If you ever watch a crime TV show, you may notice that the police often ask suspects to take polygraph tests during the investigations. A polygraph, also called a lie-detector, is a device system that can show whether or not a person is lying. The information discovered through a polygraph often helps police know what leads to follow up on, and here are a few things you should understand about polygraphs, especially if you are being questioned about a crime.
They are not 100% scientifically accurate
The first thing to understand is that while polygraphs often reveal the truth about what a person knows or did, they are not 100% scientifically accurate. When using a polygraph, a person is hooked up to a lot of different types of equipment. The equipment measures things such as heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels in the blood. The point of this is to determine if a person is lying based on the changes in these levels. While there are times when these tests work great, there are other times when the answers are not completely accurately.
They cannot be used in court
Because polygraphs are not completely scientific, the results are not usually allowed in court. This is because there is no way to prove that the test results are absolute. If both parties in a case agree to use the results, then the court may allow this; however, this rarely occurs. In most cases, polygraph test results cannot and are not brought up in court.
The consequences of choosing whether or not to take the test
If you are a suspect in a crime, the police can ask you to take a polygraph. Now, it is important to understand that you do not legally have to agree to take it. You have the right to say no to it; however, you should understand the potential implications of not taking it as well as those of taking it.
Taking the test and passing it could be a great form of evidence to use for your defense, even though you cannot legally use it in court. If the prosecution sees that a defendant passed the test, they may decide to drop the charges instead of pursuing them. On the other hand, if the results show you are lying, this information may give the prosecution enough fuel to want to continue pursing your case. If you deny taking the test, it can make you look suspicious, and this is something to consider as you make your decision about it.
If you are not sure how to handle the questions the police have for you, hire a criminal defense lawyer. In fact, you should not speak to the police without your lawyer there with you to guide you in the process.
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