Polygraph & Lie Detector Testing in Houston, Conroe & Montgomery, TX

A polygraph examination measures physiological responses — including breathing, cardiovascular activity, and skin conductivity — while a subject answers carefully structured questions. The results are interpreted by a trained, certified examiner.

Accuracy depends significantly on the test format and technique used. The American Polygraph Association's peer-reviewed meta-analysis of 38 studies covering 3,723 examinations found that single-issue diagnostic techniques achieved an aggregated decision accuracy of 89%, while multi-issue screening formats produced 85% accuracy — both well above chance. These results apply specifically to APA-validated test techniques conducted in accordance with APA Standards of Practice. Not all formats are equal, and examiner training and technique selection directly affect reliability. Jerry Thomas has been conducting examinations since 2007 using validated techniques, backed by over 39 years of law enforcement experience. For the full research, see the APA Meta-Analytic Survey of Criterion Accuracy of Validated Polygraph Techniques.

EyeDetect is an advanced credibility assessment technology that measures involuntary eye movements and cognitive responses to detect deception. Unlike traditional polygraph, it is entirely computer-scored. Thomas Polygraph Services LLC is among the premier EyeDetect providers in Texas and can offer both technologies.

Yes — and this is one of the most significant advances in credibility assessment for pre-employment screening. The concept is known as successive hurdles (also called successive screening), and it works by administering two largely independent tests on the same topic in sequence.

The key requirement is that the two tests must measure different physiological and cognitive channels. Polygraph measures heart rate, blood pressure, skin conductance, and respiration. EyeDetect measures involuntary eye behavior and cognitive load — entirely separate responses that are largely independent of each other. Because they are largely independent, the statistical model based on Bayes Theorem can be applied to their combined results.

This concept was originally proposed by researchers Meehl & Rosen (1955) — Antecedent Probability and the Efficiency of Psychometric Signs, Patterns, or Cutting Scores, Psychological Bulletin, 52(3), 194–216 — who showed that successive hurdles can improve accuracy, but the exact improvement depends heavily on the base rate and each test's validity. Their work showed gains are incremental, depend on priors (base rates), and are constrained by test validity. However, it could never be applied using polygraph alone — two successive polygraph exams are not independent. With EyeDetect now available, this model has real-world applicability for the first time in the history of lie detection.

The field of human deception detection has also been extensively studied. Bond & DePaulo (2006) — synthesizing 206 studies and over 24,000 observers — found that people achieve an average of only 54% accuracy in detecting lies, barely above chance, and that trained professionals such as police officers perform no better. The most comprehensive meta-analysis of CQT polygraph accuracy to date — Honts, C.R., Thurber, S., & Handler, M. (2021) — A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis of the Comparison Question Polygraph Test, Applied Cognitive Psychology, 35(2), 411–427 — analyzed 138 independent datasets and found a meta-analytic effect size of 0.69, confirming that the CQT performs significantly above chance and provides meaningful information gain across a broad range of base rates.

Research by Mark Handler — AAPP Research & Information Chair and APA board member — examined base rates and outcome confidence in pre-employment screening, showing that when a subject passes both an EyeDetect and a polygraph examination, outcome confidence reaches up to 99%. This also helps reduce base rate errors — false positives and false negatives that arise from testing a population where the proportion of deceptive subjects is low, as is typical in law enforcement hiring pools. By using EyeDetect as an initial screening layer, the base rate of the remaining pool is improved before the full polygraph is administered, making the overall process more accurate and efficient.

EyeDetect was developed by Dr. John C. Kircher and Dr. David Raskin — the same researchers credited with inventing the computerized polygraph in 1991 — at the University of Utah. Dr. Kircher's research confirmed field accuracy of 88% for EyeDetect screening tests.

Thomas Polygraph Services LLC offers both technologies and can administer them in a successive screening protocol for law enforcement agencies and government bodies.

📖 Successive Hurdles: EyeDetect + Polygraph — Converus Research
📄 Mark Handler AAPP Journal Article — 99% Outcome Confidence Research
🎥 Mark Handler Video — Converus YouTube Channel

Most polygraph examinations take between 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on the complexity of the issue. EyeDetect sessions are typically shorter. You'll be provided a full time estimate when you schedule your appointment.

Admissibility depends on the jurisdiction and any agreements between parties. Many attorneys use polygraph results as investigative tools, to support negotiations, or as part of case strategy. We regularly work with legal professionals throughout Texas.

Yes. All examinations at Thomas Polygraph Services LLC are conducted with strict confidentiality and professionalism. Your privacy is respected throughout the entire process.

Same-day and expedited appointments are often available depending on scheduling. Call (936) 760-2535 (office) or text (936) 525-0667 to discuss your needs and availability.