Anyone else ever taken one? It was pretty neat. I took one about a month ago and failed it.

I took the one today for the Fire Department, and it was the exact same thing. It was pretty cool, but felt weird at the same time. They measure all kinds of stuff...breathing (in two places), blood pressure, sweat...all in all it was fun. I was nervous as hell because I failed the last one. I still have no idea why. I answered the questions the same, I just elaborated more on this one. There was a questionaire that was 15 pages long asking about drug history, work history, criminal history, traffic violations, etc. The actual polygraph test was only 11 questions...yes or no answers. The 11 questions basically ask you if you lied about anything on the questionaire.

I don't want to take another one...it made me realize how bad of a person I am!

 

A poly?! OMG.. .that's insane! Are they allowed to do that?

Anywho, your not a bad person, you've just lived life to the fullest. That's how I sleep at night..

 

The results are not cut and dried. It takes a trained analyst to interpret the chicken scratches produced by the machine.

It isn't effective on everyone either. The actual reliability is only 60% at best, and that's with a very good analyst. Joe schmo small town polygraph guy is probably only good for 40% reliability.

2 analysts in different rooms looking at the same print-out can come up with 2 different results. It happens in court cases. One analyst will say he's lying, the other that the defandant was truthful. That's why polygraph's are rarely used in court and are really almost an interal police tool these days.

Just being nervous can screw it all up, so I wouldn't worry.

 

Polygraphs are not worth a crap.

There are only a few people who know that for sure, they are:
1) Accused of a crime.
2) Take polygraph in relation to that crime.
3) Told that polygraph reveals 'untruths' about the crime.
4) Completely innocent of said crime.

Maybe the polygragh was inconclusive and law enforcement was 'just fishing' with their statements about 'untruths'...

It would be nice if there was a machine to give us the answers.
There is a reason they are not admissable in court.
You can believe in the power of the polygraph if you want.

After you've been through the above you will conclude
Polygraphs are not worth a crap.

 

I had to take one twenty years ago when I joined the State Police. I was 20 years old at the time so it was pretty intimadating. I would not want to take one again.

As far as failing, it's all in the way the examiner reads your chart. In theory all examiners would read the chart the same, but there are some private examiners who'll read the chart the way the person paying wants them to. It's quite a grueling school they have to attend. The school our examiners (VSP) go to is 3 months long.

People do get freaked out having to take them. The Barracks I work at is a polygraph location and we have pre-employments as well as people taking them that are involved in some sort of crime. Guess which ones sweat the most.

 

You just have to know how to beat the test. It is easy, if you’re sexually aroused you can beat that test every time. I remember the last time I took one:

”Hurry up damit I only have 3 hours left and then I need to see a doctor…”

 

Did they ask you if you watched Melrose Place ?

 

"Oh that Michael, I hate him, he's just so smug."

 

I had to take a poly when I got my fire department job too. There're basically making sure you're not a thief, a drug addict, or some kind of freak that has sex with dead animals (don't laugh, I was asked that, no *****). And yes they are allowed to do that.
But remember, you can beat it. Just like George says, "It's not a lie if you believe it."

Congrats on the job brother.

 

Poly's suck. I took when when applying for the police dept and never want to take another one again, for some reason, it seemed exhausting. Anyway, I sure you did fine Tuff and will make a great firefighter. Best of luck.

 

there is a reason the polygraph results are NOT admittable in Court!

However, anything you say during the polygraph test IS admisible

 

Just wanted to add that when I took mine, the examiner said that I was being untruthful about my middle name and whether or not I was a member of a terrorist organization. I was not being untruthful and I was hired.

 

I've taken many. Failed a few. The one I thought was the funniest was when my wife had been out of town for a few weeks and was returning the next day. Needless to say I was a little anxious. When he asked the question about sex of course the needle went nuts. I had to go back and answer many questions about beastiality, sex with minors and all kinds of gross things. I passed that one though.

 

So, your wife is a 16-year-old pig and you like it when she has an apple in her mouth. (Sorry, that image came to my sick mind when I read your response.)

 

You weren't supposed to let the cat....uh pig out of the bag.