I’ve previously written about a polygraph examination where the examinee admitted to stealing construction equipment worth R60,000 and sold it for R3,000 to support a drug habit. It’s a clear-cut case legally and morally. But what if theft is act of desperation by a father trying to afford medical care for his 4-month old son?
You be the judge.
At the end of November CSI Africa polygraph examiner Johan Griesel received a call from a contractor who installs trackers for a well-known vehicle tracking company. The contractor had allegedly been contacted by a client about a GPS device that went missing while one of the contractor’s technicians were at his home near Rooihuiskraal, Gauteng.
Asked about the missing GPS device, the technician assured his employers that it was a simple misunderstanding. He had an identical GPS device, and took the client’s unit by mistake. According to the technician, he promptly returned the unit as soon as he realised his mistake.
But the contractor wasn’t satisfied and decided to enlist CSI Africa’s polygraph services to determine:
“Under normal circumstances a polygraph examination is one test focused on a single topic. But the client wanted to cover a few topics, so we agreed that a diagnostic polygraph test would be used to get information about the GPS incident, and a multiple issue screening on a later date to cover the remaining questions,” said Griesel.
Also read: How polygraph machines work
Griesel conducted the diagnostic polygraph examination according to guidelines determined by the American Polygraph Association (APA) and the Southern African Polygraph Federation (SAPFED). Among other things, this ensures that examinees are treated with care and respect, a strategy we’ve previously shown to be effective.
“Undue stress can cause an examinee to close up. So respect is important. And in cases like this we also adopt an approach where questioning starts with broad, open-ended questions, gradually leading to more specific questions about a particular issue,” Griesel continued.
Following this strategy, Griesel gradually worked his way to the question the client needed an answer to: “Did you lie to your employer about the reason you took the GPS device?” An immediate change in body language confirmed Griesel’s suspicions even before the examinee answered “Yes”. Did you steal the client’s GPS device?,” Griesel continued. “Yes,” came the reply.
Griesel assured the examinee that “this does not make you a bad person.” It was then that the man opened up.
According to Griesel, the man saw an opportunity to take the GPS unit which looks identical to the one provided by his employer. After all, should he be discovered he can just say he took the wrong one by mistake.
Shortly after, however, he received a call from the client about the missing GPS unit. He admitted to the client that he did steal the unit with the intention to sell it, but that he still had it in his possession. He assured the client he would return the unit promptly, and they both agreed that the matter would then be settled and stay between them.
Had he not been discovered, the man would have sold the unit at a pawn shop. The money, he claimed, would have gone to pay for medical treatment for his 4-month old son. He and his wife had exhausted all avenues available to them including traditional healers, homeopaths, and informal clinics, but to no avail. His son’s condition hadn’t improved. Medical treatment was the only option they had left.
Also read: Who’s suitable for polygraph testing
As per the contractor’s request, the other questions were handled in a multiple issue screening polygraph examination. No deception was detected on each of the remaining questions, leading to the conclusion that this was an isolated opportunistic incident.
Contrary to what you may have seen on TV, polygraph testing doesn’t detect truths or lies. Instead, a polygraph machine monitors physiological signals like respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductivity for specific changes during questioning. These changes are passed through algorithms with the results interpreted by a skilled polygraphist to infer the likelihood of deception.
Diagnostic polygraph testing typically focuses on a single incident, such as criminal activity in a corporate environment. It can also be used by law enforcement to trim large suspect pools down to a few individuals. It is used to uncover leads and speed up investigations.
Multiple Issue screening polygraph examinations are used to screen examinees for possible involvement in up to four different topics over a specified period of time such as the last 3, 6, or 12 months. Such topics can include theft, bribery, manipulation of company systems, and conducting private jobs that the employer has no knowledge about.
A multiple issue screening polygraph examination helps the business to identify possible loopholes in their internal systems and put proper controls in place. This reduces the potential for future occurrences, mitigates risk, and prevents financial loss.
When we mix a single issue / specific incident with multiple other issues in a single polygraph examination, the accuracy of the examination can be compromised. Additionally, different questioning techniques are used depending on the type of polygraph examination:
The Air Force Modified General Question Technique (AFMGQT) is validated for Multiple Issue Screening as well as Single Issue / Diagnostic applications. It has a correct decision accuracy of 87.5% and an inconclusive rate of 17%. Even though this technique may be used for single issue / diagnostic purposes, the UTAH ZCT is preferred.
The Utah Approach to Comparison Question Polygraph Testing (UTAH QCT) as a Diagnostic / evidentiary technique is specifically validated for Single Issue / Diagnostic polygraph examinations. It has a correct decision accuracy of 93.1% and an inconclusive rate of 7.7%.
At CSI Africa, polygraph testing is used as a powerful investigative and preventative tool to help businesses and individuals make informed decisions with confidence. With accredited examiners, advanced technology, and strict ethical standards, CSI Africa delivers professional polygraph services throughout South Africa. In today’s business environment, trust is everything. Whether
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