The polygraph test is an important part of the recruitment process that the police services have used and have used for many years. However, there has always been a debate in the criminal justice system about whether or not the polygraph test should be used. Regardless, the polygraph test is used by multiple police agencies to recruit candidates. People who use the polygraph test claim that it is a valuable tool that helps police services determine whether the test taker will engage in illegal activity. In addition to determining whether candidates will engage in illegal activities, the polygraph can be used to eliminate candidates due to their past crimes. This then allows the police service to save money that may have been used to train that individual. However, those against the use of the polygraph argue that there are countermeasures that can be used to try to cheat the polygraph test. Critics also argue that the candidate's motivation affects the polygraph reading. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayBefore talking about the pros and cons of using the polygraph test in the recruitment process in the police services, it is important to know what a polygraph test is and how it works. The polygraph machine compares physiological responses, such as blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate and sweating, with different types of questions to tell whether someone is being truthful or deceptive. As they are asked questions, their physiological responses are monitored. Physiological monitoring shows when there is an increase in the physiological response of the subject being tested and can be seen as the individual trying to cheat the polygraph test. When performing the polygraph, the examiner may use a variety of interrogation techniques such as the guilty knowledge test (commonly known as the hidden information test), the control question test (CQT), the pre-employment polygraph (PEP) , the relevant-irrelevant technique (RIT). Although many interrogation techniques exist, CQT is the technique most commonly used by law enforcement. This technique works by questioning the integrity of the individual being examined by asking questions related to other behaviors the individual may have engaged in. Know that some basic knowledge is known about what a polygraph is and how it works, some knowledge about how the polygraph was invented should also be known. Physiologist and police officer John Larsson first introduced the polygraph, as we know it now, in the 1920s at the University of California, Berkeley. However Larson was not the first person to create the polygraph, it was William Marston. Larson only made it better. William first created an early prototype of the polygraph in 1915. However, the machine he invented only measured blood pressure. Larson added to this by inventing a device that simultaneously measured blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and sweating. However Larson did not apply for a patent and a man, Leonarde Keeler, who worked under him, did. Along with Larson, Keeler also made improvements to the device, such as understanding how to use regular ink; so that it doesn't take half an hour to prepare the car. Since the polygraph was created there has been much discussion about the pros and cons of implementing the polygraph into the criminal justice recruiting process. When yesWhen applying for the RCMP there is a six-step process: submit an online application, write the entrance exam, complete forms, pre-employment polygraph exam, health assessment, field investigation and security clearance. safety. Throughout this process the pre-employment polygraph (PEP) examination helps the RCMP verify all the information the applicant has provided in the previous three stages. This then helps the agency recruit individuals who meet the following requirements, in based on their core values; integrity, honesty, professionalism, compassion, respect and responsibility. Over the years, numerous research studies have been conducted to verify that the polygraph is an accurate instrument. As stated in Understanding How Polygraph Tests Work and Are Used by Iacono, from two thousand polygraph tests conducted, there was a 98% accuracy rate. This shows that there is only a 2% chance that the polygraph test will show incorrect results. People who take polygraph tests argue that when mistakes are made or incorrect results are produced it is due to the negligence of the examiner. Although the percentage is not 100%, PEP is still an effective way to disqualify unwanted applicants. PEP is an advantage that police services have as it helps the agency uncover any past illegal activity. This then gives them the opportunity to eliminate any candidates who do not meet the required qualifications or who have given the agency suspicion of engaging in unethical activities. In a study conducted by Robert Meesig and Frank Horvath, it was shown that out of 626 large agencies, 62% used PEP in the recruiting process, 7% used it, and 31% had never used it. And that out of 1482 small agencies, 13% used PEP, 4% used it and 83% had never used it. This then helped the police department reject 25% of applicants, due to information revealed while completing the PEP. Of the 25% of rejected applicants, 9% involved unsolved murders, 34% involved sexual assault cases and 38% were linked to armed robberies. The study shows that without the use of the polygraph, 25% of those rejected would have entered and the police agency would not have been aware of their past activities. Just as the PEP test eliminates all candidates who do not meet the requirements. The use of the polygraph also saves police forces money, this is due to the fact that the RCMP does not charge candidates for the training. Candidates also do not have to pay for training, while they are at the Regina depot for 26 weeks they are paid $500 per week. This amounts to $13,000, which is just the amount for one candidate. There are about 32 cadets there, which means the RCMP is spending $416,000 on training alone. On top of that, the RCMP pays for candidates' living expenses, travel to and from the depot, uniform fees, training courses and insurance. According to Stats Canada, 2,630 officers were hired in 2016. This means that in 2016 the RCMP spent $34,190,000 on training alone. If the polygraph test had not been administered, an unknown number of applicants may have been hired, and the agency may not have discovered the applicant's background in activities in which he was not arrested. This could have led to them engaging in illegal activities, which would have led to them being fired and the money spent on their training going “wasted”. The RCMP using the polygraph as part of the recruitment process helps save their reputation and funds. People against the polygraph test often argue that the test taker can use countermeasures to fool the polygraph machine..