The Lie Detector

American Experience, TV's most-watched history series, brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.

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The Lie Detector

Season 35 Episode 1 | 52m 45s | CC

Discover the story of the polygraph, the controversial device that transformed modern police work, seized headlines and was extolled as an infallible crime-fighting tool. A tale of good intentions, twisted morals and unintended consequences.

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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

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