.

[stefano]

Please let me know what you guys thing question nine is. Is it enought to use a CM on one control question? That is what i ended up doing. Thanks. 

Question 9 is a control question. "Serious" is subjective and, short of murder, jail is not always a given.

You should endeavor to use countermeasures on all control questions if possible. However, unless one is very versed at recognizing them, it may not always be possible.

[Polyester DOs]

Is there an average of control questions per a test? Isent it an average of three? Do computerized programs use sac relvant questions as well? Thanks guys and gals.

[stefano]

Is there an average of control questions per a test? Isent it an average of three? Do computerized programs use sac relvant questions as well?

Different formats have different quantities of control questions, usually related to how many relevant questions there are. Then, you also have the case of the self-ordained "guru" who has granted himself license to deviate from the polygraph technique depending on the whim of his ego..

You should stop drawing any distinction between computerized and analog polygraph instruments. A sacrifice relevant question is not scored.

[George W. Maschke]

Please let me know what you guys thing question nine is. Is it enought to use a CM on one control question? That is what i ended up doing. Thanks. 

Question 9 is a control question. "Serious" is subjective and, short of murder, jail is not always a given.

You should endeavor to use countermeasures on all control questions if possible. However, unless one is very versed at recognizing them, it may not always be possible.

I have to disagree with Stefano here. In the context of a pre-employment polygraph examination, the question "Since the age of eighteen have you ever commited a serious crime that you would be in jail for?" is a relevant question. It is not assumed that even qualified job-seekers have committed a go-to-jail crime and will falsely deny it. See p. 15 of the Law Enforcement Pre-Employment Test examiner's guide.

[stefano]

"Since the age of eighteen have you ever commited a serious crime that you would be in jail for?" is a relevant question.

Then it is a poorly worded relevant question. It involves conjecture which would surely require mental work. Having the examinee deliberate what "serious" means or trying think if some offense would result in jail time, will generate a response similar to a control question.

[NSA_hopeful]

No. 8 soudns fairly relevant.  8-)

[stefano]

No. 8 soudns fairly relevant. 

"Yes, boss, you look good in that tie"

But he really looks like a stuffed Chinese pheasant.

[NSA_hopeful]

https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=the+truth+about+the+polygraph

The Salon article mentions the same leaflet mentioned in the AntiPolygraph video result at the top.  I'd check the net for that leaflet/pamphlet and go from there... maybe they slipped everyone a nice tip about the questions and their relevance.