Frequently Asked Questions

There are two main types of polygraph tests in use today, the screening exam and the diagnostic exam. These are sometimes referred to as multiple-issue and single-issue. On a screening exam, the questions are independent. Think of a law enforcement pre-employment exam that might cover issues such as drug use, criminal behavior, employment infractions and gang membership. A diagnostic exam focuses on one issue, such as marital infidelity, and uses multiple questions all targeting that one issue. In either exam, the maximum number of questions is 4. I routinely get requests to conduct examinations with questions that number in the double-digits, usually 10, but I've had as many as 75. Because of the accuracy difference between diagnostic and screening tests, my natural inclination is to attempt to run a diagnostic if at all possible. There are some situations that cannot be resolved with a diagnostic exam leaving a screening exam the only possibility. There are some "tricks of the trade" that can be employed on some topics that will allow a series of non-independent questions to be reviewed and conducted as a diagnostic examination. Don't be dissuaded if you have a long list of questions. Once the process is explained, the shorter number of questions will make more sense.

Exams are primarily priced based on the amount of time that is expended. The exam process for the client takes about two hours to complete. This includes the pre-test interview where questions are asked to ensure that the client is a suitable test subject. Not everyone qualifies. The issues are discussed and the questions are formulated and reviewed during the pre-test. The instrumentation phase, where the examinee is connected to the instrument, is actually the shortest of the phases and usually takes only 15-30 minutes. The post-test is generally shorter than the pre-test, but not always. The post-test is where any issues encountered during the instrumentation phase are discussed and corrected. 

Personal exams conducted without an attorney involved are more expensive than exams conducted through an attorney. The reason for this is simple. As the examiner, the only contact that I have with a represented client is during the examination process. I disclose the results to the attorney and allow them to handle the dissemination of the results to the examinee. The insures that attorney-client privilege is maintained. Personal exams are priced higher because it requires more time for me on during the booking and after the examination. The primary driver behind pricing is time and personal exams take more examiner time from booking to resolution. The last comment I'll make about price is that you often get what you pay for. I know that I am not the cheapest and I don't strive to be the cheapest. I believe that a quality product deserves a fair price. Ford and Lincoln are made by the same company. A Lincoln customer is treated considerably different than a Ford customer when it comes to servicing their vehicle. 

Based on numerous peer-reviewed studies, conducted within the polygraph community and elsewhere, a properly conducted diagnostic examination has accuracy rates in the mid 90's. Properly conducted screening examinations have accuracy rates in the mid 80's to approaching 90%.

The next question that I usually get starts off with, "These things aren't admissible in court..." That's the first myth. New Mexico, where I have been licensed for almost 23 years, is the only state where polygraph evidence is admissible without stipulation. There is a separate section of the New Mexico Evidence Code, 11-707 NMRA, that deals specifically with the requirements that must be met in order for polygraph evidence to be introduced. Other states have different rules. Texas, where I also practice, does not allow for polygraph evidence to be admitted during the guilt or innocence portion of a trial. Polygraph is still used in Texas, particularly in criminal cases, and I have had clients walk out of jail after their charges were dismissed following a successful polygraph exam. Most of the prosecutors that I've worked with are good, honest folks with the utmost of integrity  and they do not want to put innocent people in prison. When they have doubts about the veracity of their witness and the defendant passes a polygraph test, it makes the decision to dismiss that much easier. The US Government uses polygraph more than any other purveyor. Most federal law enforcement agencies require their candidates to pass a pre-employment polygraph test before hiring them. The federal government employs more polygraph examiners and spends more money on polygraph than anyone else in the world. Polygraph is regularly used overseas, and in Mexico, Central and South America, by US agents or foreign agents operating a program partially or fully funded by the US Government. The US Government requires most convicted sex offenders on supervision to get regular polygraph exams to ensure that they are compliant with their supervision rules and that they are not engaging in conduct that would put them at risk of re-offending. Most states also have a similar program for their probationers and parolees that have been convicted of sex offenses.