NCJ Number
139296
Journal
Polygraph Volume: 21 Issue: 3 Dated: (1992) Pages: 164-173
Date Published
1992
Length
10 pages
Annotation
The use of polygraphs is discussed in terms of recent changes on polygraph education, developments in research on polygraphs, and changes in polygraph operations for national security and law enforcement applications.
Abstract
A more professional education is the single greatest need for those involved in polygraph work, because professional education provides the intellectual basis for research and operational excellence. To this end, the Department of Defense Polygraph Institute is developing a curriculum reflecting changes in the philosophy and direction of polygraph education. By 1995 an accredited master's degree program should be in place. However, so many professional groups and others oppose polygraph testing that it will cease to become available unless its scientific validity is shown dramatically. A stronger theoretical base is urgently needed for the entire range of polygraph applications. Therefore, we must be open to working with and seeking the recognition of organizations such as the Office of Technology Assessment and the National Academy of Science. The use of polygraphs has produced many notable successes, such as the detection and conviction of the leaders of the John Walker spy ring and the identification of an arsonist responsible for a hotel fire that killed 96 people. However, polygraph examiners must ensure that boundaries are set and guidelines observed, rather than assuming that polygraphs solve all investigations. Footnotes