I'm innocent but I'm terrified of the machine. Will nerves make me fail?
No. Everyone who sits down is nervous, including people who have nothing to hide. The test does not measure how nervous you are. It compares your body's reaction to the relevant questions with its reaction to other questions in the same test. General anxiety affects all of them equally and washes out of the scoring. The pre-test interview exists partly to let you settle down before any recording begins.
Can a polygraph be beaten?
Deliberate attempts to manipulate the charts (controlled breathing, muscle tensing, biting the tongue) produce distinctive patterns that modern instruments and trained examiners recognise. Attempts are noted in the report. The honest answer is that no test is perfect, which is exactly why South African practice treats the result as corroborating evidence rather than proof.
Who gets to see the result?
The person or organisation who commissioned the test, and the examinee on request. Nobody else, unless the commissioning client gives written authority or a court requires it. Private clients' matters are never discussed with anyone.
Is a polygraph result admissible at the CCMA or in court?
Polygraph examiners have been accepted as expert witnesses at the CCMA and bargaining councils, and a commissioner decides what weight to give the evidence. A result on its own is not a basis for a finding of guilt; it must support other evidence. Our reports are written with this in mind.
What if I have a medical condition, or take medication?
Most conditions and most prescribed medications have no effect on the test; take your medication as normal. Tell the examiner about anything you take or any condition you have during the pre-test interview. In rare cases (for example, a very recent heart event, late pregnancy, or severe respiratory illness) we will postpone rather than test.
What questions will I be asked?
Only questions about the specific issue being tested, all of which are read to you and agreed with you before the sensors go on. You will not be asked about unrelated matters, your private life, or anything you have not seen in advance.
How many questions will there be?
Normally a maximum of four relevant questions per examination, each answered yes or no. They are formulated with the person who commissioned the test, then read to and discussed with the examinee before the sensors go on. Keeping the number small is what makes the result reliable.
What does "inconclusive" mean?
The charts did not show a clear enough pattern to call either way. It happens in roughly one test in eight and is not a finding against anyone. Usually a second test on another day resolves it, often at a reduced fee.
Can my employer force me to take a test?
No. Testing without written consent is unlawful. If your contract contains a polygraph clause you have already agreed in principle, and an unreasonable refusal may count against you as circumstantial evidence, but you cannot be physically compelled and you are entitled to an interpreter and to understand every question.
Do you test children or people under 18?
No. We do not examine minors.
How soon can you do it?
Private examinations are usually available within a few days. Group investigations depend on numbers and location; we can often be on site within a week. Urgent matters are accommodated where possible.
Do I need to prepare anything?
Sleep normally, eat normally, and arrive on time. Bring your ID book or card, and leave your cell phone and watch outside the room. Avoid alcohol for 24 hours and do not take recreational drugs. If you are the commissioning client, have the facts of the incident written down so the questions can be drafted accurately.
