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Voice Stress Analysis
There are several companies now making voice-based lie detectors. Because voice stress analysis is a non-contact technology, and can be used on both live and recorded voice samples, many have considered it a boon to law enforcement. Hundreds of police departments have purchased the devices since they were introduced in the 1970s, making them second only to the polygraph in popularity among police agencies. The devices themselves are relatively inexpensive, easy to operate, and require as little as a week of formal training. Despite their apparent usefulness, none of the dozens of published scientific studies have found this approach to lie detection to have any validity. The US National Academy of Sciences recently debunked the devices, reporting that the consensus of 30 years of research shows that they cannot detect truthfulness or deception at rates greater than chance. Many police departments still use the devices, however, because they have proven to be powerful interrogation tools. Confessions are easier to extract with the devices, and most users are either uninformed or not concerned about the deficiency in accuracy.
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