How Accurate is a Polygraph Examination?
The most important factor in determining the accuracy of a polygraph examination is the expertise of the polygraph examiner. The polygraph instrument is merely a physiological recording device. The polygraph examiner is the real lie detector. A compendium of research studies analyzed by the American Polygraph Association concluded that the most accurate polygraph results – those yielding 95%-98% accuracy – are produced by experienced polygraph examiners, who numerically score their polygraph charts and cover only one relevant issue per test. More about our polygraph examiner: • James W. Bassett is a certified graduate of the Backster School of Lie Detection. Cleve Backster is the inventor of the Zone Comparison Test format and the first numerical scoring system for polygraph charts. Mr. Backster’s testing format and scoring system have been imitated, but never equaled. • Mr. Bassett is one of this country’s most experienced polygraphists, having conducted more than 25,000 plygraph exam
Research conducted by the scientific community, government agencies and independent universities clearly indicates that a polygraph examination — when properly administered by a professionally-trained and competent polygraph examiner, using federal standards of procedure and instrumentation — has a high level of accuracy in detecting truthfulness or deception. According to the American Polygraph Association, over 250 studies have been conducted over the past 75 years on the accuracy of polygraph testing. These studies estimate the accuracy of the results to be in the range of 90-95 per cent. Like any other instrument that is used as an assessment tool to measure human physiology for the purpose of forming professional opinions, the polygraph is not infallible. However, the scientific community agrees that polygraph examinations, as they are being used today, have great probative value in detecting truthful persons and deceptive ones, and there is still no other alternative testing tech
A Polygraph Examination, administered by a trained and licensed Examiner, is significantly credible when properly administered in specific issue testing. Research by government and independent university studies report the average diagnostic accuracy for detecting deception with the polygraph was similar to diagnosing breast cancer using Magnetic Resonance Imaging or Ultrasound. (P.E. Crewson, Phd, 05-2001) Like any other instrument used as an assesment tool to meausure human physiology, a polygraph instument does have its limitations. Austin Polygraph Services understands this, and stays within the scope of what a Polygraph Examination can determine with a very high degree of confidence.
