of actual solid evidence and input from the polygraph machine as opposed to a jury giving a decision based on a smooth performance or some sobby eye lie?
2007-03-29 08:41:55 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
If it's as accurate as they say it is...it'd probably help get the bad guys in jail, and keep innocent people free moreso than now.
2007-03-29 08:45:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Lots of people, especially career criminals and psychopaths, can fool a polygraph. For that reason, some courts will not allow their results in evidence.
The essence of the American Justice System is the jury trial, trial by peer. Guidelines established by the court system as to what can be considered and admitted as evidence keep limits on what jurors can see and hear. Also, sometimes loopholes in the system prohibit good evidence from being admitted.
The Jury Trial is a balancing system in many ways. This is one reason prosecutors and detectives will often wait until solid evidence can be uncovered before arresting a really bad person. They want the evidence to be so solid that a conviction occurs.
2007-03-29 08:47:59 · answer #2 · answered by mysti_gal11 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lie detectors have been proven to be terribly unreliable.
Since they only detect changes in heart rate and perspiration, anyone can prepare for a polygraph test with 5 minutes advance notice.
It's easy to fool a polygraph, and sometimes they even give 'false positives' or 'false negatives' when the subject is under duress. That is why they are no longer used.
2007-03-29 08:46:44 · answer #3 · answered by Johnny Sane 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's not reliable enough.
Did you know that the person who first suggested using the polygraph as a lie detector was the creator of Wonder Woman?
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2007-03-29 08:46:59 · answer #4 · answered by Weird Darryl 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In November when I took my polygraph (lie detector) test, they told me the reason they can't use them in court is because they can be fooled. If you go online and look it up, there are lots of websites that teach you to beat the test by controlling your breathing and things like that.
Also, they went on to tell me that all of the people who were caught committing espionage against the USA had PASSED polygraph tests to check whether they were spies or not.
Some people are just too tricky, and the polygraph is not exact. It just monitors things like breathing, sweating, clenching muscles, heart rate, and so on. There's even a pad under your butt to sense if you're clenching your butt muscles.
Hope that helped.
2007-03-31 11:47:55 · answer #5 · answered by cari anna 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The problem with lie detectors is that it is possible to fool them for those who know how. It is possible to end up with false positives or false negatives because of things as simple as medications, mental illness, or interpretation of what a question may mean. There are just too many different things that can affect the accuracy of the test for it to be reliable enough to use in court.
2007-03-29 08:51:00 · answer #6 · answered by happymom4jesus 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A lie detector is not an accurate machine. There are many ways to give it either a false positive or a false negative.
2007-03-29 08:44:18 · answer #7 · answered by A.Mercer 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First, it is not 100% accurate. Second, you can not be made to testify against yourself in a trial. A lie detector would be a form of forcing you to do just that.
2007-03-29 08:45:56 · answer #8 · answered by Barkley Hound 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There have been cases where people have been able to "beat" a lie detector. I think they are concerned that people would put to much faith in the machine and not think for themselves.
2007-03-29 08:50:34 · answer #9 · answered by the_prankster 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
lie detector/polygraph tests are notoriously unreliable. Theyre not even admissable evidence in most cases!
2007-03-29 08:46:04 · answer #10 · answered by tj777 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately some people can beat lie detector tests.
2007-03-29 08:44:32 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋