Polygraph examiners use a variety of instruments to measure respiratory, sweat gland and cardiovascular responses to questions posed during an oral examination.
Where Do Polygraph Examiners Work?
Polygraph examiners mainly work in the fields of criminal justice, law enforcement, and intelligence at agencies and in departments specific to these areas. They can play a vital part in investigations and job applicant screenings. They can be called into courtrooms and legal proceedings to perform tests or testify about results.
What Is a Polygraph Examiner?
A polygraph examiner conducts polygraph tests, also known as lie detector tests. Polygraph machines are used in law enforcement and criminal justice fields to screen applicants and conduct investigations.
What does a polygraph examiner do?
While polygraph examiners conduct polygraph examinations, they also have several other duties. Here are some of a polygraph examiner’s duties:
Preparing examinees for testing
Conducting polygraph examinations
Preparing reports regarding the results of a polygraph exam
Interpreting test results and form an opinion regarding the subject’s truthfulness or deception
Below is How To Become A Polygraph Examiner In South Africa
Go to polygraph school
To become a polygraph examiner, enroll in an accredited polygraph training program. Accredited by the American Polygraph Association, many of these programs take up to 18 months to complete.
Keep in mind that some polygraph schools require you to have an associate or bachelor’s degree in a related field such as psychology, criminal justice or law enforcement. You may also have to have relevant work experience.
Complete fieldwork or independent study
Once you complete your polygraph examiner course, complete an internship or fieldwork. You often have one to two years to finish an internship or fieldwork after your course completion.
During an internship, you get to work under the supervision of a polygraph examiner. You may get to write a research paper in lieu of the internship.
Get certified
While it’s not necessary, you have the option of becoming a member of the American Polygraph Association once you graduate from polygraph school. You can apply for certification through state or regional polygraph examiners’ associations.
Because the results of a polygraph test often depend on the skill of the polygraph examiner, the American Polygraph Association has rigorous standards that examiners must meet for certification to ensure the integrity of the polygraph.
Pass your state’s licensing examination
If your state requires licensing, you may have to obtain a trainee license and complete a certain number of polygraph examinations or complete your internship requirements before you take the licensure exam.
How long does it take to become a polygraph examiner in South Africa?
To become a polygraph examiner, enroll in an accredited polygraph training program. Accredited by the American Polygraph Association, many of these programs take up to 18 months to complete.
How do I become a certified polygraph examiner?
To be eligible to provide a polygraph examiner education course, a registrant must submit a completed course approval application (PDF) on a department-approved form; and file and obtain approval of the course curriculum required. The approval is valid for one year and may be renewed annually.
What is the demand for polygraph examiners?
Job growth for all forensic and polygraph examiners is expected to grow at a rate of 19 percent . There’s plenty of room for you, but it’s not a free-for-all. Still, it’s higher than the national average.
Is a polygraph examiner a good job?
Polygraph examiners are highly analytical people with excellent interpersonal communication skills. They combine knowledge of psychology and physiology to evaluate individuals for deceptive tendencies. The work can be fascinating and intellectually stimulating.
Can you fail a polygraph by being nervous?
According to a report from the National Academy of Sciences, “[a] variety of mental and physical factors, such as anxiety about being tested, can affect polygraph results making the technique susceptible to error.” Unfortunately, once you have failed a government polygraph test, there may be little you can do to .
Do polygraph examiners lie?
In short, polygraph tests record a number of different bodily responses which can then be used to determine whether someone is telling the truth. So polygraph tests do not measure deception or lying directly, but rather possible signs that a person could be deceiving the interviewer.
What are the polygraph examiner duties and responsibilities?
The objective of the polygraph examination is to ascertain if a person’s reactions, as recorded indicate truthfulness, so the following maybe accomplished:
Verify statement or testimony.
Obtain additional investigative leads of an offense, location of evidence, or whereabouts of wanted persons.
How easy is it to fail a polygraph?
And the results of this test will play a very large part in deciding whether you will get the job that you’re applying for. However, the test is not 100% accurate, and honest people often fail the polygraph.