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by Massey on April 27th, 2005

Massey

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Why are polygraph test results not used in court or in a criminal investigation?

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  • by notmrjohn on April 28th, 2005

    notmrjohn

    Polygraph tests are used in ivestigations, the results or any information learned are not acceptable as evidence in criminal court cases. The results are sometimes used in lower level civil cases. Sometimes,when the judge is the one making the decision, they can be used with other evidence in impeaching the tesimony of a witness ( proving that a witness is unreliable, or an out and out liar) or in the sentencing portion of a trial. "Lie detector" results are not acceptable because they are not reliable the machines essentially measure physiological changes, heart rate, breathing rate, sweat on the skin and such. Some people can control those changes, congenital or experienced liars may not even have those changes, a person who is just mistaken and thinks he is telling the truth will not show changes. Conversly a persons health will effect the results as will his mental state, a nervous or frightened person will show changes. The results also are influenced by the person giving and interpreting the test, a mal-adjusted or improperly connected machine will give false results, improperly worded questions can give incorrect results, an association with a totaly unrelated subject can effect the results (A reference to the sports car Spyder would get a reaction from a person with arachniphobia.) Just interpreting the results requires experience and judgement, two equally experienced testers have been known to come up with totally opposite interpretations. Polygraphs are no more accurate and correct than hypnosis or 'truth syrums.' A more accurate method is to toss the person into the mill pond, if he sinks and drowns he is innocent, if he floats he's guilty.

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    • Thanks.

      Massey

      by Massey on April 28th, 2005

    • So the polygraph can not be used to prove if you are the real creator of facebook and that facebook was stolen???

      Olly999

      by Olly999 on May 21st, 2011

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