NCJ Number
113545
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 16 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1988) Pages: 56-61
Date Published
1988
Length
6 pages
Annotation
A field study sought to evaluate the relative effectiveness of the directed lie control question (DLCQ) and standard control questions (CQs) in polygraph examinations of criminal suspects.
Abstract
The subjects were 25 criminal suspects who were referred to the authors for polygraph examinations and were examined between January 1983 and January 1987. Thirteen examinations were later confirmed as being on innocent subjects and 12 were confirmed as being on guilty subjects. Physiological recordings were obtained with laboratory or field polygraphs and included measures of respiration, relative blood pressure, electrodermal activity, and peripheral vasomotor activity. Subjects all received a simulation test followed by three to five presentations of a sequence of questions in varying orders. Findings indicated that the DLCQ is a valid and valuable tool in the physiological detection of deception. The replacement of one CQ with DLCQ reduced the number of inconclusives and false positives and increased the strength of the relationship between decisions and the guilt/innocence criterion. It also requires little time and should be applicable to most testing situations. Nevertheless, until further research is completed, it should be used with caution in applications beyond those described in this study. Tables and 19 references.