How long before investigators started using a lie detector to determine which employee is the data thief?

Question

I'm writing a movie script where one of the characters steals confidential data from a telecom company which has national security implications. How long do you think it would be before they used a lie detector on the employees to determine who the thief was? Would it be the first day, on the first round of questioning? Follow-up questions? I want this to be realistic, but would prefer to have as few rounds of questioning as possible, to keep this part of the movie short. But I'll do anything just to make it look real. I'm assuming it will be a private security firm doing the investigation, though I might change it to the FBI.

Any personal experience on this would be helpful. Thanks.

Answer 1

They dont really use lie detectors any more, if at all, because they are too unreliable and will not hold up in court. A person can volunteer to take a polygraph test to help prove their innocence, but it isnt something they do in a normal round of questioning.

Answer 2

think that from a corporate standpoint, lie detectors would be frowned upon for several reasons. Mainly because they are not infallible and would open up the company to lawsuits. Government agencies can use them, because they are just piling on any evidence they can, however hole-ridden it may be, and of course, they are not worried about lawsuits concerning any "results" a lie detector may have.

The other reason I dont think lie detectors would be of any use is that every corporate employee, from the lowest clerk to the highest CEO is a data thief of some sort. And no CEO in America would submit to a lie detector about their actions as head of the company.

But other than shooting down the premise of your movie, it sounds like a wonderful idea for a screenplay!

As far as my personal experiences with lie detectors, I have been threatened with their usage under criminal circumstances, but when I seemed willing to take the test, it never occurred. In my opinion they are just another psychological tool to cause the questioned to "Break" and implicate themselves by refusing to take the test.

Answer 3

Many companies got away from using polygraph machines after being sued over decisions made on the basis of the test. They are not all that reliable but are a pretty good investigative tool for eliminating suspects.

Here's an idea for you. I knew a private investigator who did a lot of internal investigations for different corporations. He had a device known as a "Voice Stress Analyzer". This thing would measure the micro tremors of the voice to determine the level of stress a person was feeling. The higher the stress the more likely it was the person was lying. The device did not have to attached to the person. His was a battery operated, self contained box that was the size of a brief case and looked like one to boot. He simply set it on the desk and questioned his suspect without them knowing they were being recorded and tested by the machine.

That is a complete violation of rights, but he never used the results of the test to assign guilt. The test pointed him in the right direction and he simply dug up other evidence on the suspect.

Type in "voice stress analyzer" on your search engine for further info.

Answer 4

Lie detectors are not that reliable, so they usually aren't used in corporate investigations. The only way I can see it being used, is if they think they know who did it, and want to use the lie detector test to pressure the person into confessing.

Answer 5

Investigators will use a lie detector test if they presume that an employee committed an irregularity but denies it.

Answer 6

I can't imagine anyone in such a situation sitting for a polygraph - anyone clever enough to be involved also knows their rights and how unreliable polygraphs are.

If it were me (and I am as high tech as it gets), such a scene in a movie would destroy it or at least lower it to the level of a farce.

Answer 7

another white collar crime drama? why not write another chick-flick instead
Cheers