NCJ Number
47247
Journal
Assets Protection Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING 1978) Pages: 6-8,11-13
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
STUDIES MADE TO ESTABLISH THE VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF VOICE ANALYZERS ARE REVIEWED, ALONG WITH ETHICAL AND LEGAL PROBLEMS ARISING FROM THE USE OF THESE DEVICES.
Abstract
SINCE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS EVALUATOR (PSE) AND OTHER VOICE ANALYZERS HAVE BEEN ON THE MARKET, A NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO ESTABLISH THEIR VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY. FEW OF THESE STUDIES WERE CONDUCTED WITH ANY DEGREE OF SCIENTIFIC RIGOR. THE MOST QUOTED STUDY WAS PERFORMED BY FORDHAM UNIVERSITY AND COMPARED THE POLYGRAPH, PSE, AND GLOBAL IMPRESSIONS OF NONTESTING OBSERVERS IN A SERIES OF SYNTHETIC CASES UTILIZING COLLEGE STUDENT TRIADS, COMPOSED OF A THIEF, A LOOKOUT, AND AN INNOCENT PERSON, IN SIMULATED THEFT SITUATIONS. IT WAS THE JOB OF THE INSTRUMENTATION BEING USED TO CORRECTLY IDENTIFY THE THREE FROM A TOTAL OF 176 SUBJECTS. WHILE THE POLYGRAPH RESULTS PROVED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, THE PSE EVALUATION CORRECTLY IDENTIFIED SUBJECTS IN ONLY 32 PERCENT OF THE CASES. AS A RESULT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS DECLINED TO USE PSE FOR LIE DETECTION PURPOSES. OTHER STUDIES HAVE BOTH AFFIRMED AND CONTRADICTED THESE RESULTS. UNPUBLISHED RESULTS OF NAVAL INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE TESTS INDICATE THAT THE PSE DOES NOT PROVIDE VALID RESULTS, WHILE OTHER TESTS INDICATE 95 TO 100 PERCENT PSE ACCURACY. RESEARCH SUPPORT ASIDE, THE LEGAL QUESTIONS CONCERNING VOICE ANALYSIS BY PRIVATE USERS INVOLVE THE FIFTH AMENDMENT RIGHTS REGARDING SELF-INCRIMINATION AND PRIVACY. AT PRESENT, CONFESSIONS OR INTERROGATIONS BY PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS DO NOT REQUIRE THE READING OF RIGHTS, AS LONG AS THE CASE REMAINS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. HOWEVER, PREEMPLOYMENT TESTING WITH PSE MAY INFRINGE ON PRIVACY RIGHTS IF THE DATA TESTED INVOLVE DEROGATORY BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION. ETHICAL CONCERNS REVOLVE AROUND OPEN USE OF PSE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS AND ITS CLANDESTINE APPLICATION AS AN INVESTIGATIVE AID. OPEN USE REQUIRES A MIRANDA WARNING, WHILE CLANDESTINE USE REMAINS LARGELY UNCONTROLLED. DUE TO THE POTENTIAL HARM UNCONTROLLED USE CAN DO TO BOTH INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHEN USED IMPROPERLY, ILLEGALLY, OR UNETHICALLY, SERIOUS CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO PROVIDING FEDERAL REGULATION OF THE USE OF PSE AND OTHER VOICE ANALYZERS. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (KBL)