AMERICAN POLYGRAPH ASSOCIATION

POLYGRAPH SCIENCE CENTER FOLLOWS APA STANDARDS

The goal of the American Polygraph Association is to provide mankind with a valid and reliable means to verify the truth of the matter asserted by:

• Serving the cause of truth with integrity, objectivity and fairness to all persons
• Encouraging and supporting research, training and education to benefit members of the Association as well as those who support its purpose and by providing a forum for the presentation and exchange of information derived from such research, training and education
• Establishing and enforcing standards for admission to membership and continued membership in the Association
• Governing the conduct of members of the Association by requiring adherence to a Code of Ethics and a set of Standards and Principles of Practice

APA CODE OF ETHICS

All voting members of the APA shall:

• Support the purposes and objectives of the APA.
• Maintain the highest standards of profession, moral and ethical conduct by assuming the responsibility for conduct and behavior designed to serve the cause of truth and justice.
• Respect the dignity of all persons and be just, fair and impartial with each individual in discharging professional duties and objectives.
• Hold themselves apart from influences intended to benefit their political, personal or financial well-being and objectives.
• Abide by all the provisions of the APA Standards and Principles of Practice.

STANDARDS AND PRINCIPLES OF PRACTICE

To achieve unity of purpose, to assure a clear understanding of obligations and to protect the welfare of the public, each member of the APA agrees to abide by the following Standards and Principles of Practice:

• A member shall respect the rights and dignity of all persons who are administered a polygraph examination.
• A member shall not conduct a polygraph examination without the examinee's knowledge and consent.
• A member shall not initiate an examination of any person unless using an instrument which records separate, permanent and simultaneous recordings of at least respiratory, cardiovascular, and electrodermal activity. This shall not preclude the simultaneous recording of additional physiological phenomenon. A member shall not knowingly conduct an examination using any instrument which at the time of the examination is not functioning properly as designed.
• A member shall not conduct an examination of any person whom the member believes to be physically or emotionally unsuitable for testing.
• A member shall only use those test techniques and question formats which are considered generally acceptable within the profession. This shall not preclude a member from conducting bona fide scientific research with novel techniques.
• Members shall not render a conclusive diagnosis on physiological records of insufficient quality or clarity. This could include, but not be limited to, excessively distorted data recordings believed to be manipulated by the subject or recordings with insufficient reactivity or amplitude that is generally accepted by the profession.

Opportunity To Explain

A member shall afford each person undergoing a polygraph examination a reasonable opportunity to explain physiological reactions to relevant questions evident on the polygraph charts. Exceptions include:

• When the examinee is represented by an attorney who requests no post examination interview be conducted and the opinion only be furnished to the attorney.
• When the examination is being conducted by court order which stipulates no post-test interview is to be conducted.

Reporting Limitations

• A member shall not provide any report or opinion regarding the medical or psychological condition of the examinee for which the member is not professionally qualified to make. This shall not preclude an examiner from describing the appearance or behavior of the examinee.
• A member shall not conduct an examination when there is reason to believe the examination is intended to circumvent or defy the law.
• No member shall solicit or accept fees, gratuities, or gifts which are intended to influence his or her opinion, decision or report.
• No member shall set any fee for polygraph services contingent upon the findings or results of such services; nor shall any member increase his or her initially agreed-upon fee as a direct result of his or her opinion or decision subsequent to a polygraph examination.
• A member shall not knowingly submit or permit their employees to submit a misleading or false polygraph examination report. Each polygraph report shall be a factual, impartial, and an objective account of the pertinent information developed during the examination and the examiner's professional conclusion, based on analysis of the collected polygraph data.
• No member shall make, publish, or cause to be published, any false or misleading statements or advertisements relating to this Association or the polygraph profession. No member shall make any false representation, of whatever nature, as to his or her membership status.
• Any person who has been convicted of a felony or any crime of moral turpitude shall be ineligible for membership in the APA.
• A member shall abide by decisions and recommendations adopted by the APA.
• To protect the privacy of each examinee, no member shall release information obtained during a polygraph examination to any unauthorized person. This shall not preclude the release of polygraph data for the purpose of quality control review.
• No member shall disclose to any person, except their supervising officer or person requesting the test, irrelevant information gained during the course of a polygraph examination which has no connection with the relevant issue and which may embarrass or tend to embarrass the examinee, except where disclosure is required by law.
• A member shall not include in any polygraph examination questions intended to inquire into or develop information on activities, affiliation or beliefs on religion, politics or race except where there is relevancy to a specific investigation, or the investigation involves terrorism or subversion and is demonstrably related to a job performance qualification.

Compliance

• A member shall adhere to the procedures, requests, and directives of the APA. This implied consent binds the member to abide by the final decision and judgment of the Board of Directors, or other appropriate bodies, as may be constitutionally established in all matters when appeals have been exhausted.
• A member or applicant for membership in the APA who is the subject of any investigation by the Association that has established reasonable belief that any one or more of the APA's Code of Ethics, Principles of Practice, Constitution, or By-Laws has been violated will afford that individual a polygraph examination in exculpation.
• The investigating body of the APA may offer and administer the member or applicant a polygraph examination. Reasonable belief shall be established by a majority vote of the Grievance Committee. The polygraph examination shall be arranged and conducted under guidelines established by that Committee and approved by the Board of Directors.
• Members shall acknowledge that these Standards and Principles of Practice establish minimal guidelines for the performance of professional activities. Therefore, conduct and practices that are not specifically stated herein, but are detrimental to or discrediting of the APAor its members shall not be condoned.
• A member who administers or attempts to administer any polygraph examination in violation of these Standards and Principles of Practice or who violates any section of this Division shall be subject to investigation, censure, suspension, or expulsion from this Association.

LINK TO AMERICAN POLYGRAPH ASSOCIATION

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