Today, polygraph testing remains the most accurate means of developing and verifying the truth and detecting deception.

Polygraph instruments have entered the computer age. Utilizing current technology, many portable polygraph units today are just barely more than a laptop computer and are inherently more accurate than their older counterparts because there are fewer "delicate" moving parts.

Published just this year, the Department of Defense’s analyses of the validity and reliability from data collected from both live or actual tests and mock or laboratory tests reveal the accuracy is an amazing 98%. Those examiners who make a living with a polygraph instrument will be quick to confirm this statistic.

The establishment of recent rigorous standards of practice for polygraph examiners throughout the country and an increase in laws which protect the examinee have both vastly increased polygraph professionalism

Frequently in use to eliminate subjects as suspects, local police and state and Federal government law enforcement agencies have learned to depend on the polygraph to help guide them in their efforts at solving crimes.

The Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988, (EPPA) is a federal law that was passed to ensure that an employee’s rights would be protected during a polygraph situation and to develop the terms under which most employees could be polygraph tested. This law is a good law so far as it goes to establish reasonable circumstances under which employees may be tested.

Polygraph examiner’s who do employment related polygraph work must be very familiar with this law and follow the law to the letter. Fines and punishments which are given to those business and examiners who intentionally violate the EPPA are substantial. Employees who are asked to take an employment related polygraph test should be provided a copy of their rights under the Employment Polygraph Protection Act by the test requestor or the examiner.

A recent use of the polygraph test is to monitor the behavior of past convicted sex offenders and to verify their activities are not in violation of the terms of their treatment or probation agreements.

Polygraph is also currently being used to publicly resolve domestic disputes and questions of fidelity.

The unauthorized and undisclosed use of drugs, alcohol, subtle movements, self induced pain or conflict and mental gymnastics are all considered countermeasures. Countermeasures do not help an examinee taking a polygraph to beat the test. Competent well-trained polygraph examiners are trained to look for the tell tale indicators of attempts to alter the appearance normal physiological activity in the body.

Who should take a polygraph test?
   Generally, any person who desires to verify their truthfulness regarding a specific situation or incident is a good candidate for a polygraph. Any person who intends to lie or withhold any relevant information about the issue under consideration should most certainly not take a polygraph test.

How accurate is the polygraph?
   The latest research by the Department of Defense has shown a professionally administered polygraph examination to be approximately 98% accurate.

Is a Polygraph Examination and a Voice Stress test the same thing?
   Voice stress also known by several other names including CVSA is not and should not be associated with polygraph testing in any way. Promoted to be capable of doing the same thing that a polygraph can accurately do, voice stress technology lacks any credibility in the scientific community whatsoever. There is no known published scientific research study that confirms voice stress tests provide results any better than chance (the flip of a coin).

Does a person’s high blood pressure affect the polygraph test?
   No. While blood pressure is one of the physiological reactions measured, it does not affect the accuracy of the test.

Will drugs or alcohol affect the accuracy of a polygraph test?
   Contrary to what many think, the use of drugs and/or alcohol will not assist someone to beat a polygraph test. Polygraph examiners utilize certain procedures during a polygraph test ensure that each person taking a test is responding naturally throughout the testing procedure.
    If you are taking any medication you need to inform the polygraph examiner prior to beginning the test. Physiological affects that drugs have on people are immediately seen in polygraph chart tracings. Irregular physiological recordings must be satisfactorily explained.

How long does a polygraph examination take?
   A professionally administered polygraph examination should normally take between 2 and 3 hours to properly administer from start to finish. A professional Polygraph examiner will go through several structured test phases to ensure that it will work accurately. The pre-test phase, the test phase, and the post-test phase. During these phases the examiner and the person taking the test will become very involved in discussing the details of the test and the manner in which the questions are presented Persons taking polygraph tests often feel the need to fully explain their circumstances during the pretest This is not discouraged by the examiner. The examiner should also attempt to answer each question presented to him by the person taking the test.

What questions will I be asked if I take a polygraph test?
   Each and every question to be asked a person taking a test is discussed in detail with that person in the pretest phase prior to the administration of any polygraph test charts. No professional polygraph examiner will ask a surprise or trick question on a polygraph test. It is not only unethical for an examiner to ask a surprise question but responses to these types of questions do not accurately indicate truthful/non-truthful results.

Is the test confidential?
    Yes, the test is completely confidential between the examiner and the person taking the test. The person taking the test may also elect to provide the results to another person or persons.

Do I get the results of my test?
   In each case a polygraph examiner should always tell the person taking the test how they did on the test. In cases where a person taking a test has a problem in a question, the examiner should bring that problem question to the attention of the person taking the test so as to give them a specific opportunity to resolve that problem.

Do I set a written report?
   A written report including the relevant questions and the examiner’s opinion will be provided upon request, usually with 24 hours.

How many questions will be asked?
   The number of questions that can be asked on a polygraph examination is limited. The number of questions the examiner can ask will depend on the type of test format used by the examiner.

Can a person’s general nervousness cause them to fail a polygraph test?
   No. Everyone who submits to a polygraph is nervous but for many different reasons.

Innocent:
Although most truthful persons believe they should pass a polygraph test, they are often worried that something might go wrong. This doubt will cause the person taking the test to experience a heightened sense of anxiety about the test itself. This kind of nervousness is normal and has no effect on the positive outcome.

Guilty:
Guilty persons are nervous also, but for a very different reason. The guilty tend to be afraid they are about to be exposed. When a guilty person’s bad actions are exposed, that guilty person will frequently suffer some negative consequence as a result of having done that bad thing. Being nervous about being exposed or about being punished for having done something bad or wrong is also normal but it tends to help expose the guilty and deceptive.

How do I.....?
Setting up a polygraph test
   Contact our office by telephone or e-mail for an appointment.

What financial arrangements are available?
   We accept cash, certified funds and major credit cards Visa, MasterCard and American Express.

Locate Behavior Testing and Forensics?
   Telephone or e-mail our office and directions can be forwarded to you or you may access the Fayetteville North Carolina Chamber of Commerce at their web site for an exact location.

Discuss a reason for wanting a polygraph test with the examiner?
   You may telephone or email our office at any time to discuss your situation confidentially. Whether the test is conducted or not the discussion is confidential.

Find out more about polygraph?
   Go to the Official American Polygraph Association (APA) Web site

About our other services?
   A general list of our services can be found here. We have extensive experience in many areas of personal and commercial security. In the past we have provided specialized security services for state and federal courts in areas of Criminal and civil investigations, Capital murder trial investigation defense preparation, strategy and consultation, Jury selection consulting, witness coordination, forensic firearms technical consulting, accident analysis and reconstruction, background investigations, witness location, process service, surveillance, interview and interrogation, commercial loss investigation and commercial employee loss prevention audits.
    To discuss any of your specific needs please call or e-mail your requests.

Speaking engagements?
   We have been involved in numerous seminars and training sessions regarding investigations, security, and polygraph topics. Speaking engagements are tailored to suit special needs.

Want references?
   A list of references will be provided upon request. Please call or e-mail today.