Taking a polygraph to volunteer.?

[traditional_woman]

I'm looking into volunteering for victim assistance(in conjunction w/ police, and court, ), and part of the process is taking a polygraph. I understand an extensive background check, and extensive training, I'm just scratching my head over the poly, since they aren't 100% accurate. I have nothing to hide, but I've developed this thing caught ''white coat'' syndrome over the past 3 yrs, and wonder if that anxiety will transfer over to being hooked up to a machine.

Anyone who has volunteered in this capacity, could you share you experience here or in a pm?

[CaptPops]

Regular employees with the organization have to have poligraph prior to beig hired. thus anyone volunteering also needs to. No discrimination...

[Dragon1963]

You almost have to take a polygraph in any field of work these days. Also the courts have said its perfectly acceptable for employers to do so.

[janer]

Any test, particularly those dependent upon human interpretation, can render a "false positive"; with a polygraph, however, that false positive can put you in a world of hurt.

[livefreeordie]

I'm looking into volunteering for victim assistance(in conjunction w/ police, and court, ), and part of the process is taking a polygraph. I understand an extensive background check, and extensive training, I'm just scratching my head over the poly, since they aren't 100% accurate. I have nothing to hide, but I've developed this thing caught ''white coat'' syndrome over the past 3 yrs, and wonder if that anxiety will transfer over to being hooked up to a machine.

Anyone who has volunteered in this capacity, could you share you experience here or in a pm?

A polygraph is NOT A LIE DETECTOR. It is a poly (many) graph, it simply measures various "things" about your body. In reality the real lie detector is the guy giving the exam, he is not looking at the computer as much as he is looking at you and how you react. WITHOUT FAIL he will ask you questions while the machine is off (more than just the control questions) and most of the time after the exam is done. These questions are designed to make you slip up or exploit your fear that you "failed". All that little window tells him is that your scared out of your mind that you are going to fail this, regardless of what you have done in life.

Remember the best CIA and FBI polygraphers in the world got beat by the last few American spies. If you don't mind profanity of breasts I would say you should check out Penn and Teller's show on the subject. They actually took random people off the streets and showed them that if you clench your sphincter when you are telling the truth, and not when you lie, you can easily fool the machine. The guy saying they "beat" the test was also the guy saying that anyone could "beat" the test so I am not going to say it is easy, but it is possible to do with training.

[livefreeordie]

Any test, particularly those dependent upon human interpretation, can render a "false positive"; with a polygraph, however, that false positive can put you in a world of hurt.

There are many, many innocent folks in the FBI, CIA and military who have had their whole lives destroyed over false positives. Since the perception is of a lie detector, people start looking at you funny when you "fail" questions about stealing classified information from your office.

[SFC(R)L]

it's an indicator and your reluctance to take one is telling.
So they say.