The Lie Detectors: The History of an American Obsession

The "lie detector" is an American invention of the 20th century that measures the physical changes (blood pressure, sweat, hear rate) that are said to correspond to willful deception--lies. However, there are serious scientific and philosophical questions about whether willful deception can be unequivocally linked to specific bodily reactions, and about whether a device of this or any (known) scientific type can accurately measure and predict or proscribe results based on physical changes. Alder's book covers these theoretical issues, as well as providing an interesting history of the three men most instrumental to the lie detector technology: John Larson, Leonarde Keeler, and William Marston, who went on to write the Wonder Woman comics with his wife--mother of two of his children--and his live-in mistress--mother of his other two children! As distant as that may seem from normalcy, amazingly enough, despite these twists or because of them, he handled the notoriety and the stresses of the position better than either Larson or Keeler. Alder spends considerable time placing the device in America's history ("red scares", Cold Wars) and culture (violent crime, tabloid journalism), and points out that --despite the occasional outburst of emphasis on lie detection (after 9/11, for example), legal and scientific opinions still are split and mostly against it, and --reliance on the device in any application is almost completely isolated to the US.

This book recounts the story of the lie detector, from its early development and use in the early twentieth century up to the present. However, the main focus is on the first half of the twentieth century and on the two individuals who developed it and used it the most. Although the sociological, psychological, philosophical and legal aspects of the use of the lie detector are discussed at length, there are very few details on the technical and scientific sides. I would have appreciated perhaps a few paragraphs detailing the device's technical aspects, the charts produced and their meaning and at least some hard statistical data on the device's performance. On this last point, the author does point out that success rate is strongly dependent on the operator and on the interrogation techniques; consequently, hard statistical data may be more complicated to come by, although some quasi-qualitative and conflicting figures are provided throughout the text. I found the writing style to be quite scholarly and most of it quite engaging, although some of the philosophical and sociological discussions were less so. Overall, I found the book to be quite interesting and, indeed, fascinating in many sections. This book would likely be of most interest to sociology and psychology buffs, as well as those interested in the workings of the legal system.

Let me start by admitting that this book validates my preconceptions about the polygraph's unreliablity. There are numerous studies showing that the polygraph does not reliabily detect lies, yet the American government, police investigators, and employers spend millions of dollars using it -- perhaps engendering a false sense of security that it provides meaningful protection from criminals, spies, and thieves. Alder discusses the polygraph's origins including the complex relationship between John Larson, its inventor (a police officer with a Ph.D. in physiology, August Vollmer (police chief and reformer), and Leonarde Keeler (a relentless self-promoter who popularized the device). He also discusses Keeler's wife, one of the first female forensic specialists and later a private detective. As discussed in the book, the polygraph has long been excluded from American courtrooms, but it it a favorite tool of many police investigators and can have a profound affect on which suspects are prosecuted and on plea agreements. The polygraph's use by employers, security agencies, and for various political purposes is also discussed, with concerns raised about the misuse of the device for political grandstanding and coercion. Alder mentions the variety of studies and tests that show that the polygraph does not work reliablity as a lie detector, although it can be a powerful bluff to elicit confessions (true and false). He also mentions problems with various other techniques and questions the underlying theory that lies cause measurable physical reactions. However, a reader interested in the scientific criticism of the lie detector and other methods would be better served by reading the sources in Alder's endnotes. There's a wealth of good material about 1920-40s policing, particularly in Chicago, and about the origins of forensics in Chicago with a cameo by Calvin Goddard, among others.

"The Lie Detectors" is the historical story of both the "lie detector" machine and the men who invented, researched and promoted the use of the machine. The men (and women) behind the machine were, in many ways, much more interesting than the machine itself, which has changed little since its invention. Covered by the book are how the machine works, why it doesn't really work, why there was fighting between different factions involved with it's development and why the courts have not allowed the machine to be used in criminal cases. Also included are some of the high profile cases where the machine was used and how the machine either helped or hindered those cases. The book is an interesting read, although it is a little "dense" in some areas. It is heavily researched and documented, and as well written as any historical work of its kind can be. If you are looking for a book primarily about the plain mechanics and operation of the machine, look elsewhere. If, however, you want to read the entire story behind the machine then this book is for you.