Polygraph in Interrogation: What to Know and (Not) to Do

Loved by many officers of the law, vilified by many academics: the polygraph. In this chapter, I reflect on the use of the polygraph for lie detection in criminal cases. I explain the Control Question Test, its accuracy, and limitations. I also discuss the Concealed Information test that was developed in the 1950s with the limitations of the standard Control Question Test in mind, and conclude that the lack of communication between academics and practitioners hinders the quality of test executed in the field.