Polygraph tests relied upon. discredited
By TOM ZIND
Staff Renorter
"As an employee of the company, would you agree to take a nylon verbal test?"
Chances are that everyone has encountered a similar question on an employment application.
As more retailers have turned to polygraph examiners as another weapon in an arsenal to combat the growing problem of employee theft, onposition to the tests also has been mounting.
Employers who use them say the tests are a necessary tool in screening employees.
Those who are opposed to their use complain of the inaccuracy and unreliability of the tests and their results.
The theory behind lie detector tests is simple.
Then they yank me out of the chair and he will lay with pleasure, breathe heavier and exhibit an increased pulse.
A POLYGRAPH machine records the electrical impulses generated by these three bodily functions by producing a graphic representation on a roll of paper with electrodes, and with electrodes that pick up these electrical impulses.
When the test is over, the examiner can look at the graph and see on which questions a person's perspiration, heart beat and breathing changed. From this information, the examiners say, they can tell whether a person has lied.
A fundamental question in the debate about the merits and ethics of lie detector tests is whether the examiner is qualified to make sense of the mass of lines that the machine spools out during a test.
An Overland Park examiner who has had 11 years of experience said an experienced and qualified examiner was "a must" in conducting an accurate examination.
THE EXAMINER, Dwight Fidler, a former New Jersey police officer who learned the skill at the law enforcement department and had hands of an experienced polygrapher, is 98 percent accurate. I consider anyone incompetent with his has not been fully trained.
"It takes a lot of experience," he said. "I could have you doing pre-employment tests in three weeks. However, you can't sit down and do 150 of these tests and then do murder cases."
Fidler, who said that polygraph work deserved the same respect afforded to other professions, is concerned about the murders of unqualified examiners who have set up shop. He said he strongly favored more restrictions and guidelines. RESTRICTIONS on who can administer polygraph
RESTRICTIONS on who can administer polygraph tests in Kansas are almost non-existent and those
that are on the books have little effect on excluding amateurs and incompetents.
According to Kansas State Deputy Attorney General Tom Haney, the only broad restriction in Kansas is that the examiner be licensed as a law enforcement officer or private detective. Haney agreed that these restrictions did not assure that an individual was qualified to conduct a fair and accurate test.
A bill that would have licensed examiners and created a board of polygraphers was killed in a court fight.
Fidler said such a bill was needed to protect employees and businesses from quack examiners.
"The public needs to know more about polygraphers," he said. "Most employers don't know there's a difference between a good and a bad polygrapher."
Fidder listed asking relevant questions, being able to interpret the results and having a respect for the rights of the people involved as some qualities of a good examiner.
THE LINE OF questioning is one area of polygraphy that has come under fire. Opponents say it is too open to abuse because polygraphers can ask questions not related to a person's fitness for employment, such as those regarding sex and drug habits.
"IIf I'm looking for orange that were stolen, I'm not going to ask about apples," he said. "Eighty percent of apples are toxic."
Filler, who does work for Gibson Discount Center,
2252 Iowa St., said he asked only relevant questions.
the questions we ask in practice, as well as the
questions we use in our practice.
to take the test a few weeks ago questioned the test a
The employee, Karen Voss, Chicago sophomore, said, "I think it all is right if the people want to take the test, but I feel that a person can be made nervous and that this could affect his score."
However, Fidler said, "What you're looking for is the change from the normal. There a 'normal' for a different one."
"Actually," Fidder said, "the more nervous they are, the easier it is to tell whether they're telling the truth."
HE SAID NERVOUSNESS did not matter because the machine measured responses and the examiner didn't.
Although Gibson's uses polygraphs on an irregular basis, according to store manager Art Cromer, the use of the tests does not appear to be widespread in Lawrence.
Of 25 companies contacted, four said they used the tests. Spokesmen for K Mart, 31st and Iowa streets, and Kansas Color Press, 2201 Haskell Ave, refused to say whether they used them. However, two em-
employee of the companies said they had never been asked to take one there.
Rocky Davis, store manager for Super-X Drugs,
i15 W. 23rd St., the said店 had used polygraph tape.
"We use it as a screening process of all new empioyees," he said. "We use it primarily to verify the accuracy of our training."
JIM TUTSHULTE, assistant store manager, said the store had to be very careful in its hiring process. The managers were often the store was concerned with weeding out employees who were drug addicts or who had stolen money or drugs.
Although pharmacies might have a special problem in screening employees, none of the other
Jerry Toberson, owner of Jerrys Pharmacy, Sixth and Michigan streets, echoed Filler's concerns.
"I wouldn't consider using them until there is some better way of determining that the person is competent," he said. "If the state had licensing I might go along with it."
Another local pharmacist who has not resorted to polygraphs is opposed to them for different reasons.
"I have the feeling that they are a little dehumanizing," Dick Runey, owner of Honey Drug Group.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY
See POLYGRAPHS nave eight
KANSAN
RAIN
Lawrence, Kansas
Mondav. April 30, 1979
Vol.89,No.141
Spencer Library to get $250,000
See story page two
a crowd of more than 12,000 in Allen Field House Friday evening. See related stories and photographs on pages five and seven.
'Listen to the Music'
Parking lot plan faces opposition
By TONI WOOD Staff Reporter
But students and faculty should not have to pay for improving two of those lots, according to Mark Bernstein and Sam Zweifel, graduate student representatives to the University Senate executive committee. $200,000 be used to fund the KU bus system.
About $200,000 will be spent to improve the parking lots next year under the plans approved by Gov. Scott.
Bernstein and Zweifel are authoring a resolution that would call for the University Council to reconsider its approval of the parking board's 1980 budget.
The lots to be improved are B-1, which is behind Carruth O'Leary Hall; AFH, near Allen Field House; and the Alumni Place parking lot.
THE $200,000 necessary to finance the improvements would come from revenue generated through the sale of property.
Bernstein and Zweifel objected to improving the Allen Field House lot and the Carnarrou-Loake lot because, they said, the benefit could only certain students and faculty.
About 190 stalls would be added to the Allen Field House lot, which is next to Quigley Field. Permits for this lot would be for the entire year or $23 each semester.
About $40,000 would be spent to build an exit driveway from the lot behind Carruth-O'Leary. Twelve parking stalls also would be added.
BERNSTEIN SAID that lot benefited mainly the faculty operations and security staff of the company.
should come out of the administrative budget.
Bernstein said that the athletic department would be the only beneficiary from this lot's improvement and that the money should come from athletic funds.
Patrick Simmons, lead singer and guitarist for the Doobie Brothers, performs in front of
However, Don Kearns, director of parking, said that only about 1 percent of the lot was used by faculty operations and staff. "Most of it is strictly used by staff and students," he said.
"That's where students pay dormitory fees and the staff and faculty go there (to Carruth-O'Leary) to the personnel office or the payroll office," Kearns said.
Faculty and staff will have to pay $40 next year or $24 each semester for a permit for the CarruthO'Leary lot. There also are other permits for the driver for drivers who don't have permits.
Bernstein said the money that would be used to improve the Carruth-O'Leary and Allen Field House lobs should be used for the KU bus system. If the system were improved, more students would ride buses to campus and fewer would drive cars, he said.
THE BUS SYSTEM currently is financed by part of the student privilege fee and is in line with the budget.
"If they would match funds with the Student Senate, they could alleviate some of the problem instead of encouraging it by building new lots." Bernstein said.
"The problem" is the increasing number of drivers who park in zones where they do not have permits, as cited in the Annual Report of the Parking and Traffic Board. Drivers with permits often have no place to park because of the violators.
The University Council approved the total parking and traffic budget for 1980, including the lot improvements, at its April 12 meeting.
During the meeting, Bernatine tried to raise the question about the lot projects, but it was too difficult for her.
KU budget approved Dykes pleased with it
The Kansas Legislature approved the KU 1980 budget of more than $220 million late Saturday afternoon at the tail end of its cleanup session.
The Legislature also approved the budgets for the other Kansas Board of Regents schools. The total, including KU's budget, was $438 million. The bill containing the budgets now moves to Gov. John Carlin for his approval.
Included in the bill for operating allocations for $1.6 million for operating expenses and renovation of E.B. Allen hospital, the new home of the Wichita branch of the KU
Kansan applications for summer and fall available this week
applications for news and business staff positions for the summer and fall semesters. A copy of the form is available. The forms can be picked up in 105 Fint Hall; the Student Senate office, Suite 10B Kansas Union; and the office of student organizations and activities.
Medical Center; $390,000 for the purchase of two fuel storage tanks and $344,500 for a generator.
Med Center officials estimate that it will cost about $4 million to complete the project. Part of this year's allocation will be spent hiring an architect to plan the renovation. Construction is scheduled to begin in February 1980.
The allocation for the renovation of E.B. is the first phase of a four-year plan to renovate
Completed applications must be returned by 5 p.m. Friday to 105 Flint Hall.
Under the bill, $1 million would be used for the renovation of Marvin and $27,500 would be used to renovate Lindley. Funds to complete the work on both buildings should be allocated by the Legislature next year. It would also be allocated to finish Marvin and $16 to finish Lindley.
Other construction projects approved by the Legislature included a $1,277,500 allocation for the renovation of Marvin and Lindley halls.
Also included in the bill was a 6.5 percent increase for faculty salaries, a 6 percent increase in other operating expenses and a 9.5 percent increase in student wages.
"It looks good for us, much better than it "did earlier in the session," he said. "Given the climate for tax reduction, we were pleased with what happened."
Chancellor Archie R. Dykes said he was relatively pleased "with the outcome of the process."
Refugee depicts Vietnam flight
ByLYNN BYCZYNSK
Staff Reporter
Saigon was a city in chaos four years ago today. The war was over: South Vietnam had surrendered.
The few remaining Americans were being evacuated from the city by U.S. military helicopters that whirled all over the city.
They fled the victorious communist government in Nakayama, fishing vessels, private pleasure boats, barges and trucks.
In the Americans' wake, tens of thousands of Vietnamese streamed out of the country by their only escape
Jim was one of 35,000 Vietnamese who fled their homeland that day.
Today, Jim is a student at the University of Kansas. Because his flight was a crime in the eyes of his government and because his family is still Vietnam and could not ask him to be asked to answer only by his Archigradic first name.
JIM, HIS DARK EYES alert and his smile frequent, sits upright on the tiny bed in his spartan boarding-house room. Slowly, but without pain, he recounts the tale of his journey to the United States. It is his English that is measured and hesitant, as if it were still a stranger to his tongue.
He was 19 years old and a college freshman when he climbed aboard the fishing boat in 1975. And, although he sat shoulder-to-shoulder with other refugees, packed too tightly into his cabin, he never left behind friends, parents and eight brothers and sisters.
Why did he do it?
"My parents pushed me," Jim said. "A lot of people go away and get degrees and that after you go and get a good job. I am the oldest son. And in Vietnam, if the oldest son gets a good job, everyone will keep going."
And so, with little warning or forethought, Jim found himself packed on a fishing boat, heading to sea.
For two days and nights the refugees had no food or water.
people used—not the young ones—and you know what happened to them? They got thrown into the ocean," I said.
THEN, THEY were spotted by a U.S. navy boat that delivered supplies and later returned to pick up the
Jim sailed to the Philippines, then boarded another boat bound for Hawaii, which had about 5,000 refugees on
Within two weeks of the fall of Saigon, Jim was starting his new life in his new home: Kansas.
A Catholic priest in Wichita had sponsored Jim and brought him to that city. A federal grant enabled him to work for the U.S. government.
The U.S. government has been good to him and the American people have not shown any prejudice toward them.
"I think we still have more chance than blacks," Jim said.
"I don't want a job in the U.S. I'd rather be with my family around, even though I'm poorer," Jim said.
Despite the changes that have taken place in his homeland since Jim came to the United States, he still remains a leader.
JIM TRANSFERRED to KU after one year at Wichita State, he expects to graduate next year with degrees in Engineering.
He saves much of the money he earns working part time at the Kansas Union and sends it home to his family. The Vietnamese government takes about 20 percent of what he sends, but any amount helps his family, Jim said.
For Jim, adjusting to life in the United States has not been difficult, because he was raised in the Americanized
The, he would play tennis or see a movie or go dancing on the weekends. In Lawrence, it is the same.
"As a country, we stick together." Jim said.
The only difference, Jum said, is that in Vietnam "We don't drink beer."
He also has adjusted well because he has surrounded himself with other Vietnamese.
Jim said that his contacts with Americans were few. The difference between the American and Vietnamese people, Jim immediately said, was "Americans have bigger teeth."
His circle of friends includes only the 20 Vietnamese people living in Lawrence, he said. When he travels, as he did last year to Washington, D.C., he stays with other Vietnamese.
It is acceptable and common to look for Vietnamese names in the telephone book and ask to stay with them,
DESPITE JM'S IDEA to return to Vietnam, he said he wanted to become a U.S. citizen.
His only reason for wanting U.S. citizenship is to help him return to Vietnam, he said.
"No way I can go back now. If you get off the airplane, they throw you in jail. If you are an American citizen, they throw you in jail."
Jim predicted that he would be able to return to Vietnam in a few years, when U.S. relations with his homeland
"When I came in 1975, I foresaw 1978. Then it was 1979.
Now I don't know. But we'll keep trying."
"We want to die in the Vietnamese land, not in the American land."