polygraph testing

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

If it does not work, still use it. Stupid!!

Dave

------ Forwarded Message
From: "Aftergood, Steven" <saftergood () fas org>
Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2003 10:48:42 -0500
To: secrecy_news () lists fas org
Subject: Secrecy News -- 02/20/03

PENTAGON FORESEES EXPANDED POLYGRAPH TESTING

Despite escalating criticism concerning the validity of
polygraph testing, the Defense Department may seek to
increase reliance on the polygraph as a security and
counterintelligence tool, according to a new report to
Congress.

In 1991, Congress authorized the Pentagon to conduct no more
than 5,000 counterintelligence-scope polygraph (CSP) tests
annually (not including tests on intelligence agency
personnel, which are performed under the authority of the
Director of Central Intelligence).

But "since that time, the Department has identified
additional vulnerabilities and threats to classified
information that did not exist over a decade ago,"
according to the new report.

In particular, "the broad based use of information
technology systems, coupled with the development of
information sharing capabilities over the internet and
through other electronic media, require the updating of DoD
information assurance policies and practices to keep pace
with this emerging threat."

"These enhanced security requirements may require a CSP
polygraph examination for access to DoD information
systems."

Accordingly, "an increase in the CSP ceiling ... may be
requested from Congress," the report stated.

The Defense Department's "Annual Polygraph Report to
Congress, Fiscal Year 2002," contains recent program
statistics, anecdotal summaries of cases in which polygraph
testing aided investigators, and descriptions of current
polygraph research initiatives.  The report is available
here:

 http://www.fas.org/sgp/othergov/polygraph/dod-2002.html

The new DoD report attempts to deflect an extremely critical
evaluation of polygraph testing that was published by the
National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of
Sciences in October 2002.

"It is important to note that the NRC report... concluded
that the polygraph technique is the best tool currently
available to detect deception and assess credibility," the
Pentagon said.  But this is quite disingenuous.

What the NRC report actually said, critic George Maschke of
Antipolygraph.org pointed out, is that "[s]ome potential
alternatives to the polygraph show promise, but none has
yet been shown to outperform the polygraph" (p. 8-4).  As
for the polygraph itself, "[t]here is essentially no
evidence on the incremental validity of polygraph testing,
that is, its ability to add predictive value to that which
can be achieved by other methods" (p. 8-2).

While the majority of persons who undergo polygraph testing
do so without incident, it is a career-ender for some and a
deeply disconcerting experience for quite a few others.
And at least some polygraph examiners apparently engage in
occasional free-lance interrogation of their own.

One recent applicant for employment at the CIA told Secrecy
News that his polygraph examination included the question
"Do you have friends in the media?"

------ End of Forwarded Message

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