TESTIMONY A WITHERING BLOW TO LIE DETECTOR

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00149R000200590006-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 4, 2000
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: September 30, 1967
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For Release/0 : CIA-RDP75-0
CLAYTON FRI TCHEY
G 9' a
Jr ll er5N'
It's hard to say 'what will in Massachusetts, which says,
finally become of the Senate's "No employer shall'require or
new proclamation of privacy subject any employe to any lie
..for federal employes, because detector test as a condition of
the bill has yet-to pass the employment ' or continued
House, but come what may employment.". Oregon, Rhode
it has dealt the polygraph Island and Hawaii have
machine (lie detector) a similar proscriptions. More
withering blow. . are on the way.
The legislation ultimately It is, reported that no court
could protect federal workers in the land, state or federal,
from all kinds of prying into will now permit a polygraph
the most intimate recesses of test to be admitted in evi-
their private lives. Even if it dence. The reason for this,
falls short of this, however, it according to Sen. Sam J.
has speeded the end of the Arvin D.-N.C., a'former judge,
polygraph, which has been is that "the machine is of the
used so indiscriminately, in -'most dubious value." It cannot
government hiring and firing. interpret itself, he points out,
During the Senate hearings, ''but, must be interpreted by
the testimony against the lie an 'operator. The machine
detector, both as to its abuse . 'merely measures physiologi-.
and unreliability,. was so cal' reactions such as blood
devastating that its further pressure, the pumping of
use, outside of government as adrenalin by the adrenal glads
well as in, will undodbtedly be into the bloodstream and the
curtailed,' irrespective of like, as a result of excitement
whether the House approves and stimulation."
the Senate bill. While presiding over a
Federal discontinuance is. ` murder trial, the former judge
certain to accelerate a similar said he had given "close
trend at the state and local ' study" to polygraph tests fundamental rights of Ameri- are not perpetually. held
levels. A number of states, in when the prosecution tried to can citizens to personal priva- against them in our considera-
statutes comparable to the one. ;-"I came -to. the conclusion,". "nor
nor private employers'should ?1va7
CPYRGHT
Approved For Release 2000/05/05: CIA-RDP75-00149R000200590006-3
w to
he says, "that a brazen liar be permitted to engage in this
can pass a polygraph test with sort of police state surveil-
out any difficulty, but that a lance of the lives of individual
nervous or excitable individ
ual, or an individual who. citizens."
resents being insulted, no ' Only' the CIA and the armed
matter how truthful he may ' forces National ? . Security'
the Warren Commission, Sen. . Hruska, . R-Neb., to
which said, "In evaluating the accuse them of' being the
polygraph, due consideration "greatest transgressors" in
must be given to the fact that using the polygraph. "What
a physiological response may ? they want," says- Sen.' Ervin;
be , caused by factors other is to stand above the law." .
than deception, such as fear, The Civil Service' Commis-
anxiety, neurosis, dislike and sion, on the other hand, has ., .
other emotions. There are no been showing '. a growing
valid statistics as to the. ` respect for the private lives.of
reliability of the polygraph." ? Federal employes.' It has just
FBI Director J. Edgar'.. quietly, but ,efficiently, repri-.
Hoover is already on record mandcd one of its investiga
against the polygraph for tors for "`improperly" inquir-
personnel purposes... Labor ? ing into . a. report that an
unions are also beginning to., applicant had borne a child.,:
protest, Against its use. out of wedlock.
The AFL-CIO ` Executive ' "This fact in itself," the-,,
'
Commission
assured Con-
Council has. "deplored" them. gress, "is not considered a ?
"not only because, their claims disqualification.'? And it added, .,'
to 'reliability are dubious, but ' "The youthful mistakes, of