The main reason for polygraphs is their use as an interrogation tool.

If there is a question that your boyfriend does not pass, you can bet the examiner will pepper him with questions of why he did not pass. He will want your boyfriend to give him reasons for the failure on that particular question.

But what the examiner really wants to do is get your boyfriend trying to explain why he did not pass that questions. He wants to get your boyfriend to talking and yakking away. If the examiner can get the subject to talking, then he might find other violations which will cause more problems for your boyfriend.

Don't fall for this. If your boyfriend does not do well on a certain question and the examiner asks why, you boyfriend needs to keep his answer short and not make excuses why he did not pass.

Instead, your boyfriend needs to say, "I have no idea why I did not pass that question." Make it brief and make it short. Do not start blabbing.

It is much like talking to the police----you can never win, so it is best not to say much of anything.

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BTW, the examiner is NOT your friend. He might act like a nice guy, but he would screw your boyfriend over in the twinkling of an eye and think nothing about it.

Just be prepared.

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I know being nervous is normal, but understanding that the Poly can not tell truth from lies might help to relax a little bit. Even polygraphers themselves say that it is simply a coin toss. What state are you in? My guy passed the first two but "failed" the third supposedly. Two questions were alike but worded differently. He passed one and failed the other? Now, how is that possible? Still, it harms him since he has to go to two classes now, paying out of pocket. He is also wearing a GPS, but the PO said it will stay on for the entire period of probation. We were hoping to get the GPS off if he passes, so please let me know if you were told it would come off if he passed. Good luck. That is all it is.

I'm in TN. He asked his PO about getting the GPS off Iast month and was told that he had to do the polygraph first. So I guess we will see. I guess I'm more nervous about the repercussions of NOT passing, though I know he'll probably be fine.

Everybody knows that these polygraphs are a fluke and not even used in court for that reason. He won't get violated unless he admits to anything. He should never admit to anything, and like Rew said, just say that you don't know why you spiked on a certain question, nothing else. Some people failed when stating their name because they were nervous. The test measures physical reaction, nothing else. It can not read someone's mind. They can't violate him for not passing, only for admitting to anything after he is told the test had a significant response. Don't fall for that. It is common practice. He might not get the GPS off or has to go to more classes, and that sucks, but that is the worst that can happen.

The APA does not recognize the polygraph as effective and they are used as scare tactics and questions. Don't worry about, is a load of crap so don't think about that too much. Sending positive vibes to you and your boyfriend today :)

My son just had a polygraph test and he was nervous. He said being hooked up to machine was the worse but he saw the questions beforehand and knew was telling the truth. At first they told him he was having a problem with one of his answers but he knew they were trying to rattle him because he wasn't lying so then they asked more questions. Then they told him he passed.

It wound up getting postponed but thank you so much for your replies! I think this puts us both a little at ease. Maybe.

They will always tell you there was a problem with the test. It's standard procedure so expect it. I actually lied on one and it was not detected. It's all an intimidation tactic....