Polygraph in the News - 9-1-2009

The following are news pieces in which Polygraph is playing a role in the World.
(Article descriptions are mine)

** Please note that many news sources archive their stories after a certain period of time. If a link no longer works, this may be what happened.

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• A juror in a 1994 murder trial breaks her silence and admits that she has doubts about her vote to convict Anthony Lemons for the Murder of Eric Sims. At the trial, Lemons asked if the sentencing judge would give him a polygraph test. He stated that he knows he is innocent and if he failed the exam, they could give him 'the chair'. He was not granted the test and has been serving his sentence until recently when he was afforded a chance to take the test, which he passed. Lemons is asking for a new trial.
  Full Article Link: (video below)
  http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=120459&catid=3

• Putnam County Florida - Misty Cummings, the now Step Mother to missing child HaLeigh Cummings remains a suspect. She already failed two polygraph tests and recently took a Layered Voice Analysis Test with Private Investigator T.J. Ward. Ward was interviewed regarding the test, but appeared to be more interested in convincing us how his 'LVA 6.50 with 2800 agu-rhythms???' can pretty much read minds and is much better than traditional polygraph. Below the video link, I've included a link to the US Department of Justice Voice Stress Study showing only 15% of the guilty were identified correctly by voice stress technology, a very different result than the 95% accuracy rate claimed by Ward in the video.
  T.J. Ward LVA Video Link:
  http://www.firstcoastnews.com/video/default.aspx?maven_playerId=immersiveplayer&maven_referralPlaylistId=e91276d17ee6ae4cc3bcd3da8b1d0b7d36168356&maven_referralObject=1229703739

US Department of Justice Study on Voice Stress
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/journals/259/voice-stress-analysis.htm

Voice Analysis Study Shows Chance Level Effectiveness & High False Positive Rates

The following abstract was published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences - Volume 54 Issue 3, Pages 642 - 650 - March 30, 2009

Stress and Deception in Speech: Evaluating Layered Voice Analysis

Abstract: This study was designed to evaluate commonly used voice stress analyzers—in this case the layered voice analysis (LVA) system. The research protocol involved the use of a speech database containing materials recorded while highly controlled deception and stress levels were systematically varied. Subjects were 24 each males/females (age range 18–63 years) drawn from a diverse population. All held strong views about some issue; they were required to make intense contradictory statements while believing that they would be heard/seen by peers. The LVA system was then evaluated by means of a double blind study using two types of examiners: a pair of scientists trained and certified by the manufacturer in the proper use of the system and two highly experienced LVA instructors provided by this same firm.

The results showed that the "true positive" (or hit) rates for all examiners averaged near chance (42–56%) for all conditions, types of materials (e.g., stress vs. unstressed, truth vs. deception), and examiners (scientists vs. manufacturers).

Most importantly, the false positive rate was very high, ranging from 40% to 65%. Sensitivity statistics confirmed that the LVA system operated at about chance levels in the detection of truth, deception, and the presence of high and low vocal stress states.

Study Reference as Located on Wiley Interscience

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Related Voice Stress Links:

http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=1786421&page=1 - ABC Primetime Story referencing Pentagon's ban of Voice Stress after testing proves unreliable.

http://voicestress.org - Compilation site of Voice Stress related information and studies