4 complaints about polygraph examiners, recent closing period, California

(No identifiers are listed. If you recognize yourself here, correct the situation for the future. Courtesy of Polygraph Examiners Of America, www.peoa.US )

Complaint 1. Polygraph examiner used a widely-avoided 'method' instead of an accepted technique. His reported results were shortly later found to be badly wrong.
APA member: YES
Recent past complaints: NO
Examiner gender: M

Summary per client: Client wanted many many questions to be asked of his wife. All questions were about relationship and infidelity; both of the long-married couple claimed to only have had any sexual contact with the other during their entire lifetimes. Questions were very exacting. Most polygraph examiners would advise that they had way too many questions for polygraph.

Instead, Polygraph Examiner said to quickly cover this many questions, his technique was called 'The Statement Method', and he would have Client and wife write a lengthy multi-page sworn statement that wife would sign to be true at end of statement. Written, Examiner would only ask her during the exam about the 5-page statement: "Did you tell any lie on this statement?" "Did you tell only the truth on this statement?".

When done with the exam, Examiner advised Client that his wife had passed with 'flying colors', with no deception indicated. However, shortly later, the wife confessed to her husband that she had lied during the exam on 28 of the items listed in the 5-page document-- the document that the Polygraph Examiner had said she completely passed.

Follow-up per Client, 1: Client contacted Polygraph Examiner and told him about the 28 previously-passed items being confessed to, and that other Examiners advised that this 'Statement Method' was inaccurate as it does not directly ask about the relevant questions. Client says Examiner got defensive and asked Client 'what technique he later used'-- Client told Examiner "My wife's own confession that you passed her even though she lied on 28 items".

Follow-up per Client, 2: Client had a proper polygraph exam administered elsewhere. Examinee failed on questions including having sexual intercourse with a specific person from her past. Later that evening, she confessed to her husband the details of long-hidden activity.

The marriage is being repaired now that their are no more secrets.

Note: If an exam allows more than 4 relevant (client-written) questions, it is not following any standard of training.


Complaint 2. Polygraph examiner conducted a test when it should  have stopped, then gave worthless results and no refund. 
APA member: YES
Recent past complaints: YES
Examiner gender: F

Summary per Client: Client was being tested himself. He paid in full and began exam. Polygraph Examiner told Client that he had no EDA/GSR activity at the finger tips of his right hand (slang referred to as 'sweat', the green line on a computerized instrument), showing Client the lack of EDA activity on the computer screen.

Making no changes, Examinee administered the exam with no EDA/GSR activity. When done, she told Client: "Still no EDA. I'm 50% on passing you, 50% on failing you. But without EDA, I really can't tell". Yet no refund was given.

Follow-up per Client : Client had a proper polygraph examination administered elsewhere.

Note: Examiner failed to follow proper steps with the lack of EDA. First it must be verified the Examinee is not dehydrated. Next, she should have had the examinee wash his hands, then try again (oil/lotion/anti-perspirant on fingers can interfere). If that didn't work, then change the EDA leads to the fingers of the left hand. Then if that didn't work, properly trained and experienced examiners know to use white gel 'stickies' on the palm of the hand, using 'gsr snap leads' available for all instrument brands. The lack of refund added together with her testing without the most-important tracing (Polyscore computerized scoring algorithm shows EDA to be of higher importance than any other tracing) is fraud and a rip-off. If California had licensing, this examiner would be in trouble.


Complaint 3. (A) Polygraph examiner provided no report after many days of many telephone requests about its promised overnight issuance. (B) Polygraph examiner allowed 10 relevant questions written by Client to be used in the single exam.
APA member: NO
Recent past complaints: YES
Examiner gender: F

Summary per Client: Client


Complaint 4. Examinee later admitted to lying on all relevant questions in an exam that she was said to have passed; perhaps blamable on Examiner's use of compound sentences.
APA member: YES
Recent past complaints: NO
Examiner gender: M

Summary per Client: Client