Recent Book: Academy Lectures on Lie Detection
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X5903200117 |
| Published date | 01 January 1959 |
| Date | 01 January 1959 |
| Subject Matter | Recent Book |
Naturally, in the course of time the
book
has
completely changed in
~o.rm
and content,
but
the feature
that
established the
s~ccess
of
the
first edition
has persisted;
that
is, the meticulous care each
editor
has
taken
to .prodl;'ce
a
work
to which reference can be
made
without fear of finding a misleading
answer. "The present editor (who also edited the previous edition) .is a dis-
tinguished figure in the line of editors
and
he has well .maintalOed
the
tradition of "Russell." He has, It IS true, occasionally cited a repealed
statute, athing very easily
done
in these days of consolidation,
but
that
sort of slip is readily detected.
It
is an expensive book,
more
perhaps
for
alibrary
than
aprivate
book-
shelf, but it is good value for money.
No police officer, however experienced, can afford
not
to read the
chapter
on embezzlement where every relevant case and statute is dissected
and analysed.
The
learned editor, in dealing with contentious opinions
has
generally followed the line of falling
back
on basic principles, and it is
astonishing how may intricate problems
fade
when tackled in
that
manner.
The
new law of homicide looms large these days
and
Mr.
Turner
has
devoted much space to it, with copious references to recently decided cases,
as well as the older authorities.
This new edition contains much
that
has been re-written or re-arranged
and can be thoroughly recommended as the last word on English criminal
law. A.I.C.
V. A.
LEONARD
(Editor): Academy Lectures on Lie Detection. Blackwell
Scientific Publications. 43s.
VOLUME
"TWO
of the Academy Lectures on Lie Detection is a collection of
fifteen papers
read
to the Academy
for
Scientific Interrogation in
the
U.S.A.
The
contributors include psychologists, military police investigators,
lawyers
and
police scientists.
The
subject of the lectures is
the
use and value in the investigation of
crime
of
the polygraph,
or
lie detector, amachine which has no place, as
yet, in criminal investigation in this country.
It
is
not
suggested
that
the
lie
detector is a ready-made alternative to thorough investigation on
the
traditional lines, and perhaps the most
apt
description
of
its place in
the
scheme of things is as
"a
diagnostic aid in interrogation which, appropriately
used, will provide immeasurable aid in investigation."
The
members of
the
Academy are all experienced polygraph operators,
and the
book
contains little technical information
about
the machine,
other
than
that
it records the blood pressure, skin electricity, respiration and
body
tremors of
the
person who submits himself to it.
The
polygraph is used
only when the person to be interrogated agrees and, almost without
exception, only in the investigative stages.
Although
from
time to time results of polygraph examination are given
in evidence, it appears
that
the Academy is opposed, at present, to its
general recognition and acceptance by the courts on the ground
that
not
all those who operate the machine are sufficiently skilled to be regarded as
experts, .and
that
there is too much scope
for
questionable practices in its
use. It
IS
hoped, however,
that
eventually the evidence of a polygraph
operator
will be accepted in the same way as
that
of any
other
expert.
Some
striking examples of its use in case work are given, and
operators
claim a
succe~s
rate of up to 98 %.
There
is no suggestion
that
it can work
miracles, but It certainly appears to be a
remarkable
inducement to a guilty
suspect to confess.
The
degree of accuracy depends largely
upon
the skill
of
the
operator:
"10 %machine, 90%
operator"
is said to be a fair assessment
of the respective contributions.
Some
of
the
more
general aspects of interrogation are touched on in
the
lectures on "Pre-interrogation Preparation," and "Elements of Criminal
Interrogation.".
Much
sound
advice .is
t~
be. found here, although it should
be followed With due caution,
beanng
mmind the somewhat wider powers
of detention for interrogation which exist in the U.S.A.
"TEN"
January-A1arch 1959 67
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