Polygraph Testing

CFN's polygraph services are primarily for Lawyers, Corporate Business Enterprises and Government Agencies. We take instructions regarding private individual cases only through a legal representative. The most commonly requested uses are for criminal and civil matters, government and law enforcement, pre-employment screening, commercial theft investigations and to monitor convicted sex offenders on parole, and while in treatment. More recent developments include the monitoring of domestic-violence offenders and the deployment of polygraph in programmes for drunk-driving offenders and drug and alcohol offenders. Polygraph examinations can be conducted in most major cities of the UK, including, London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Birmingham, Newcastle and Cardiff. Our examiners are all members of the American Polygraph Association. The following areas have used polygraph examinations successfully:

What is a Polygraph?

The polygraph instrument consists of a physiological recorder which typically assesses three aspects of autonomic arousal: heart rate/blood pressure, respiration and skin conductivity - sweat gland activity. At CFN these measures are recorded electronically using a computerized system. The rate and depth of respiration is measured by two pneumographs which are surround the examinee's upper and lower chest. The skin conductivity is measured through electrodes placed on the fingers of one hand. Cardiovascular activity is measured directly by either a blood pressure cuff, or, a fingercuff assembly. the Fingercuff is a recent development and affords more comfort to the examinee when prolonged assessments are required. Skin temperture can also be recorded which appears to be correlated with autonomic arousal and deception. Changes in these physiological functions are involuntary and are the result of emotional stress; thus by monitoring these bodily responses, any changes that occur as a reaction to questioning can be observed; sometimes referred to Forensic Psychophysiology.

The examinations will be conducted in a quiet room, free from any distractions or outside noise. Only the examiner and the examinee are allowed in the testing area, and the whole session is recorded both with video and audio.