9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This Book is Fascinating...I Wouldn't Lie to You, April 11, 2007
"The Lie Detectors" is the historical story of both the "lie detector" machine and the men who invented, researched and promoted the use of the machine. The men (and women) behind the machine were, in many ways, much more interesting than the machine itself, which has changed little since its invention.
Covered by the book are how the machine works, why it doesn't really work, why there was fighting between different factions involved with it's development and why the courts have not allowed the machine to be used in criminal cases. Also included are some of the high profile cases where the machine was used and how the machine either helped or hindered those cases.
The book is an interesting read, although it is a little "dense" in some areas. It is heavily researched and documented, and as well written as any historical work of its kind can be. If you are looking for a book primarily about the plain mechanics and operation of the machine, look elsewhere. If, however, you want to read the entire story behind the machine then this book is for you.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bluff, Fraud, or Viable Investigation Device?, July 6, 2007
Let me start by admitting that this book validates my preconceptions about the polygraph's unreliablity. There are numerous studies showing that the polygraph does not reliabily detect lies, yet the American government, police investigators, and employers spend millions of dollars using it -- perhaps engendering a false sense of security that it provides meaningful protection from criminals, spies, and thieves.
Alder discusses the polygraph's origins including the complex relationship between John Larson, its inventor (a police officer with a Ph.D. in physiology, August Vollmer (police chief and reformer), and Leonarde Keeler (a relentless self-promoter who popularized the device). He also discusses Keeler's wife, one of the first female forensic specialists and later a private detective.
As discussed in the book, the polygraph has long been excluded from American courtrooms, but it it a favorite tool of many police investigators and can have a profound affect on which suspects are prosecuted and on plea agreements. The polygraph's use by employers, security agencies, and for various political purposes is also discussed, with concerns raised about the misuse of the device for political grandstanding and coercion.
Alder mentions the variety of studies and tests that show that the polygraph does not work reliablity as a lie detector, although it can be a powerful bluff to elicit confessions (true and false). He also mentions problems with various other techniques and questions the underlying theory that lies cause measurable physical reactions. However, a reader interested in the scientific criticism of the lie detector and other methods would be better served by reading the sources in Alder's endnotes.
There's a wealth of good material about 1920-40s policing, particularly in Chicago, and about the origins of forensics in Chicago with a cameo by Calvin Goddard, among others.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
All Jabs; No Knockout Punch, February 6, 2010
This review is from: The Lie Detectors: The History of an American Obsession (Paperback)
"The Lie Detectors; The History of an American Obsession is well-written, thoroughly researched history of the development and use of the polygraph in the USA. The authors have presented a balanced story of two dedicated lie detectors intent on improving the science of law enforcement. And what the authors indicate is that they have not brought any science to law enforcement at all. They have brought an updated method for frightening interrogation and intimidating test subjects into all sorts of admissions, some true, some false. These are the jabs. The missing knockout punch is that they never really do the statistical research to demonstrate how dangerous the testing is. Remember that TV crime reporter who seems to have caused a suicide by just proposing a lie detector test? No mention of that result in the book. Only occasional jabs; a reference here or there about the polygraph being right about 52% of the time. I was hoping to read why the lie detector test is a danger to anyone who submits to it and a real danger to any society that relies on it. But the history is fascinating. It's worth the read.
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