University Daily Kansan / Friday, September 6, 1991
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Polygraph expert takes bite out of local crime
By Melissa Rodgers
Kansan staff writer
In Lt. Vic Stradl's office, a needlepoint sign on the wall behind his desk says "Trust in God ... all others use a polygraph."
For Strand, a KU police officer, polygraph tests are a passion.
Strand is a polygraph examiner for the KU police. Lawrence police and fire departments, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, the Douglas County District Attorney's office.
John Mullens, KU police representative, said most polygraph examiners worked for private companies, usually screening potential employees and handling other personnel matters.
Strandl he was one of 14 law enforcementpolygraph experts in the state.
His polygraph findings are used by law enforcement officers to interview victims, witnesses and suspects in criminal investigations, he said.
Strnad had he tested suspects after police investigators narrowed their leads
"I usually don't get involved until the investigation is winding down," he said.
Strand has given polygraph tests to people involved in murder, rape, child abuse, theft and robbery cases. He does most of his research on the polygraph test. This year, he has given 16 polygraph tests.
According to the American Polygraph Association, polygraphs are about 90 percent correct.
A ue-detector test normally lasts about one and a half hours, Strnad said. The test period is divided into three parts: the interview, the test and the post-test, he said.
During the interview, Strnad and the interviewee create a set of test questions. The person taking the test knows all the questions before being connected to the interviewer.
For the lie-detector test, four wires are attached to the interview. Two wires are attached to the chest and two are attached to fingers on one hand.
The machine measures physiological changes in the body caused by lyingsuch as changes in breathing, pulse rate, skin response and blood pressure, Strad said.
Although polygraph results are not admissible as evidence in court cases, Strand can tell investigators the results of an interviewee's lie detector test.
"People are not born to lie," he said. "His learned, and people are apprehensive about it."
Douglas County District Attorney Jerry Wells said that in some cases the district attorney's office uses polygraph tests for officers. The defendant is adamant that they are innocent.
Mark Rowlands/KANSAN
Stradr said a person could not be forced to take a polygraph test.
KU police LT, Vic Simard is one of 14 law enforcement polygraph examiners in Kansas.
Journalism school creates minority affairs collection
By Rochelle Olson
Kansas staff writer
The William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at KU has started to compile a collection of minority affairs resources.
The collection, titled "Cultural Inclusiveness and Journalism," includes "Eyes on the Prize," a video tape about the civil-rights movement.
"Without Bias," a book about the use of non-prejudicial language, and clippings and newsletters from the University of Pennsylvania, are part of the collection.
The collection improves the school's ability to give students a greater understanding of communications issues. Kautschsaid.
The collection is on special reserve in the reading room, 210 Stauffer-Flint B18.
Mike Kautsch, dean of journalism,
said the collection was created
because students and faculty wanted
more resources about cultural inclu-
tions.
"They wanted to have materials available that would help them raise consciousness within the school about minority affairs." Kautsch said.
He cited the landmark civil-rights
He also said the collection was intended to enhance the school's recruitment and retention of minority students.
"I intend to put in some materials from various legal cases," Kautsch s
case New York Times vs. Sullivan as an example.
"The case represents the nation's commitment to encouraging public dialogue about important issues, in particular civil rights," he said.
Kautsch said the regular library acquisitions budget would be used for adding resources to the collection.
But with the exception of a few pieces, the collection did not require a huge investment, he said.
"It is a matter of gathering materials available and putting them in a readily identifiable place and collection," he said.
Kautsch said he anticipated that the collection would grow fairly quickly.
"There are faculty members that will lend to the collection for a limited period," he said.
Sam Adams, associate professor of journalism, said that before the collection, KU students had been unable to do much research on African-Americans in the media because the journalism school's resources were scarce.
"Students here before have not been able to do good research on those things, and all of us are responsible, including me," he said.
Jean Williams, Overland Park senior majoring in business communications. acreed.
She said that the collection was a helpful reference when writing papers about minority affairs.
"If you had resource material particularly geared to that and could draw from it, it would make writing easier," Williams said.