Offenders allowed to avoid lie testing (MA)

lowellsun.com ^ | 7/12/2007 | cawats

[CAWats]

BOSTON -- Paroled sex offenders -- including some convicted of raping a child -- have gone without required polygraphs due to weak management at the seven-member Massachusetts Parole Board, according to an audit released yesterday.

State Auditor Joe DeNucci detailed poor supervision of parolees, including failure to give drug tests and collect child-support payments, calling it a public-safety risk in the 38-page report.

"I just know they're not doing what they're supposed to," said DeNucci, adding that the fumbled sex-offender oversight was "probably the most egregious of all the findings."

The board failed to conduct a required biannual polygraph on 17 of 105 sex-offender parolee cases examined by DeNucci. The 17 parolees had been convicted of rape of a child, child pornography, assault with intent to commit rape, and indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.

Paroled sex offenders are required to take the test every six months to determine if any behavior related to their crimes has reoccurred.

[microgood]

I do not mind them harassing the sex offenders but polygraphs are not only BS, they are dangerous.

When the so called 20th hijacker was in prison, he told another prisoner many details about their plan. This prisoner contacted the FBI, but because he failed a lie detector test, they ignored. The testimony had details about getting training on jets to fly them into buildings.

That could be the most costly bogus lie detector test in world history.

[Dick Holmes]

Yes, lie detectors merely detect nervousness. Some people (sociopaths who lie all the time) don’t get nervous when lying and some people get nervous when they are hooked up to a machine that detects nervousness, that will be used to accuse them of lying, even when they are telling the truth. It’s a lazy-ass “investigation” that yields BS.

[microgood]

Yes, lie detectors merely detect nervousness. Some people (sociopaths who lie all the time) don’t get nervous when lying and some people get nervous when they are hooked up to a machine that detects nervousness, that will be used to accuse them of lying, even when they are telling the truth. It’s a lazy-ass “investigation” that yields BS.

It really is an intimidating interrogation technique that freaks some people out and is manipulated by others.

[razorback-bert]

Let us remember all the spies caught by the FBI and the CIA by polys.

I think the number is real high...zero.

[tiger-one]

Point was they missed the required tests. Mitt’s world at work?

[eastforker]

A lie detector test results is only as good as the examiner.The right phrase of the questions and test questions is needed along with a proper interview before the test and the specific areas under investigation. Administered properly a lie detctor test is a very useful tool to an investigator. And like all tools if not used properly, it can lead to dammage or injury.