Episode 57

Wired for Truth: The Art & Science of Polygraphs

The polygraph test: We’ve all seen it used in popular movies, but what is it the truth behind how it’s used in the criminal justice system?

Jerry Lewis, a retired New Jersey State Police lieutenant who’s been administering polygraphs since 1981, joins host Matt Adams to peer inside the mechanics of the test.

They explore the science at work in a polygraph machine and the art of questioning a subject — and how to identify when someone is lying without a polygraph.

Jerry also addresses criticisms of the polygraph, defends his opinion on forced confessions and discloses the role he played in catching the killer of Megan Kanka, the namesake of Megan’s Law.