A Correction
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X6403700307 |
| Published date | 01 March 1964 |
| Date | 01 March 1964 |
| Subject Matter | A Correction |
Computer
The report
of
the International Computers and Tabulator Com-
pany on the application
of
acomputer to police work, has been
received and circulated as Research Bulletin
No.7
/1963.
Research is continuing into the application of a computer to
fingerprint records.
Centralized
Dictation Facilities
Reports are being studied describing the workings of the Chicago
police, the metropolitan Toronto police and the Vancouver police
systems
of
centralized dictation facilities over public telephone lines,
and details will be published in a later bulletin.
The
Polygraph
This instrument, usually known as the
"Lie
Detector"
was
mentioned in our July 1963, issue as having been exhibited at the
March, 1963, A.C.P.O. exhibition at the Police College. Some
interest has been expressed and we are now able to describe the
use
of
the Polygraph in more detail. The instrument is designed to
record a subject's breathing pattern, blood pressure, pulse rate
and his resistance to a small electrical current.
It
records on a roll
of
paper variations in these facts which may occur during
tests-the
degree and nature of. the changes being the criterion for detecting
deception. A suspect is cautioned and told he can refuse an exam-
ination under the Polygraph. The technique, briefly, is to talk to the
"
patient"
for some time during which period an innocent suspect's
emotions normally are calmed and those of a guilty suspect brought
to a keen edge. Then questions are asked which include one or more
which are pertinent to the issue or " loaded ". Emotional changes
in response to the key questions (and perhaps to irrelevant questions)
are then evaluated and usually lies are clearly indicated on the
chart roll.
If
the suspect then confesses the procedure reverts to
normal, i.e., statements under caution may be taken as evidence.
The lie detector is merely an aid to investigation and interrogation
and is not produced in evidence.
In American courts, the results of the lie detector examination, that
is, the opinion
of
the examiner or the charts obtained, are not
admissible as evidence and the issue is rarely raised by the defence,
for
of
course, it will be shown that the test was voluntary and that
the confession was obtained after proper caution.
A
Correction
On p. 42 of our January issue,
"£500"
should
read"
1,500".
March 1964 125
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