NCJ Number
94980
Journal
Polygraph Volume: 12 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1983) Pages: 333-340
Date Published
1983
Length
8 pages
Annotation
An official from the Department of Defense (DOD) explains that agency's proposals to expand the use of the polygraph in security investigations.
Abstract
The DOD protects the country's sensitive resources through physical, information, and personnel security. The keystone to personnel security has been the field investigation, but budget cuts and limitations placed on records access since the mid-1970's have severely limited the DOD's capabilities in this area. At the same time, espionage has been on the upswing. Due to the worsening situation, a panel of representatives from the military services and military intelligence agencies was charged with reviewing the DOD personnel security program in 1982. It recommended tighter controls on issuing clearances, improved adjudication of security cases, reinstitution of periodic reinvestigations of employees, and a counterintelligence scope polygraph examination to help determine the eligibility of a limited number of individuals in positions requiring access to extremely sensitive classified information. This meant no lifestyle questions, but questions relating strictly to espionage activities. The DOD recognizes that the polygraph is not infallible and is dependent on the examiner's quality and professionalism. Consequently, the DOD relies on other sources of information and has stringent standards for its examiners. In addition, experiences of the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency for over 30 years have demonstrated the polygraph's usefulness in identifying applicants who clearly are unsuitable for assignment to these agencies. The proposed change in DOD policy that certain adverse consequences may follow an individual's refusal to take a polygraph examination has drawn considerable attention. All these actions, however, are appealable, and they do not include termination of employment. Several safeguards also have been incorporated into the proposed policy to protect the rights of individuals.