OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT (OTA) REPORT ON VALIDITY OF POLYGRAPH TESTING

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86B00338R000300350002-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 24, 2008
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: September 28, 1983
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2008/10/24: CIA-RDP86B00338R000300350002-1
STAT'
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COMMENTS (Number each comment to -1,ow from whom,..
Jo whonj, Urbw' a line auras Column unnr each comment.)
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Central Intelligence Agency
2 8 SEP 1983
MEMORAND,~1 F,QR.:,,,,,MT,. Fred B. Wood .;
Project Director
'Office of Technology Assessment
FROM: Clair E. George; Director
SUBJECT:
onValidlty,o#,'Polygraph,Testing
Office. of Legislative Liaison
Office of Technology,Assessment (OTA) Report
1. Reference.is made 'to your request'dated 22 September
1983 that this Agency prov,ide'comments, on the Subject report.
2. The OTA'draft report on the validity of the polygraph
appears to be a reasonable effort to present a comprehensive
and objective, analy.sis',lt'itude of studies on the
polygraph. ;x ,ittie applicability of this
unclassified re,search,.da,ta,;'t,o the Central Intelligence Agency,
which utilises riiffer.eiit''techniques-,.ana.~procediires on a, wide
variety. -of sens i't .ve :',te .k'ing'-'programs . '',,, In effect , we endorse
your conclusion",tha.t`t?he,'cumulative OTA' research evidence
"is not directly releyart : to, proposed Government' fuses of
the
3. As was mentioned, several' months' ago during discussions
of our polygraph program, ,we,! found it ,' extremely, difficult to
properly present our , data, in, an- unclassified forum. We
reiterate, that. tkJs ' A, ency wauid be yr 11 ing ,. p discuss our
experience 'With.,pglygr'aph' iesting ,in, any, clo,se.d and classified
hearing thet ioight,''be heed on this 'issue.
4. Our position'is',.`that-35 years of working experience
with the polygraph represents indisputable evidence of its
utility. As used ,'in -th'e'i Ancy the polygraph has emerged as
the single most,' effective technique to+detect information
bearing on securityacco'ptablity The incidence of security
disapprovals occasioned. Ln', whole; or ? in: part by the polygraph
interview is overwhelming'' iri'::,the statistical sense. The
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machine, is'riot - inf4ll.ible and r.we do not dispute the possibility
of ~fal?s?~`gatives-vr-a3s~positiyes; -however, the existence
of these possibilities does;; ,n6t..',su'pport an argument against
its overall value. , Except,.,fo'r,,, the polygraph, CIA would now
be staffed with hun.dre,ds'?o'f~;lihd'iyiduals who would not meet the
4: i
cr~~?41,,-" .~. `.~.,
accepted.'security.-stands-rds.,;'..for.,,initial or continued emnlovment_
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1':?. r. ~'. ~j' ~ht f y!.I;~ry,1' ,pqr~ r S>d . r ,:. .. .. ._
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