Truth Under Pressure: Exploring Informants' Experiences, Aspirations, And The Effects of Polygraph Tests in Investigation and Adjudication

Abstract

In the pursuit of justice, truth becomes both a guiding light and a contested terrain. Across courts, police precincts, and intelligence units, the challenge of determining who is telling the truth and under what conditions is central to legal and investigative processes. This study aimed to explore the informants’ experiences, aspirations, and the effects of polygraph tests in Investigation and adjudication. This study employed a qualitative exploratory phenomenological research design. The data have been analyzed using Colaizzi’s method of data analysis, which is suited for understanding lived human experiences on polygraph utilization in court proceedings. The study has shown a clear path for future cases and offers a better grasp of the complicated terrain around the admissibility and standards for the use of polygraphs. It demonstrates how present legal frameworks frequently make polygraph results inadmissible in court, a fact that both investigators and legal specialists generally agree upon. Therefore, to fully utilize the polygraph's capabilities, the forensic and legal sectors must collaborate and increase knowledge. Open communication, shared research, and collaborative educational initiatives among polygraph examiners, lawyers, judges, law enforcement, and researchers are crucial for developing comprehensive policies, fostering a deeper understanding of the technology, and ensuring its successful and ethical application within the broader framework of justice.