10 Frequent Errors Inexperienced Polygraph Examiners Make
Are you considering taking a polygraph examination to resolve a crucial aspect of your life—be it personal, relational, career-related, or a legal concern? Choosing the right polygraph examiner is critical for you to gain the closure you need to move forward in life, as inexperienced polygraph examiners can make significant mistakes that may ultimately impact the outcome of your polygraph test results and your life moving forward.
In this blog post, we will explore the ten frequent errors inexperienced polygraph examiners make and how they can have far-reaching consequences.
1. Lack of Ongoing Training
Inexperienced polygraph examiners often fail to keep up with the latest advancements in polygraph techniques, neglecting essential and required ongoing training. Failing to go to ongoing training is due to examiners thinking that they know it all, it’s too expensive to attend, it’s not worth it to them, or they simply have an ‘I don’t care’ attitude. This lack of prioritizing proper training results in a dependence on outdated methods, leading to inaccurate readings and misinterpretations, with a consequential lack of reliability in their results.
2. Last-Minute Preparation
Picture this scenario: you entrust your significant matters to a polygraph examiner who procrastinates until the last minute. On the day of your polygraph examination, they scramble to catch up, having overlooked the significance and details of your crucial case beforehand. Instead of approaching your examination with diligence and insight, they choose to wing it, solely driven only by the fact that they are getting your money. Now, would you trust a surgeon who exhibits the same behavior before a major operation? This lack of thorough preparation not only jeopardizes the integrity of the examination process but also raises serious doubts about their commitment to delivering accurate and reliable results for your important matters.
Consider this comparison carefully when making decisions about who you trust with such crucial aspects of your life. Just as you wouldn't tolerate such behavior from a surgeon, your choice of a polygraph examiner should prioritize competence, thoroughness, and a genuine commitment to your well-being.
3. Poorly Worded Questions
Crafting precise and relevant testing questions is one of the most important aspects of a successful polygraph examination. Inexperienced examiners may struggle with poorly worded or phrased questions that fail to address the real issues that individuals need total closure to move on in their lives.
4. Failure to Assess Emotions vs. Deceptive Reactions
Distinguishing between genuine emotions and deceptive reactions is a skill that inexperienced polygraph examiners often lack. This oversight can result in misinterpretations and false conclusions regarding the examinee's honesty, potentially impacting the closure you seek in personal issues, relationships, career, legal matters, or any other issue that is troubling you.
Every individual who goes to take a polygraph test will have some kind of emotion that is currently affecting them, such as anxiety, anger, frustration, or sadness. The professional polygraph examiner will be able to accurately assess these emotions during the testing phase versus when a person is displaying deceptive responses.
5. Misreading Polygraph Charts
Misreading polygraph charts is a common mistake made by inexperienced examiners, with potential repercussions for your test results. Incorrectly labeling test results as a failure or inconclusive can significantly impact the closure you are seeking and result in the potential loss of a relationship, criminal charge, or employment. This issue often ties back to the initial point of lacking ongoing training. When an examiner misreads polygraph charts and inaccurately informs the examinee of a failure, a false pass, or an inconclusive result, it highlights a lack of competence. In such cases, the examinee may not have failed, passed, or deserved an inconclusive result. This emphasizes the importance of ongoing training to ensure examiners are well-equipped and experienced in accurate reading of polygraph chart interpretation.
6. Lack of Real-Life Law Enforcement Experience
Real-life law enforcement experience is a priceless asset when dealing with intricate cases. Examiners without this experience may encounter challenges in unveiling crucial clues, potentially leading to weak interviewing skills and unreliable polygraph outcomes. Those lacking real-life law enforcement experience may struggle in navigating complex cases, possibly overlooking vital clues and cues and falling prey to manipulation by individuals. This lack of real-life law enforcement experience often results in weak interviewing skills and unreliable polygraph examinations. It is essential for examiners to possess true, real-life experience in official law enforcement capacities such as detective, investigator, FBI agent, or federal law enforcement agent. Conducting a variety of interviews on different matters of importance and resolving them is paramount for comprehending the truth behind any important case. Examiners who lack this extensive experience are prone to being outmaneuvered, missing critical cues, and succumbing to manipulation. Their weakness lies in an inability to effectively solve crimes, a fear of confrontation, and notably poor interviewing skills.
7. Outdated Equipment and Improper Locations for Testing
The reliability of your polygraph test results is closely tied to the quality of equipment, updated software, and conducive locations. Inexperienced polygraph examiners may operate with outdated software and old equipment while rushing through an examination to get to their next client, raising the likelihood of compromised accuracy.
8. Cheaper Price, Less Quality
Some polygraph examiners offering significantly lower prices often prioritize quantity over quality, rushing through examinations without genuinely addressing your concerns, and showing a lack of empathy to your serious issue. The consequences may become evident in incomplete and unreliable results, negatively impacting the closure you seek. It's crucial not to always settle for the cheapest option or the quickest availability. Opting for price over experience implies, for example, in a case where your daughter has allegedly been molested, you are prioritizing that cost is more important over addressing that your daughter has been molested.
9. Limited Expertise
Some polygraph examiners confine themselves to specific issues they find comfortable in testing, (for example, a polygraph examiner sticking with infidelity issues only) neglecting other serious matters that trouble you such as child molestation, rape, theft, criminal charges, military issues, or employment issues. This narrow focus can compromise the accuracy and reliability of results if the examiner is not experienced in your important matter.
While these examiners may have expertise in certain areas, their limitations become apparent when faced with diverse issues that concern you, your family, or your business. Despite this, they might still be inclined to take on cases beyond their expertise to secure business opportunities, potentially harming your case and relationships.
Issues ranging from criminal matters and military concerns to child sexual abuse, EPPA for business, adult sex abuse cases, family drug matters, sex addiction, and therapeutic concerns demand a breadth of experience. Examiners without extensive exposure to testing such diverse issues on a regular and consistent basis may lack the accuracy needed to resolve them effectively.
Your case could be adversely affected by their limited experience. Therefore, be cautious when choosing a polygraph examiner, ensuring they have the expertise required to handle the specific issues that matter most to you, your loved ones, and your case. Do not just settle on an examiner who says, “I can handle it!”, check their reviews, check their professional referrals, and their credentials.
10. Fear of Confrontation
Some polygraph examiners confine themselves to specific issues they find comfortable in testing, (for example, a polygraph examiner sticking with infidelity issues only) neglecting other serious matters that trouble you such as child molestation, rape, theft, criminal charges, military issues, or employment issues. This narrow focus can compromise the accuracy and reliability of results if the examiner is not experienced in your important matter.
The Importance of Finding a Reliable, Highly Experienced, and Well-Trained Polygraph Examiner
When looking for a reliable polygraph examiner, it's essential to think about how comfortable he/she made you feel in your very first contact with them, how informative they were when speaking with you, and how confident it made you feel knowing this examiner will give you the answers you need to move on in your life.
Whether dealing with personal issues, relationships, career, or legal matters, the expertise of a highly experienced and well-trained professional polygraph examiner is the key to your closure. Remember, the decision is always yours, and remember regret and doubt will stay with you forever. Choose wisely. Choose Executive Protection Group Polygraph Service.
Executive Protection Group Polygraph Service specializes in comprehensive and confidential polygraph examinations, serving clients in Hampton Roads, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and beyond. Led by David Goldberg, a Virginia State Licensed Advanced Board-Certified Polygraph Examiner with over 22 years of experience, our commitment is to deliver immediate, reliable, and accurate results. Our mission is clear: to eliminate doubts and ensure you find the closure you deserve to move forward in your life.
To explore how we can assist you further, review our polygraph services or call Executive Protection Group Polygraph Service today.
