Polygraph Questions

[ZRT650]

I'll ask since Im sure many of us would like to know but none have asked. What are some questions that will be asked on the polygraph? Any examples would be greatly appreciated.

[retired]

I'll give you a couple, but it has been decades since I took any, so I'm sure others will chime in with more.

1. Have you used drugs, what kind, how recently.

2. Have you ever committed a crime, what type, were you convicted.

I am certainly not accusing you of being a liar, so take the following as just general info. Answer truthfully to all questions. Sometimes, applicants will lie about something, tho the thing they were lying about would not have DQ'd them.

The lying, no matter how slight, will get you disqualified in a heartbeat. When you apply at another agency, they will find out you had been DQ'd and they will also DQ you. So be honest from the get go.

Good luck.

[wildcard]

They essentially ask you about all the things that you've already answered in your background questionnaire.

It's to find out about the things you didn't get caught for

And oh yeah.. false positives are a reality that will diqualify you.

[Eroland7]

Usually first they have you fill out a long (few hundred question) questionaire. Then they will choose maybe 10-15 questions to ask you. There are questions that have to do with anything and everything. It just depends on which ones they want to ask you from the questionaire. The background investigator might ask the person giving the test to key in on certain questions. There are random questions such as

"Have you ever paid for sex?"

"Have you ever stolen anything from anywhere you've ever worked?"

"Have you ever provided alcohol to a minor?"

"Have you ever had sex with anyone under 18 when you were over 18?"


Those are just a few of the ones i remember from 8 years ago. But like i said you usually fill out a standard questionaire first that consists of a few hundred yes/no questions. I hope this helped. Pm me if you have any other questions.

[POLICESTATE]

I remember seeing an episode of Bull**** recently that basically showed that polygraphs are BS. I guess they help weed out the really bad liars? I bet any seasoned politician could beat them quite easily.

[Josh3239]

Polygraphs just measure blood pressure, pulse, respiration, breathing rhythms, body temperature and skin conductivity. The idea is when you lie or get pressured these measures will change. They have control questions to get an idea of what blood pressure, pulse, etc is like while you are relaxed (I couldn't get relaxed, if that thing was attached to me) and then they hit you with the questions.

[Unit74]

Do countermeasures work?

There is a but cheek measure thing in the seat now......


Don't lie and your fine.

[POLICESTATE]

When you think about how a polygraph measures things like BP, pulse rate etc... the principle is that people who are going to lie get a little nervous, okay I can understand that. But when you take people who have to work with BS, half-truths, bald-faced lies etc... it's nearly pathological. I don't think people like that would register on a polygraph for routine questions.

I know that for myself, I could casually and instantly lie about anything business related and that machine won't pick it up. I don't feel anything at work anymore anyway. Which reminds me, where is my Prozium interval?

[Josh3239]

Hmmm, from Wikipedia:

In episode 93 of the USA popular science show Mythbusters, they attempted to fool the polygraph by using pain to try to increase the readings when answering truthfully (so the machine will supposedly interpret the truthful and non-truthful answers as the same.) They also attempted to fool the polygraph by thinking happy thoughts when lying and thinking stressful thoughts when telling the truth to try to confuse the machine. However, neither technique was successful for a number of reasons. Michael Martin correctly identified each guilty and innocent subject. The show also noted the opinion that, when done properly, polygraphs are correct 80-99% of the time

[POLICESTATE]

Mythbusters should have had them do the test on a veteran politician.

"Ms Feinstein, do you think everyone should be able to have full auto AK's if they want one?"

"YES" and see if the machine explodes.

[daves100]

check this

100% true fact, This happened at my work, A guy in the Military went in for a test at the border patrol he is getting out in a few months. and was asked Have you used drugs since you have been in the military. He answeared yes when he first came in and went home on leave after boot camp.

The Border Patrol turned around and forward the results to the Military and friday morning he was called into legal. Will keep you posted on the out come.

but they also told him they will close his file and no other agency will know he was DQ'd...

The lying, no matter how slight, will get you disqualified in a heartbeat. When you apply at another agency, they will find out you had been DQ'd and they will also DQ you. So be honest from the get go.

[Jonathan Doe]

The polygraph examiners will taylor the questions for the specific situation whether it is an interrogation of a suspect or an applicant. There may be some generic questions also.

[michelim21]

Is your name _______?
What is __ + ___?

For control questions. For the addition they want to see how your mind works in case you are trying the counting method to distract yourself.

Other than what you have told us have you ever ________?
Do you want to be a police officer/deputy sheriff?

These are some that I have had over my 4 polygraphs taken. 2 passed, 2 failed.

Recently it has only been like 6 questions.

[Fire in the Hole]

I asked this once before several months ago in a similiar thread, but did not get an answer. Back in 1978-79 I applied to the 3 biggest LE Agencies in CA. I was not administered a polygraph, nor were any of my fellow applicants. Polygraphs were however, in great use then. When did this start? Do all CA LE Agencies use this to screen their applicants?

[Blue]

"Have you ever had sex with anyone under 18 when you were over 18?"

So if you answer yes to that question are you screwed or what?