Criminal justice/criminology and forensic psychophysiology: A symbiotic interface
Jurisdiction | South Africa |
Published date | 16 August 2019 |
Pages | 78-97 |
Author | Friedo Johan Willem Herbig |
Citation | (2010) 23 SACJ 78 |
Date | 16 August 2019 |
Criminal justice/criminology and
forensic psychophysiology:
a symbiotic interface
FRIEDO JOHAN WILLEM HERBIG*
ABSTRACT
Forensic psychophysiology (polygraphy), or more ascetically stated, lie de-
tection, has captivated humankind since the earliest of times. In due course
crude mechanisms employed to determine veracity have not only evolved
and been refined, but the pursuit of tr uthfulness has become more impor-
tant to a post-modern society plagued by pervasive crime, corruption and
impropriety. Seldom, if ever, has the quest for candor’s interface with the
criminological discipline, and/or its significance as a criminological support
mechanism within a containment approach to addressing the burgeoning
crime quandary, specifically been canvassed in South Africa. This paper exam-
ines the relevance of polygraphy not only as a regimen for determining truth
and deception, but also in terms of current and, perhaps more impor tantly,
potential application and utility thereof within the South African criminal
justice/criminological and victimological realm. The article endeavours to
identify the extent (or lack thereof) to which the polygraph deliberately or
inadvertently aligns itself with, and/or can be utilised for, the pursuit of a
criminal justice/criminological agenda by, amongst others, contrasting the
position and needs in South Africa with the United States, historically one of
the principal users of polygraph worldwide. Although this paper alludes to
the existence and further development of a mutually beneficial relationship
between criminal justice/criminology and polygraphy, the affiliation should
by no means be construed as representing a panacea and/or subjugation of
inherent limitations within the realm of both fields.
Introduction
For decades criminologists have attempted to promote an enhanced
understanding of the nature, extent, cause and control of criminal be-
haviour. Endeavours, which have essentially triggered the discipline to
evolve into an integrated, pr agmatic and multi-disciplinary field that
amalgamates academic criminology with contemporary social concerns
about crime. Criminology in a vocational sense is tied to improving
* BA (police science) (UNISA), BA Hons (Criminology) (UNISA), MA (Criminology)
(UNISA), DLitt et Phil (Criminology) (UNISA), Associate Professor in Criminology,
University of South Africa.
78 SACJ . (2010) 1
(2010) 23 SACJ 78
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the immediate practices of the criminal justice system and generally
directed at making some aspect of the criminal justice system ‘better’
at some level.1 In the fullness of time, developments and evolution in
the criminological discipline have facilitated this task and progressively
contributed to the amplification of its frontiers.
Since the criminological field of study focuses chiefly on the criminal,
victim and the crime it is of ten based on qualitative interaction entail-
ing offender and victim renditions. It would thus seem logical at some
point to question the veracity of the input upon which many crimino-
logical pronouncements are made and initiatives devised. It trite that
one cannot always take information provided at face value. Forensic
psychophysiology/polygraphy is one of the best ways, it is submit-
ted, in which truthfulness (or deception) can be verified in various
criminological settings. Furthermore, polygraphy seems to possess
distinct criminological application and to be an effective conduit for
the criminologist to employ in the quest against the escalating problem
of crime.
Discipline disparagement
Considerable denigration has been leveled at the criminological
discipline over the years. One particularly scathing criticism is that
criminological research has been futile due to the incompetence of
criminologists in science and also that current methods of crimino-
logical research should be abandoned.2 Another criticism leveled at
criminology and its professional practitioners is reflected in the view
that ‘currently criminology has no intellectual core and, hence, cannot
consider itself to be a true discipline’.3
Lie detection, or its more encompassing contemporary term ‘cred-
ibility assessment’, also draws a polarised interest. On the one hand
there is excitement that the potential for flawless lie detection exists,
on the other hand there is cynical amusement that anyone would fall
for such a preposterous notion.4 The application of polygraph proce-
dures has additionally been vilified by psychologists as trespassing on
their domain. Dr Gordon, the former executive director of the National
Institute of Personnel Research and vice chairman of the Professional
Board of Psychology of the South African Medical and Dental Council,
was of the opinion that polygraph testing was the domain of the
1 R White & F Haines Crime and Criminology 3ed (2004) 2.
2 Michael-Adler report ‘Searching for the soul of Criminology’ in JH Laub Criminology
(2006) 235-36.
3 G Lafree ‘Expanding Criminology’s domain’ (2007) 45(1) Criminology 24.
4 SM Senter ‘Polygraph Research: Value, Shortcomings, and Perspectives’ (2008) 37(4)
Polygraph 277.
Criminal justice/criminology and forensic psychophysiology:
a symbiotic interface 79
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