The polygraph has never been popular. Inadmissible in court, dreaded by criminals, and forget police applicants; they would rather have a root canal than be subjected to the "box." Even police agencies have mixed feelings regarding the lie detector (which it's not) but that depends on whether they are giving or taking the test. The polygraph has steadily lost credibility in the legal arena, yet thousands of law enforcement agencies still use this ancient ritual to screen applicants.

The key to polygraph testing rests on the skill of the examiner, which varies widely, even within the United States. The polygraph is an instrument that solely relies on the interpretation of the operator. Not only is the polygraph examiner trained in the operation of the polygraph instrument, but in the technique of interrogation. Polygraph schools devote a substantial amount of time instructing their students in the practice of interrogation. This boils down to getting a candidate to make damaging admissions. The end result is possible disqualification.

In order to pass the polygraph it is essential to understand the common interrogation tactics polygraph examiners use.

The most commonly used technique employed by the examiner is projecting a sense of empathy for you and your situation. Here the goal is to make you believe he is there to help you. The examiner will downplay the seriousness of the behavior you are being asked about. He may even state that everyone has things in their past they are not proud of, and that no one is perfect.

Make no damaging admissions to the examiner. If you're applying for a police position where you make admissions regarding your background, do it when you complete the application. Making additional statements that are not contained in your application or personal history statement will raise red flags. The issue here is that you won't reveal the truth until you are confronted. Admissions made outside the parameters of the initial application and personal history statement, however small, may disqualify you.

The only exception would be, as an example, during the "pre-test" interview where you admit to having smoked small amounts of marijuana while in grade school, or taking pens home from work.