Scientist Organizes Resistance To Polygraphs

George Maschke writes "Brad Holian, a senior scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, is using a blog to organize resistance to plans for random polygraph and drug testing of Lab scientists. Holian writes: 'Polygraphy is an insulting affront to scientists, since a committee of the National Academy of Sciences has declared that, beyond being inadmissible in court, there is no scientific basis for polygraphs. In my opinion, by agreeing to be polygraphed, one thereby seriously jeopardizes his or her claim to being a scientist, which is presumably the principal reason for employment for many scientists at Los Alamos.'"

Comments

Richard Feynmann

[b0s0z0ku]

I read his memoirs in high school. If half of what he claims that he did is true, I suspect that he'd have lasted about a day in the Los Alamos of today. Damn shame, really. A lot of the brightest people like to play with different consciousness states as well as being inveterate pranksters.

Cheers,
-b.

What a genius idea

[MillionthMonkey]

From the DOE:

I. Introduction

        DOE's existing counterintelligence polygraph regulations are set
forth at 10 CFR part 709. Under section 3152(a) of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2002, Pub. L. 107-107 (NDAA for FY
2002), DOE is obligated to prescribe revised regulations for a new
counterintelligence polygraph program the stated purpose of which is
``* * * to minimize the potential for release or disclosure of
classified data, materials, or information'' (42 U.S.C. 7383h-1(a).)
Section 3152(b) requires DOE to ``* * * take into account the results
of the Polygraph Review,'' which is defined by section 3152 (e) to mean
``* * * the review of the Committee to Review the Scientific Evidence
on the Polygraph of the National Academy of Sciences'' (42 U.S.C.
7383h-1(b), (e)).

So they attached this to one of those emergency defense appropriation bills:

SEC. 3152. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY COUNTERINTELLIGENCE POLYGRAPH PROGRAM.

(a) NEW COUNTERINTELLIGENCE POLYGRAPH PROGRAM REQUIRED.-The Secretary of Energy shall carry out, under regulations prescribed under this section, a new counterintelligence polygraph program for the Department of Energy. The purpose of the new program is to minimize the potential for release or disclosure of classified data, materials, or information.

(b) AUTHORITIES AND LIMITATIONS.-(1) The Secretary shall prescribe regulations for the new counterintelligence polygraph program required by subsection (a) in accordance with the provisions of subchapter II of

chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Administrative Procedures Act).

(2) In prescribing regulations for the new program, the Secretary shall take into account the results of the Polygraph Review.

(3) Not later than six months after obtaining the results of the Polygraph Review, the Secretary shall issue a notice of proposed rulemaking for the new program.

(c) REPEAL OF EXISTING POLYGRAPH PROGRAM.-Effective 30 days after the Secretary submits to the congressional defense committees the Secretarys certification that the final rule for the new counterintelligence

polygraph program required by subsection (a) has been fully implemented, section 3154 of the Department of Energy Facilities Safeguards, Security, and Counterintelligence Enhancement Act of 1999 (subtitle D of title XXI of Public Law 106-65; 42 U.S.C. 7383h) is repealed.

(d) REPORT ON FURTHER ENHANCEMENT OF PERSONNEL SECURITY PROGRAM.-(1) Not later than January 1, 2003, the Administrator for Nuclear Security shall submit to Congress a report setting forth the recommendations of the Administrator for any legislative action that the Administrator considers appropriate in order to enhance the personnel security program of the Department of Energy.

(2) Any recommendations under paragraph (1) regarding the use of polygraphs shall take into account the results of the Polygraph Review.

(e) POLYGRAPH REVIEW DEFINED.-In this section, the term "Polygraph Review" means the review of the Committee to Review the Scientific Evidence on the Polygraph of the National Academy of Sciences.

Your Congress at work.

How intereresting if they were 100% acccurate

[Marrow]

Considering the "brainscan" approach to polygraphs that the future may hold. I am kind of interested in
how a 100% accurate polygraph or lie-detector would affect civilization. How it would affect law enforcement
and judiciary. How would it affect business agreements and politics. If a really good lie detector were
readily available, then what would it do to society, government, economies, education, religion...

Its fun to imagine how the world would reshape itself. Would it be good, or a disaster.