Inherent excavation of mind game using Polygraph Test

Crime is growing at cruel speed around the globe which poses fierce challenges to criminologists and forensic experts to resolve the cases and support in legal proceedings. forensic psychologists adopt Polygraph Test as an effective means to crack the intentions of criminals and prove their wrongdoing among copious crime detecting methods. 

Polygraph test is a pivotal tool of criminal psychologists to assess certain traits and records several physiological parameters such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity of the offenders. The main principle behind application of polygraph tests in hard core felons is to judge the responses on the basis of physiological changes in the interrogation process. Professional forensic psychologists closely observe the crooks who commit heinous crimes. When misleading answers/ wrong information of offenders exhibit physiological responses, it may be a sign of committing the crime by crooks. These deceptive responses may be distinguished from people who provide non-deceptive answers. Polygraph test is normally applied to hyper aggressive criminals or psychopaths whose mental configurations cannot be cracked in normal legal/police inquiry.  Polygraph test is not meant for detecting deception but to disclose truthful information about crime issues. Polygraph tests are highly efficacious in scrutinizing the accused, detecting new compliant, testing authenticity of informer’s data, offering resourceful insight in the line of investigation.

A polygraph examination comprises of three distinct stages to locate the criminals:

Pre-test Phase: This phase is a preliminary procedure to prepare an examinee for interrogation. Forensic psychologists or interrogators inform the examinee to investigate a particular issue, advise them about constitutional rights, and voluntary action of submitting to a polygraph examination. Interrogator brief about polygraphy test and ask examinee to respond in free style without any mental burden. Examiners assure authorities about the stable physiological conditions of the examinee in order to get precise results in implementing polygraph tests.  After completing all possible formalities, interrogators connect the polygraph instrument to examinee; body which are equipped with sensors to collate, record on the polygraph chart.

In-test Phase: In this stage, the polygraph examination is conducted on an examinee in which the examiner will administer at least three separate tests with a time duration of 5 minutes in each test.  Examiners can administer a maximum of six tests on examinee. During the examination, a set of questions are asked and the examinee has been given two minutes for relaxation between each test. During tests, the physiological changes in examinee are constantly collected, measured and recorded onto polygraph charts. After interrogation is over, the examiner interprets the amassed data and scrutinizes the physiological data of the polygraph chart.

Post-test Phase: In the final round of the polygraph test, the examiner shares the result of the polygraph examination with the examinee. If the physiological data recorded on the polygraph charts displays reactions on the part of the examinee for the questions asked, he or she has to provide valid explanations for reactions.  

Polygraph test is conducted to disclose the real intention or wrong doing through observation changes on physiological conditions of hyper criminals. It also reveals tension or anxiety of the accused when rigorous interrogation is underway. A significant fact about polygraph tests is that they are sometimes incapable of locating a suspect's mind. During the implementation phase, certain physiological and psychological factors may influence results and the examinee may fail to reply even though he or she is honest.

Polygraph test is centered on the questions during interrogation. Set of questions used by examiners for polygraph testing encompass relevant questions, control questions, extraneous questions, and concealed information or guilty knowledge questions. Polygraph tests may be successful in detecting criminals when a set of questions are relevant and well-designed under the topic of investigation such as drug trafficking, theft. Experts specified that polygraph tests may provide 90% correct results if conducted precisely by trained psychologists. But it is not a foolproof test of detecting deception.

Brief note of relevant facts:

Polygraph tests are used by well-trained forensic psychologists to interrogate  suspects of heinous crimes. During investigation, the suspect reveals diverse physiological responses when replying in a deceptive manner. These data are collected, recorded in a polygraph chart and analyzed by an examiner to provide authentic reports to legal authorities.

Important note: Above article is a creation of a writer based on environmental inputs and exhibits personal thoughts of the writer. The intent of writing is to provide general information to readers. For in- depth knowledge, readers may refer to academic sources. Any resemblance is just a coincidence. Writer is not responsible for any disagreement.