National Academy of Sciences Polygraph Review
In January 2001, the National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council began project BCSS-I-00-01-A, an $860,000 "Study to Review the Scientific Evidence on the Polygraph." The final report, published in October 2002 and titled The Polygraph and Lie Detection, is now available on the NAS website. An executive summary (22 kb PDF) may be downloaded from AntiPolygraph.org, as may the entire report (10.3 mb PDF).
The report's key conclusion is that "[polygraph testing's] accuracy in distinguishing actual or potential security violators from innocent test takers is insufficient to justify reliance on its use in employee security screening in federal agencies."
The National Research Council made some documentation of its proceedings available on its web page for the project, which is no longer online, but which remains available via the Internet Archive's WayBack Machine. The audio files of the polygraph review panel's public hearings will be of special interest to researchers, and AntiPolygraph.org has made them available here along with additional information from the hearings to supplement that on the NAS web page.
25-27 January 2001. First Public Meeting.
- Meeting Agenda. Times, topics and speakers for the polygraph committee's first meeting.
- Basic Outline of the Law of Polygraphs, by Professor David L. Faigman, U.C. Hastings College of Law. This outline of the status of polygraphy under U.S. law was circulated at the meeting.
- Sen. Jeff Bingaman's 1999 Comments of on Proposed DOE Polygraph Regulation. Senator Bingaman spoke at the meeting and also made available these comments that he had prepared in 1999 when the Department of Energy first announced its plan to implement widespread polygraph screening. Senator Bingaman's efforts are largely responsible for this National Academy of Sciences study becoming a reality.
- Sen. Jeff Bingaman's Press Release on NAS Polygraph Study dated 26 January 2001
- Sen. Pete Domenici's Press Release on NAS Polygraph Study (6kb PDF) dated 26 January 2001. Sen. Domenici's science advisor, Peter Lyons, was present and addressed the committee.
- Audio:
- Meeting Agenda (19kb PDF). Times, topics, and speakers for the polygraph committee's 2nd public meeting. Former FBI and CIA director Judge William H. Webster, though scheduled to speak, did not appear at the meeting.
- George W. Maschke's written remarks. A set of questions on polygraphy submitted for the Committee's consideration. (Download this file in PDF format)
- Audio:
- Meeting Agenda. Times, topics, and speakers for the polygraph committee's 3rd public meeting. Speakers included Charles Honts, William Iacono, John Harris, Emanuel Donchin, Sheila Reed, Stephen Kosslyn, Andrew Ryan, and committee member Emmett Keeler.
- Audio:
- Memo from Dr. Drew C. Richardson to Paul Stern regarding topics on which Dr. Richardson would speak. This memo was circulated at the meeting. (Download this file in PDF format)
- Transcript of Dr. Richardson's presentation.
- Audio: