Lie Detector Tests....

rockin'robin

rockin'robin

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2007
Messages
24,425
Reaction score
551
On TV...Steve Wilkos...The Test...Dr. Phil...often you see people being given Lie Detector Tests....and saying they are "99.9% accurate"....

Your input on this?
 
I believe they have some investigative value but they aren't dependable enough for trial (which is why their results aren't admissible in court).
 
If they were 99.9% accurate they would be allowed on court. I dont remember the exact percwntage ita either 75 or 85% accurate. Thats what ive read. And its not hard to pass it if you know how to control your breathing and keep calm. Been nervous makes it more likely that you fail the exam even when saying the truth
 
rockin'robin said:
On TV...Steve Wilkos...The Test...Dr. Phil...often you see people being given Lie Detector Tests....and saying they are "99.9% accurate"....

Your input on this?
Click to expand...

I though the 99.9% only referred to DNA?
 
I remember some few episodes of Maury Povich show that they had similar lie detector and DNA to find out who the father of the baby is.
 
rockin'robin said:
On TV...Steve Wilkos...The Test...Dr. Phil...often you see people being given Lie Detector Tests....and saying they are "99.9% accurate"....

Your input on this?
Click to expand...

Police and FBI largely use them as tools; they don't detect lying, only body reactions, and due to that they can't be used in court as evidence. It may be brought up in court but it can't be a deciding factor alone....it must be supported with evidence. In the case of the "Green River Killer" it should be noted that two innocent people were arrested for the crime because they failed the test - and they eventually ruled them out because they were found innocent based on all the evidence, and police later arrested the person responsible, who was Ridgway. Ted Bundy also passed the test and clearly he was guilty given the considerable evidence and later his own admission. This test is frequently given to federal employees and it's happening more and more which many applicants resent because the test is designed to intimidate. Because it focuses on emotional response, many women often fail the test and have to repeat it. Many people, myself included think there should be more emphasis on the "gum shoe" detective work which was significantly more reliable and ultimately what has proven to be the most accurate in many high profile cases.

If a person is emotionally distraught, the machine picks up on that, not lying. It's not capable of determining whether you're lying or telling the truth, it only picks up on how a person reacts to a question. There could be a million reasons why an individual has an emotional response, none of which may be intentionally trying to be deceptive.

Laura
 
Back
Top