Polygraph

Types of questions
1. Control questions – establish a basline reading. Explain how a polygraph
works, etc.
2. Stim Test – the subject is asked questions and told to lie.
3. Irrelevant – Questions like “what is your name?”
4. Probable lie questions – “have you ever stolen money?” things that people
will probably lie about.
5. Relevant – Questions pertaining to the subject at hand.

The US Supreme court established in 1998 that there is no evidence that polygraphs are
reliable. They have been reported to be from 10% to 90% reliable, with the average
being about 60%.

Polygraphs are generally not admissible in court, as per a SC decision in 1923, but an act
in 1998 gave the choice to individual towns or states.

C5.3. QUESTION TYPES

C5.3.1. Relevant Question. This question pertains directly to the matter under
investigation
or to the issue(s) for which the examinee is being tested. Primary and secondary
questions are the
two types of relevant questions used in most PDD test formats. The following guidelines
provide
the generally recognized process by which a relevant question should be constructed.
Relevant
questions should:
C5.3.1.1. Be clear and concise.
C5.3.1.2. Avoid legal terms when possible.
C5.3.1.3. Be constructed so that they may he answered yes or no.
C5.3.1.4. Not be worded in the form of an accusation or contain an inference that
presupposes knowledge or guilt.
C5.3.1.5. In specific issue tests when testing for multiple items or amounts of money, use
the phrase, "any of', e.g., "Did you steal any of that money?"
C5.3.1.6. In specific issue tests, only address one issue in each question,
C5.3.1.7. In specific issue tests, only address one incident in each series.
C5.3.2. Primary Relevant. This question tests the possible direct involvement of the
examinee. In PDD screening questioning formats, all relevant questions are considered
primary
relevant questions.
C5.3.3. Secondary Relevant. This question tests the examinee's possible involvement in
the
offense under investigation. A secondary relevant question should be constructed to
address a
CHAPTER 5 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY l4
secondary issue such as help, plan, or participate; test for secondary involvement in, such
as
seeing, hearing, or knowing; or focus on the nature or location of evidence and/or
physical acts
that support the primary offense. There are three types of secondary relevant questions:
C5.3.3.1. Evidence-Connecting. An evidence-connecting question is designed to
determine if the examinee was involved with any of the evidence of the crime or is aware
of the
nature or location of various items of evidence. (See figure C5.Fl.)
Figure C5.FI. Sample of an Evidence-Connecting Relevant Question
1 Do vou know where anv of that monev is now? 1
C5.3.3.2. Guilty-Knowledge. A guilty-knowledge relevant question is used to determine
if the examinee has any knowledge of who committed the incident under investigation.
(See
figure C5.F2.)
Figure C5.F2. Samples of Guilty-Knowledge Relevant Questions
Do you know for sure who shot that man?
Do you know who stole any of that money?
C5.3.3.3. Secondary-Involvement. A secondary-involvement relevant question tests for
secondary involvement such as seeing or hearing or focuses on physical acts that support
the
primary offense. (See figure C5.F3.)
Figure C5.F3. Sample of a Secondary-Involvement Relevant Question
C5.3.4. Comparison Question. Physiological responses of comparison questions are
compared to physiological responses of relevant questions. The comparison question is
designed
to produce a greater physiological response for the non-deceptive person. The probable
lie and
directed lie questions are the two types of comparison questions used within the Federal
Government.
C5.3.4.1. Probable-Lie Comparison Question. This question is designed to be a
probablelie
for the examinee. The PLC question should be similar in nature but unrelated by time,
place
or category to the specific issue. However, in screening examinations the PLC can be
related to
the issue(s) as long as the screening comparison question establishes a dichotomy
between the
relevant and comparison issues. A comparison question should be broad in scope and
time so
that it captures as many of the examinee's past life experiences as possible. The
physiological
responses to the PLC are compared to the responses of the designated relevant questions.
The
exclusionary and screening comparison questions are the two types of PLC questions
used within
the federal government. (See figure C5.F4.)

Figure C5.F4. Sample of a Probable-Lie Comparison Question

1 Theft issue: Before 1997, did you ever steal anything?

CHAPTER 5 FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
C5.3.4.1.1. Exclusionary Comparison Question (ECQ). A probable-lie question
should be similar in nature but unrelated to the issue being tested. The question should be
separated from the relevant issue by time, place or category. The comparison question
should use
the same action verb or similar in nature action verb as that of the relevant issue. A
comparison
question should be broad in scope and time so that it captures as many of the examinee's
past life
experiences as possible. (See figure C5.F5.)
Figure C5.F5. Sample of an Exclusionary Comparison Question Involving Shoplifting

1 Before this year, did you ever steal anything from someone who trusted you? 1
C5.3.4.1.2. Screening Comparison Question (SCQ). The SCQ question should be
similar in nature or motivation as the primary relevant issue being tested and one to
which the
examinee will lie or be doubtful as to the accuracy of the answer. The SCQ topic should
be
broader in scope and of lesser import than the relevant issue. These questions allow the
examinee
to make a clear dichotomy between the relevant and SCQ as established by a thorough
pretest
explanation. The SCQ is used only for CSP or fall scope polygraph issue examinations.
The
SCQ may be used for both initial and breakdown series. (See figures C5.F6. and C5.F7.)
Figure C5.F6. Sample of a Screening Comparison Question Involving a Cl Topic

1 Have you ever talked around classified information over-the telephone? 1

Figure C5.F7. Sample of a Screening Comparison Question Involving a Suitability Topic
1 Have you ever done anything academically dishonest? 1
(3.3.4.2. Directed-Lie Comparison. The DLC question is a specialized comparison
question. A properly constructed DLC question involves a minor transgression which
should
have some personal significance to the examinee. Upon acknowledging having
committed such a
transgression, the examinee is directed to lie when asked that question on the test. The
question
is separated from the relevant issue by category. (See figure C5.F8.)
Figure C5.F8. Sample of a Directed-Lie Comparison Question
1 Did you ever commit a minor traffic violation?
C5.3.5. Sacrifice Relevant Question. When used, this is the first question that refers to the
relevant issue, and it prepares the examinee for the introduction of the relevant questions.
Sacrifice relevant questions are not scored during the test data analysis phase of a PDD
examination. (See figure C5.F9.)
Figure C5.F9. Samples of Sacrifice Relevant Questions
Regarding whetheryou stole that car, doyou intend to answer truthfully each
question about that? (You-Phase ZCT)
Regarding the theft of that car, do you intend to answer each question truthfully?
C5.3.6. Symptomatic Question. This question is designed to test for an outside issue that
could be more significant for an examinee than the relevant and comparison issues.
Symptomatic
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question responses are evaluated, though not numerically scored, during the test data
analysis
phase of a PDD examination. (See figure C5.Fl0.)
Figure C5.FI0. Samples of Symptomatic Questions
Do you believe I will only ask you the questions we reviewed?
Is there something else you are afraid I will ask you a question about?
C5.3.7. Irrelevant Questions in Comparison Ouestion Formats. The irrelevant question is
the
first question asked during the data collection phase. It may also be asked in other
positions on
the chart. It is designed to allow the orienting response to habituate before a scoreable
question is
asked, and it can be used to establish homeostasis when an artifact occurs on the chart.
Irrelevant
questions should be unrelated to the issue being tested. Irrelevant questions are not
scored.
Several irrelevant questions may be reviewed and used as needed. (See figure C5.Fl1.)
Figure C5.FlI. Samples of Irrelevant Questions
Are you now in Alabama?
Are you sometimes called Tom?
C5.3.8. Irrelevant Questions in RelevantIIrrelevant Formats. In lUI formats the irrelevant
question is designed to allow the orienting response to habituate" before a relevant
question is
asked and, as well, has special applications in the lUI question format. They are designed
to be
neutral but should appear to be meaningful to the examinee. Irrelevant questions should
be nonemotion
evoking and unrelated to the issue under investigation. Several irrelevant questions may
be reviewed and used as needed. Irrelevant questions are not scored against relevant test
questions during the data analysis phase. (See figure C5.Fl2.)
Figure C5.FI2. Samples of Irrelevant Questions in Relevanfflrrelevant Formats
Is today Friday?
Are you now in Alabama? 1 Do you live in MD?
C5.3.9. Overall Truth Ouestion. This is an optional question which may be used in an WI
question format. It is similar to the sacrifice relevant question in comparison question
formats. It
is intended to elicit a physiological response which may be indicative of the examinee's
overall
response capability. This question may be asked near the beginning andlor at the end of a
PDD
chart. (See figure C5.Fl3.)
Figure C5.FI3. Samples of Overall Truth Questions
Do you intend to answer truthfully all of the questions on this test?
Have you truthfully answered all of the questions on this test?
C5.3.10. Stimulus Ouestion. This question is an optional question which may be used in
an
WI question format to determine the examinee's overall capacity for response. It is only
used
when the examinee exhibits a consistent lack of response. The two types of stimulus
questions
taught by DoDPI are the math and the specific issue R/I stimulus questions. The specific
issue
WI stimulus question is used only in the specific issue WI format.
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C5.3.10.1. Math Question. The examinee is told that a math question may be asked
during the examination but the exact wording of the question is not reviewed. (See figure
C5.Fl4.)
Figure C5.FI4. Samples of a Math Question
Does 10+ 9= 19?
Does 7+5=12?
C5.3.10.2. Specific Issue Relevant/Irrelevant Stimulus Question. This question is used to
determine the examinee's overall capacity for response. It is used primarily when the
examinee
exhibits a consistent lack of response. When used in this FUI format, the stimulus
question can be
directed at specific thoughts, beliefs, or actions of the examinee as it relates to the issue
under
investigation. Responses to stimulus questions will not be used as comparison questions.
(See
figure C5.Fl5.)
Figure C5.FI5. Sample of a Specific Issue Relevanfflrrelevant Stimulus Question
1 Were you on that bridge that night?
Something called “brain fingerprinting does exist. It is basically looking for one
particular brain wave, called P300. This wave is emitted about 300 milliseconds after a
stimulus that is significant and rarely-occuring.

Voice stress analysis.

During the fight or flight response, i.e., with elevated levels of epinephrine, some of the
normally voluntary striated muscles are involuntary tensed up. This includes many of the
muscles around the laryngeal region. This tensing causes a warble called the Lippold
Tremor, which is usually around 12 Hz. When stressed, the tremor will dip below 12 hZ,
in proportion to the amount of stress. It can only be heard on a recorded tape that is
analyzed.