Should You Agree to Take a Lie Detector Test?

Should You Agree to Take a Lie Detector Test?

Despite the fact that lie detector tests are not admissible in court, police officers continue to try to convince people who are suspects or who have been charged with a crime to submit to a lie detector test. If you are charged with a crime, an officer may exert considerable pressure on you to take one and could even suggest that you must be guilty if you will not agree to submit to a test. However, it is never a good idea to agree to take a polygraph test. Here are a few of the reasons why:

• The operator could be inexperienced, which could affect your test results.
   
• The lie detector machine may not be calibrated properly.
   
• You may be nervous, and this could lead to polygraph machine incorrectly recording changes in your blood pressure and heart rate that suggest that you are lying or otherwise being deceptive.
   
• The police want you to take the polygraph test not only to review your test results, but also to gather evidence from you. They do this through your answers to the questions during the test. In addition, they often ask you questions before you are connected to the machine and after your session is completed. Some people feel more comfortable after the test and can offer evidence or other useful information to the police—and harmful to themselves.
   
• Some of the statements that you make, such as those before and after the administration of the lie detector test, can be used against you in court.

Will the Charges Be Dismissed If I Pass a Lie Detector Test?

Unfortunately, the charges against you will often not be dismissed—even if you pass the lie detector test. The police may just claim that you are a good liar. In addition, the test results would still not be admissible in court.