At the recent 2011 NPA British Finals held in Bedworth on Sunday 23rd October, Lightweight competitor Bazza Ridge failed a polygraph test and was automatically disqualified from the contest.

Due to the nature of the failure, Mr.Ridge has subsequently been disqualified from the 2011 NPA South East where he placed first in the Lightweight class.

The results from that contest will, therefore, be amended, so belated congratulations are extended to the new 2011 NPA South East Lightweight Champion DAVID BRIGGS.

A full report with amended results is now on the NPA web-site (see Show Reports). The NPA will continue to promote Natural Bodybuilding with the drug-testing and polygraphing programmes being such an important part of everything the association stands for.

Suspected sex offenders have been targeted with lie detector tests in a police trial to gauge the risk they pose to the public.

Hertfordshire police has been using polygraphs, which monitor heart rate, brain activity, sweating and blood pressure, during questioning to help decide whether to charge suspects.

The force confirmed it had completed a successful pilot scheme in November in which 25 “low level” sex offenders were tested. Many were found to pose a higher risk to children than previously estimated. A further 12-month trial is expected to start in April.

Of the 10 offenders tested in April, six revealed more serious offending. Testing ended so further inquiries could take place, according to the Times. Of the other four, two revealed offences, thus passing the test, and received cautions and attended a sexual offender treatment programme.

The last two made disclosures and passed the test but refused to admit the offences when interviewed later. Their cases went to court. All four were placed on the sex offenders register.

Of the 15 offenders tested in November, eight failed while six passed. One was caught trying to beat the polygraph, breathing erratically and talking slowly.

Detective Chief Inspector Glen Channer, head of Hertfordshire’s child protection unit, said the polygraph was an “added weapon in our armoury of investigative techniques”. He said the tests were carried out by accredited practitioners in a scientific environment and were not relied upon on their own.

Hertfordshire police said : “The testing is undertaken ahead of any charges being brought and involves specialist officers from the constabulary’s paedophile unit working with an expert who conducts the test on first-time offenders who have volunteered to co-operate with police. Evidence elicited during the examinations is not admissible at court.”

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) cautioned that the tests were at a very early stage. A spokesman said: “Polygraph techniques are complex and are by no means a single solution to solving crimes, potentially offering in certain circumstances an additional tool to structured interrogation.

“These initial trials are in their very early stages and we will follow their progress, working with chief officers across the country to provide further guidance if necessary.

“Whether these techniques are adopted elsewhere in the country is a matter for individual chief constables.”

Self-Defense Force (SDF) members who deal with secret information must sign commitments to submit to polygraph tests even for voluntary internal inquiries, it has been learned.

The commitments are designed to “open members eyes to the heavy responsibility of maintaining complete secrecy,” according to the Defense Ministry. However, a number of SDF members have openly criticized the practice, stating, “Maintaining secrecy is natural, but treating us like criminals from the very start is strange.”

According to the Defense Ministry and other sources, the polygraph test commitments began this fiscal year in response to a number of information leaks, including the 2007 leak of secret information on Japan’s advanced Aegis vessels. Based on an internal rules order, the polygraph commitments were instituted for members of a number of Defense Ministry sections, including the Defense Intelligence Headquarters. In addition to demanding the signed commitments, the ministry also requested SDF members submit documents detailing their backgrounds, such as family structure.

SDF members are required to write the polygraph commitments themselves, based on a sample text. The documents commit SDF members to “vow to cooperate as necessary” with investigations and internal inquiries, and specifically mentions submitting to polygraph tests. SDF members are required by the ministry to copy the sample text exactly, with no variations permitted. In addition, the ministry has instituted one-on-one information management advisory sessions for all SDF members more than once a year, as well as “special searches” of members’ computers and personal belongings.

“Even with preventive measures set up, leaks didn’t entirely disappear, so deterrence is also part of the reason for the commitments,” says the ministry’s investigations section. “We will implement them on a purely voluntary basis, and there is no punishment for refusal.”

Even in mandatory criminal investigations, a subject’s approval is required for the administration of a polygraph test in order to guarantee the subject’s statements are voluntary.

“Polygraphs might be acceptable in compulsory investigations, but why must SDF members agree to take the test even for internal surveys, which are in principle voluntary?” said one senior official in the uniformed services. Meanwhile, a civilian ministry source also voiced doubts over the tests, saying, “Even if you say they’re voluntary, the word ‘polygraph’ startles some people. The new system feels disruptive.”

According to United Nations International Labour Organization (ILO) board member Shigeru Nakajima, an expert in civil service labor issues, “There are civil servants in other ministries and agencies who deal with secret information, but applying such a system to them is unthinkable. A written commitment that includes submission to a polygraph is in fact coercive and causes considerable pressure on the individual, leading to psychological stress.”

Los Angeles, CA, November 4, 2009 — “Almost no human being can beat a polygraph test,” says Dr. Louis Rovner, a noted scientist and polygraph expert in Los Angeles, California.

In fact, lie detection technology has become so sophisticated that a polygraph can now detect a person’s efforts to try to beat the test, according to Polygraph Reality, Dr. Rovner’s blog.

Several websites claim that they can teach people how to beat a polygraph test. All a person has to do is supply them with a credit card number or, in one case, download the information for free. However, most polygraph examiners know that time and money spent on that information is wasted, since scientific research has shown that attempts to beat a polygraph test (called countermeasures) are futile.

Dr. Rovner says that the idea of beating a polygraph test after reading a short book is absurd. “This is about the same as saying that you will be able to beat Tiger Woods in a golf tournament by simply reading a book about golf.” The interplay between the sophisticated technology of the polygraph, the knowledge and experience of the examiner, and the involuntary physiological reactions of the subject is so complex that almost no one can appear truthful on the polygraph when he is lying.

“Beating the polygraph,” says Rovner, “is impossible for just about everybody.” The polygraph is a scientific instrument which records physiological changes in our bodies. Polygraph examiners are trained to look for subtle abnormalities in these changes as a person answers a series of questions. The changes, he says, are involuntary reactions that occur in our bodies when we are not being truthful. “In order to beat the test,” he says, “a person must use his central nervous system to override the involuntary activity of the autonomic nervous system, and he must do it on cue, every 25 seconds or so.” Given the anxiety of a typical polygraph subject, it is extremely unlikely that anyone could successfully fool a competent polygraph examiner.

Scientific research into polygraph accuracy has been going on for more than 40 years. “Overall,” says Dr. Rovner, “we are confident that polygraph tests have an accuracy rate as high as 96% when done properly.” That statement is backed up by hundreds of research studies and experiments. Rovner’s own published research is one of the studies which show that people cannot beat a polygraph test simply by reading about polygraph techniques.

Dr. Rovner has been a polygraph examiner since 1976. He is one many scientists who have published research regarding polygraph accuracy and countermeasures. Dr. Rovner had polygraph tests admitted into criminal court. He has taught at two polygraph schools in California and has spoken at numerous training seminars and workshops. He is a member of the American Polygraph Association, the National Polygraph Association, ASTM, the American Psychological Association, the Society for Psychophysiological Research, and the American Psychology-Law Society.

A West Midlands based company is introducing a new service to the UK that they claim could save businesses thousands of pounds in insurance claims, training costs and employment tribunal costs.

Forensic Vetting Ltd are trained and licensed polygraph testers. The company was formed in October 2008 by two retired Wolverhampton senior detectives, Andrew Armstrong and Patrick Mulligan.

Polygraph testing, sometimes called lie detector testing, is widely used in the USA and is a method of testing for evidence of fraudulent behaviour and can be beneficial when interviewing candidates for critical positions, employment reappraisals and screening.

“Prospective employers will see that polygraph testing is a useful recruitment tool and part of the interviewing process”, says Mr Mulligan. “We explain exactly what takes place, demystify the process, and give our client and their subjects scenarios where they can see the benefits – it works both ways.

“Forensic Vetting carry out two types of testing; screening and diagnostic. Screening is initially carried out across a broad framework of questions. This is then followed by a diagnostic test, which tightens up the accuracy of the procedure.

“The benefits to employers and prospective employers are clear. When screening for pre-employment, it is possible to save an employer a lot of time, money and stress when attempting to find the right candidate by discounting unsuitable candidates at an early stage. When carried out under controlled conditions this test carries an accuracy rate of up to 98 per cent with an average of 87 per cent, enabling a professional sector company who will have many high calibre people applying for key positions, to be very selective and make informed decisions from the outset. This reduces risk within the company. Security companies like Brinks Mat already use it, and we are working with Group 4 at present.”

“At the outset, we have a written agreement with our client”, says Mr Armstrong. “The client could be the person who is going to be tested. We will carry out a sensitisation process and a consent process with both the client and the subject, so that they can ask any questions. Everything is done voluntarily and transparently.”

“The skill in successful polygraph testing lies in the formation of the questions and the evaluation of the responses”, says Mr Mulligan. “We devise a set of questions of equal importance with our client. The subject, usually the client’s employee or job applicant, will then undertake an interview, and questions are formulated from this, which are both specific and general to the topic.

“At Forensic Vetting we are highly experienced in testing and enhanced interviewing. We formulate the questions depending on the techniques we decide to use, and these techniques depend on the circumstances of each case”, says Mr Armstrong. “If it is a situation where there is no known allegation, for instance a pre-employment interview, our client would want to determine, as part of the initial screening process, that the subject was trustworthy, or hasn’t lied on their CV or the application form. We would therefore formulate the kind of questions that would determine this outcome, and after discussion with our client the kind of applicant they are looking for. We then explain the procedure and the context of the questions fully to the applicant before conducting the polygraph test.

“If the diagnostic test uncovers something, our client might request a re-interview. We then try to establish what it was – it might well be a minor case that the would-be employer would have no concern with. In this case, we could advise our client that this candidate is trustworthy and employable. This information is collated and presented to the client.”

“We also act for the aggrieved, with the subject becoming our client”, says Mr Mulligan. “In the case of a specific allegation against an existing member of staff, for example if an employer suspects that our client had engaged in theft or internal fraud, we could help them prove their innocence.

“The most valuable asset to any company is their human resources. Polygraph testing can become an on-going policy for the organisation, so that new staff will be aware that, if they ever wish to apply for a critical post, they will be expected to be tested. We can advise and tailor a package designed around the needs of the organisation.

“Polygraph testing is a sophisticated valuable tool for recruitment and risk management, enabling a business owner to make an informed decision. Compliance has a massive role in today’s professional sector. It is important to consistently and frequently update records on existing key staff who occupy critical posts, and vetting is a very thorough way to carry this out. The collapse of some of the world’s major financial institutions – and the crises that followed – might have been avoided if forensic vetting of critical posts had been carried out frequently.”

Lie detector tests could be used to monitor sex offenders in Scotland.

Justice secretary Kenny MacAskill yesterday confirmed the Scottish government are monitoring 10 pilot schemes in England.

If successful, they will be introduced here.

He said: “If is shown to be working then we will be happy to learn from any jurisdiction and we are watching with interest what they do.”

He was responding to a call from Tory Bill Aitken to introduce polygraph tests and satellite tracking to monitor sex offenders.

MacAskill said tracking would “show where they are” but not what they are doing.

He added: “Technology has to be looked at, and where it appropriate, we will bring it in but it has limitations.”

Aitken’s call came after James Rennie and registered sex offender Neil Strachan were given life sentences for their part in Scotland’s biggest paedophile ring.

“It’s an in-house job and it’s terrible. There was no sigh of breaking and entry. Someone came in, raided the place and locked up,” jewellery design and manufacturing head Vassiliki Konstandakellis told the newspaper.

The jewellery, which included diamonds and un-worked platinum, was stolen from a safe on January 27. University staff have been given polygraph tests and one person has failed.

“The investigation is at quite a sensitive stage. We have looked at a number of things as well as the CCTV footage, but we can’t disclose any information,” said head of security Angelo Echardt.

Western Cape police said that they were aware of the case through the media but that no criminal complaint had been filed

The investigating officer (IO) in the case, additional commissioner of police (ACP) ND Parmar, is to get the polygraph test conducted on these three in connection with an atrocity case lodged against Trivedi by a faculty member Pankaj Shrimali.

As per the complaint, Trivedi was accused of making derogatory remarks against Shrimali in 2008, which was witnessed by another faculty member PP Prajapati.

The police proceeded with investigation only after Gujarat High Court refused to quash FIR against Trivedi. However, the investigating agency filed ‘A’ summary before a magisterial court, but following a strong resistance on part of Shrimali, deputy CP, BK Jha assured the court that further probe would be conducted.

Shrimali, a lecturer with the GLS college, charged that Trivedi made castiest remarks against him on May 3 in the university premise after a meeting. There were a few witnesses in this case initially, but as investigation moved further, all of them retracted except Prajapati.

Now, Trivedi along with complainant Shrimali, and witness Prajapati have been asked to make themselves available at the FSL, as their lie-detection tests are scheduled to be conducted in the next two days. Earlier, in a written reply to an application under the RTI Act, the IO had told Shrimali that January 30 was booked for the tests to be conducted on the three of them.

However, Shrimali and Prajapati have opposed the IO’s move for polygraph test saying that lie-detection test on a complainant and witness is something unprecedented in criminal investigation. They have also blamed the police of being partial to the vice-chancellor.

Already, communications director for the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Karl Angell, said the entire police and civilian staff at both facilities have undergone lie-detector tests.

In a statement to the media, Angell said the audit ordered by acting Police Commissioner Owen Ellington will be carried out by a team from the Ministry of National Security and officers from the constabulary’s Inspectorate Division.

When The Gleaner visited the armoury and Stores, which are housed at the Elletson Road Police Station, crime scene tape was draped around the buildings, which remained closed.

A total of 19 firearms, close to 11,000 rounds of ammunition and more than $750,000 were seized after a team from the East Kingston Police Division stopped and searched a police sergeant along Munster Road in east St Andrew.

The weapons included M16 rifles, Uzi sub-machine guns, pistols and revolvers. The sergeant and a businessman who owns the home where some of the guns were found are among those still being quizzed by detectives.

According to the official police report, cops saw several persons acting suspiciously along Munster Road, which runs off Mountain View Avenue. They were stopped and searched and the weapons found.

Speaking to reporters at the scene, Ellington admitted the possible involvement of police personnel and immediately closed down both the armoury and stores, indicating that both facilities would be treated as crime scenes.

“I’m taking this action because of the possible involvement of police personnel in the unlawful removal and possible sale of the weapons seized this morning,” he said then.

It happened inside an apartment on Irby Road in Woodruff.

Police say Kerry Marteze Young, 27, and his girlfriend took their 6-month old son to the hospital on Sunday.

Doctors say the baby had a skull fracture, bleeding on the brain and three broken ribs.

Police say Young initially told doctors he dropped the child while giving him a breathing treatment on Friday. They say he and his girlfriend noticed swelling on the baby’s head on Sunday.

But police say the father failed a lie detector test on Tuesday and admitted he had been smoking pot and drinking and then flipped the baby off the bed while changing his diaper.

Young is charged with child abuse. He’s out of jail on $10,000 bond.

Police say at a family court hearing on Thursday, a judge gave DSS temporary custody of the child. The parents can have supervised visits.