Teen rape victims needn't take polygraph tests, judge decides

[The Straight Story]

Teen rape victims needn't take polygraph tests, judge decides


CLEVELAND -- A judge here has backed off an order seeking polygraph tests on three teenage rape victims.

The order had angered victim advocates and prosecutors.

Cuyahoga County Juvenile Judge Alison Floyd said in a recent court filing that she lacked authority to order the tests to check the girls' truthfulness after the cases were resolved. Floyd found four teenage boys delinquent, the juvenile court equivalent of guilty.

None of the girls complied with the order to take the polygraph tests.

The judge, who hasn't publicly explained her original ruling, could not be reached for comment today. A message seeking comment was left at her office.

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/04/27/rape-victim-polygraph.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

American Taliban at work again.

[Lint Head]

2. A polygraph test is not admissible a evidence in a court of law.

It is a intimidation tool and not proof of anything.

[Mojeoux]

3. Wow that's right.

What kind of hoaky-shlamokey justice system do they have in Cleveland?

[beyurslf]

4. As the father of 4 teenage boys, one of whom was falsely accused of rape,

I can sympathize with whoever is on the side of the truth. The boys have already resolved their cases. Why shouldn't the boys take a polygraph now and then see what happens. If the tests show they are telling then truth, I would look again at the girls. Rape is not joking matter, but neither is falsely accusing someone of it.

[miscsoc]

8. polygraphs aren't reliable measures of anything

if your son hdd gotten one there's a good chance he'd have been accused of lying even if he told the truth. Even if the results weren't admissible evidence the false result can be used as an intimidation tool (imagine yourself the victim of a false result to see what i mean)

link i posted downthread http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002-09-09-lie_x.htm

it's just irresponsible to use this technology in rape cases or any criminal cases

[beyurslf]

5. dupe

posted twice. sorry.

[miscsoc]

6. also afaik polygraphs barely work at all

the perception that they do mean something is largely a matter of good marketing and the fact that pretending you can engineer a reliable "lie detector" suits a lot of powerful people (media, law enforcement, tv scriptwriters etc). Serious scientists disagree.

This is an interesting link: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002-09-09-lie_x.htm

[Odin2005]

7. GOOD!