NCJ Number
52643
Date Published
1974
Length
13 pages
Annotation
THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF 423 BUSINESS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND OTHER USERS OF AN INSTRUMENT THAT PROVIDES AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE POLYGRAPH ARE REPORTED BASED ON THE 46 RESPONSES RECEIVED AS OF JUNE 1, 1974.
Abstract
SURVEY RESPONDENTS INCLUDE 23 SECURITY FIRMS OFFERING PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS EVALUATOR (PSE) SERVICES TO PRIVATE INDUSTRY AND OTHER CLIENTS, 8 LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, 13 BUSINESSES, AND 2 CLINICS/RESEARCH AGENCIES. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PSE EXAMINATIONS REPORTED IS 39,329 (62.6 PERCENT PSE FIRMS, 10.3 PERCENT POLICE, 26.7 PERCENT BUSINESSES, AND 0.4 PERCENT CLINICS AND RESEARCHERS). THE PSE DEVICE, WHICH PURPORTEDLY REVEALS INDICATIONS OF STRESS IN THE HUMAN VOICE, IS USED TO VERIFY DATA SUBMITTED ON EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS, TO CONDUCT PERIODIC CHECKS ON EMPLOYEE HONESTY, TO INVESTIGATE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS (INVENTORY SHORTAGES, MISSING FUNDS) AND CRIMES, AND IN DIAGNOSIS AND RESEARCH. TEN EXAMINERS WHO HAD CONDUCTED SIMULTANEOUS EXAMINATIONS WITH THE POLYGRAPH AND THE PSE FOUND A 99.84-PERCENT CORRELATION BETWEEN THE TWO INSTRUMENTS (BASED ON 5,045 EXAMINATIONS). OUT OF 10,202 PSE EXAMINATIONS CONDUCTED BY 19 RESPONDENTS, NONE HAD BEEN PROVED INACCURATE BY SUBSEQUENT FINDINGS, AND 2,285 HAD BEEN CORROBORATED THROUGH ADMISSION OR INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION. ALTHOUGH MOST RESPONDENTS COULD NOT DETERMINE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT SAVED AS A RESULT OF PSE EXAMINATIONS, NINE REPORTED SAVINGS IN RECOVERED FUNDS AND/OR GOODS IN EXCESS OF $180,000, AND OTHERS ESTIMATED SAVINGS AT $150,000 TO $250,000. IN 3,286 EXAMINATIONS INVOLVING SPECIFIC CRIMINAL AND OTHER ISSUES (INCLUDING 1,472 TESTS ADMINISTERED BY POLICE), THE EXAMINEE WAS CLEARED IN 68.9 PERCENT OF THE TESTS (58.6 PERCENT OF THOSE CONDUCTED BY POLICE). LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONDENTS REPORTED 17 PSE-RELATED CONVICTIONS. ALL RESPONDENTS SAID THEY USED WAIVER FORMS IN CONNECTION WITH PSE TESTING AND INFORMED EXAMINEES OF THEIR RIGHTS. MANY REPORTED THAT EXAMINEES PREFERRED PSE EXAMINATIONS TO POLYGRAPH TESTS, NOTING THAT THE FORMER ARE CONDUCTED UNDER MORE RELAXED, DIGNIFIED CONDITIONS. SUPPORTING TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. SEE ALSO NCJ 52644.