Failing a lie-detector by telling the truth?

Question

I was the victim in an assault. A couple days after giving my statement, i was called in to take a lie-detector test. All a formality, just to make sure I was credible.
Despite answering all of the questions truthfully, I was informed that I had been deemed not credible because of how the test read. Because of that, the investigation was dropped (leaving the monster that hurt me out on the streets) AND now I could face penalties for "filing a false police report!" Like I said, I didnt lie about anything. Are these tests really that unreliable? and if so, why are they still used? And do I have any recourse that can be taken to avoid getting in trouble for filing a "false" police report?

Answer 1

get a lawyer. these are only marginally effective and I am really shocked that the police suggested that you should take one. they cannot with complete certainty rely on a lie detector test....they never have been able to, otherwise they would use them instead of having a trial when someone was charged with a crime. You need to get back into that precinct and DEMAND a face to face with the captain. Do not take no for an answer, and you be sure to tell them that if they insist on treating the victim like a criminal that every news station, victim rights group and local politician in your state will hear about what happened. You had better believe that they will hear you with different ears then. You do NOT treat a victim like that ever. And you need to adopt an aggressive frame of mind and get your butt in there and accept nothing less than the help from your city's finest. Good luck to you and I am so sorry to hear about your entire situation.

Answer 2

No. The term "lie detector test" is a misnomer. They don't detect a lie. They detect there's not the whole truth behind the answer "yes" or "no". In other words, they are looking for spurious answers. You are forced into a black or white decision with questions you have no control over. So there may be a part of you that wants to say more but can't. For a large part of the population, the test is pretty effective. The problem is that many people can actually believe their own lie; disassociation or denial would be examples. People also mix up right/wrong with true facts/false facts pretty frequently, when in fact they are completely different things.

Answer 3

The lie detector is used a lot as an investigative tool. It is not reliable enough to be used in court and so is not admissible.
Such a test is often used when there is so little evidence that it becomes one person's word against another. The fact that you failed the test could be blamed on an incompetent tester, the type questions asked, what medications you were on, etc. (the list is long).
Threatening to use the results of the test as a basis for charging you with anything is, at best, unethical, and, at worst, an illegal threat.
To me, this smells of a couple lazy investigators trying to make you go away.
If there is an Woman's Advocacy group, or battered woman group in your area, go talk to them about this. They should be able to point you in the right direction to get some real help.

Answer 4

Here in my city we do not use the polygraph to confirm someones credibility. They would only be used when you don't have evidence to support either side of the story and you don't know who to believe. A polygraph is often a way to get someone in for an interrogation interview as well. I would guess that they never believed your story and the polygraph confirmed this. The polygraph doesn't say you are lying, it says that you are being deceptive about something, that could mean not telling ALL of the story.

Whatever you do, do not recant your story and don't change it. That's when you will be charged with giving a false report to police. The fact that they didn't arrest either of you yet means that they don't have good evidence to prove either versions of events.

Unfortunately this sometimes happens. You need evidence to proceed at trial. He said/she said cases are tough to prove. It comes down to who the judge believes is telling the truth.

They can't use the polygraph evidence in court against you to prove that you made a false report (if you did ). I would speak to a lawyer before giving any more interviews or doing any more polygraphs.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Usually, unless you are highly suspect of lying and other evidence supports this fact, officers will not request a polygraph test. Without knowing the full facts of the case, I would say that your only recourse would be to request to take it again or possibly hire a civilian polygrapher (is that a word or what?) to re-test you and provide the results to the Police. Contrary to popular belief, the polygraph is quite accurate, the reason it is not allowed in court is mostly to do with self-incrimination rights.

Answer 6

A lie detector is inadmissible in court. They are inaccurate. I would NOT believe one of those machines if a person took a hundred test on them. It is the person that is giving the test that is the determining factor on how the machine works. If the person doesn't know his butt from a whole in the ground it will Not determin a true reading.

Answer 7

Dont worry about being held for "false reporting". The test is inadmissable in court. Unless they had a few "credible" witnesses that counter your account of the attack, you'll be fine. Sorry they don't believe your story.

Answer 8

Yes, you can be telling the truth, and the polygraph could say that you are lying, or being deceptive. Things like nervousness can do this. This is why polygraph result CANNOT be used in court as evidence.

Answer 9

The results of a lie detecter may NOT be used in a court of law.

Answer 10

No they are not reliable and can't be used in court.