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Chapter 27 The Best Polygraph: The Beckett Polygraph System
The Beckett polygraph system was founded by the well-known American polygraph authority Beckett in 1963. This system includes two parts: polygraph mode and evaluation system, which is a professional polygraph system.

§§§The most commonly used test mode in the first section

The most commonly used polygraph modes of the Beckett polygraph system are as follows:

1. Principle question test method

This is also the most widely used and most important method in other polygraph systems.When Beckett combines it with the "area comparison method" of this system, it is called the "only you" method, and the questions it sets generally fall into the following four categories:

(1) Thematic questions or related questions, which are the core questions to be screened in the test.

(2) Criteria or comparison questions. These questions are contrasted with the subject question but have nothing to do with the subject question. Most of these questions are related to social culture and morality. They are used to trigger a response and set a "benchmark" for tension levels. line” so that it contrasts with the thematic question responses.

(3) Neutral questions, which are irrelevant to the case, they will not cause emotional fluctuations of the subjects, and are used to measure the normal reaction level of the subjects.

(4) Symptom questions. These questions are different from the above-mentioned questions. They are designed to understand the current state of attention of the subjects, whether the prepared questions are reasonable, and whether the intensity of the criterion questions is reasonable.

In the standard question test method, the four types of questions are properly combined each time to form a set of questions, and only the subjects are required to answer "yes" or "no". There is a certain time interval between the two questions. Observe the physiological response parameters recorded by the instrument in time, which is the basis for analysis.

The psychological assumption of the criterion question test method is that since the “mental stereotype” has been established through the conversation with the subject on the above questions in advance, the subject will have different response patterns in the subsequent formal test, so as to obtain comparability result.The key to the success of the benchmark question test method lies in the question-setting skills of the examiners, that is, whether they can correctly elicit the corresponding responses.

2. Exploratory testing method

This method is to choose among multiple questions, and continue to test the suspicious points that are checked out.

3. Stimulation test method

Also known as number guessing or poker test method, it can be used in public demonstrations to prove the performance of the instrument or the lie detection ability of the main tester to the subjects, so as to show that it is invalid to use tricks to interfere with the test.In the actual test, the "only you" method is mainly applied.

4. Doubt-know-participation test method

This is an exploratory method designed to find out how relevant the subject is to the case.

5. Tension peak test method
This method tests whether the subjects have special psychological pressure on certain issues. Under special psychological pressure, specific peaks can be seen in the test records.

§§§Second section on the analysis of the results and the discriminant system

The evaluation system of the Beckett polygraph system refers to the analysis and discrimination system of the results, and the main evaluation method of the Beckett technology is the regional comparison method.

Area refers to certain parts on the atlas, specifically, it refers to the record of the subject's response atlas within 20 to 25 seconds from the first word of the polygraph question.According to the role that the questions should play, the areas are divided into three categories, named with different colors.

(1) The red area, the map area recorded when the theme question is raised, aims to obtain the "question response" of the subjects.

(2) Green area, the map area where the recording begins when the criterion question is raised, aiming to obtain the "innocent" response of the subjects.

(3) Black area, the map area recorded when the symptom problem is raised, aims to verify whether the problem set in the green area is reasonable in time.

Comparing the responses of the red and green zones can determine whether it is a "lie" or a "truth".When the difference in response between the two regions reaches a certain threshold, a definite conclusion can be made.For example, if the reaction in the red zone is stronger than that in the green zone to a certain extent (expressed in points), it indicates that the subject may be lying; otherwise, it shows that the subject is telling the truth.The area comparison method can directly obtain scores through map comparison, and quickly judge the results. It can also moderately control the interference of irrelevant factors, such as various variables that affect the subjects, such as personality, motivation, emotions, attitudes, etc. They also affect the red zone. Green zone, which is equivalent to controlling irrelevant factors at the same level.

§§§Section [-] Measurement Tools and Measurement Indicators

From the perspective of psychological measurement, the tools of the polygraph system refer to polygraph questions. When selecting people, the system introduced a whole set of polygraph questions used in the United States, including more than 200 commonly used thematic questions and neutral questions. When it was introduced into our country This is the original tool and has not been revised.However, the original tool has been used by thousands of people in the United States, and it was confirmed after revision. It has good stability and reliability. This system also has norms outside the United States such as Europe and Asia.Beckster established a polygraph school to train polygraph personnel from all over the world. In 1994, the Shenyang Intermediate People's Court sent two personnel to study in the school.

There are many measurement indicators of the Beckett system, including EEG, blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate, skin electricity, etc. In the trial stage after being introduced to China, three indicators of heart rate, respiratory rate, and skin electricity were used.When identifying the spectrum during operation, only when the three indicators show consistent changes can there be a clear score given.There are two ways for the identification and score judgment of the spectrum, that is, manual judgment and computer judgment.Manual judgment requires more skilled skills, and computer judgment can be obtained from the computer as long as the polygraph of the polygraph is connected with the computer.Manual judgment is troublesome.And it is easy to be subjective but can be adaptable, while machine judgment is less subjective and standard and quick, but it is more rigid and lacks flexibility. Under the conditions at that time, the Shenyang Intermediate Court adopted manual judgment.There is no written information about the detailed content of the score definition, and the Beckett Polygraph School is only responsible for the training of operational skills.

§§§ Section [-] needs revision and improvement

There are basically no problems with the equipment and hardware of the Beckett system. The revision is mainly aimed at its polygraph questions. The complete set of polygraph questions provided by the system is not suitable for my country's national conditions and cultural traditions in terms of semantics and forms. It has to be revised at the beginning.

1. Revision of standard questions
Standard questions are more related to ethics, social norms, etc. Due to cultural differences, many questions set in the original system are almost unusable, so it needs revision.The revision work of standard questions mainly includes the following two aspects:

(1) Re-programming questions: compiling polygraph questions suitable for my country's national conditions.

(2) Determining the strength of the question: There is a requirement for the strength of the setting of the guideline question, which must be able to arouse the response, but not be too strong to confuse the response to the theme question.In the test, according to different cases and different subjects, we compile questions of different intensities to match them with the subject questions.Therefore, the time and age limits of the questions in the original system are no longer strictly quantitative, but some changes or turning points in life are replaced. In this way, the intensity of stimulation can be increased for Chinese subjects without overemphasizing details. Distract her with questions like "When I was in middle school...".In addition to the above, other test methods have also been revised to varying degrees.

2. Revision of thematic questions
Change the subject of the question: Change the subject "yourself", which was strictly required by the original system, to "Did you..." or "Did you do XX?" This question is more suitable for Chinese language habits.

Change the plot of the question: The question of the plot is very difficult.One is that China and the United States have different factual basis for judging cases, and they each focus on different plots, so they cannot copy the American style of questioning; second, the test subjects sent by the court are complicated, and most of the cases involved are pending for a long time due to lack of evidence.
Different from the "immediate" nature of polygraph detection in public security criminal investigation, if some subjects have been detained for a long time, their mentality has changed, and some subjects have forgotten necessary details because the incident happened for too long. Questions cannot be arranged according to the requirements of the original system.There are two approaches to this: design the question according to the legal requirements of our country, and trace the details required by the law.For example, in rape cases, emphasis is placed on whether violence is used against the will of women to coerce, etc.; sometimes the exact details are not emphasized, so as to distract attention from the main issue, and direct questions are asked.
For example, the question in the original system is: "Did you kill someone at X time on X month X day X year X?" Now it is changed to "Did you do the killing of X person?" This straightforward way.There are almost similar modifications in most of the sent test cases.Changing the question-and-answer method: The topic questions and criterion questions prepared by the Beckett system require the subjects to give negative answers, that is, to answer "no" or "no". In order to meet the habits of the subjects in our country, this requirement has been changed , such as changing the question to: "You said that X was not done by you, is it true?" The answer can be "Yes", and this affirmative answer can also trigger the relevant reactions of the subjects.

3. Formulate a Chinese-style document format, in order to standardize the polygraph procedure and facilitate the delivery of the test

With reference to the format of legal documents in our country, a set of formal power of attorney for polygraph identification and a report of identification results with detailed contents were designed, which stipulated the preservation and reference range of polygraph data, which were not in the original system.Due to the above series of revisions and improvements, the effective rate of polygraph identification results has been continuously improved, and the initial 75% of Shan has jumped to more than 90%.The revised American Beckett polygraph system was formally included in the technology portfolio of the Forensic Science Institute of the Shenyang Intermediate People's Court, and has been used until now. ．
§§§Section [-] Application of this technology in my country

The main achievements of Beckster polygraph technology in practical application are mainly reflected in the following two aspects:
1. Create a precedent for the application of lie detection in my country's court system
It is not uncommon for polygraph technology to be applied to public security criminal investigation, but it is an original creation suitable for our country's national conditions to apply it to the court's judgment process.At present, the courts in our country are responsible for verification. Faced with a large number of witnesses, physical evidence, witnesses, and testimonies, judges have to distinguish the authenticity and determine the results. They have great psychological pressure and need assistance and support.The intervention of polygraph technology is an important attempt for the court system to use high-tech means to handle cases, and it is also an application without precedent.

2. Become a useful tool in judicial practice and play a role that cannot be achieved by other means

Although polygraph detection does not have a clear legal status in our country at present, it intervenes in the case-handling process when other methods fail to work, and it has a role that other methods cannot achieve.

(1) Beckett polygraph technology provides auxiliary means to solve difficult problems and improves the efficiency of case handling.With the development of the market economy, the number of litigation cases is increasing, and the situation and mentality of the parties are becoming more and more complicated. Their proof and defense greatly increase the difficulty for the judge to decide the case. The phenomenon of standardization and vague semantics is more likely to produce ambiguity and confuse people.When judges can only make inferences based on indirect evidence, they still feel that the evidence is not sufficient and they lack confidence in their own judgment, which leads to protracted delays in such cases.Using polygraph technology to help analyze, distinguish lies from facts, make ambiguous cognitions clear, judges' judgments are verified, and decisions are made quickly, and the efficiency of case handling is greatly improved.Over the past few years, with the help of polygraph technology, many backlogs have been solved.At the same time, the polygraph results also provide a basis for the mediation of economic and civil cases.

(2) The support system established by Beckett polygraph technology helps decision-making and enhances the confidence of judges.The process of adjudicating a case is also a decision-making process. When a judge makes a decision when there is insufficient information, he often has psychological conflicts and psychological pressure due to doubts, wavering or losing confidence, which affects the finalization of the case.Under normal circumstances, such doubts prove that there is no scientific basis, and judges have no psychological support.Under the condition of applying lie detection, this difficult problem can be solved quickly, and the result of lie detection can be confirmed or falsified quickly, and cognitive support makes them reduce misjudgments and mistakes.

(3) Beckett polygraph technology can identify suspects and serve the society extensively.Due to the good results of polygraph identification, its social image has been greatly improved, and many users have proposed entrusting polygraph detection, and the service area has begun to expand.

(4) Economic losses can be recovered and manpower and material resources can be saved through the technology of Beckett polygraph detection.From the perspective of direct economic benefits, the Shenyang Intermediate People's Court has recovered at least 800 million yuan in economic losses for the country, user units, and parties in the past few years due to the combined use of polygraph technology, which has effectively tested the evidence. Return a lot of stolen money.From the perspective of indirect economic benefits, hundreds of cases of polygraph identification have provided valuable references, enabling case-handling units to work with purpose and direction, saving a lot of manpower, material resources, and financial resources, and improving case-handling efficiency.After the test case unit obtains the results, it can no longer be confused by lies, avoid unnecessary investigations, and solve the problem quickly.

It can be predicted that the use of polygraph technology will greatly benefit the judicial practice in our country.Of course, in the process of using lie detection technology, there are still some issues that need to be discussed in depth.

Since polygraph technology was incorporated into the project of the Forensic Science Research Institute by Shenyang Intermediate People's Court, it has been gradually opened to the public. Undertake the entrustment of all parties to send and test, and will serve more in the construction of the social and judicial fields in the future.Several years of practice has proved that polygraph technology has become an indispensable part of forensic science. On the basis of continuous improvement and perfection, it will be more suitable for my country's national conditions and has a good application prospect.

In short, practice has proved that the use of polygraph technology has greatly increased the amount of information in judicial work, provided effective auxiliary tools and good decision support for courts to handle cases, and has an irreplaceable role in improving work efficiency and effectiveness.

(End of this chapter)