Member Benefits
The American Polygraph Association, established in 1966, is the largest polygraph association consisting of examiners in the private, law enforcement, and government fields. The APA continues to be the leading professional association of its kind, establishing standards of ethical practices, techniques, instrumentation, research, and advanced training and continuing educational programs. The APA has approximately 2,800 members who are required to maintain the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct and they are further required to discharge their duties with complete impartiality, dignity and respect. Members recognize that their primary responsibility is to the person being examined, and are forbidden to allow considerations of race, religion, politics, union activity, or economic status to play any part in their examinations, and they are pledged to issue an objective and unbiased opinion and to protect the confidentiality of the examination. The following is a sampling of the benefits that you will receive as a member of the APA:
Toll free access to the National Office, staffed with a full-time Office Manager that is a clearing house for all polygraph related issues and is the primary custodian of all records and publications
Subscriptions to the semi-annual peer-reviewed journal Polygraph, the most authoritative, thorough, and up-to-date journal in the field
Subscriptions to the bi-monthly publication of the APA Magazine which contains everything from APA and state organizations, to recent court decisions
Advanced notice and reduced rates for annual seminars and continuing education programs with a seminar & Continuing Education Committee dedicated to provide members with the most up-to-date training and information on technological advances in the polygraph profession
A chance to obtain a Certificate of Advanced and Specialized Training which exceeds the minimum APA membership guidelines through continuing education
Reduced rates on numerous APA publications and reference materials
Access to the latest information on legal issues to include areas such as EPPA, ADA, police applicant screening, testing victims of sex crimes and polygraph testing of sexual offenders
Recruitment incentives that can be used towards your membership dues and/or seminar registration feesJob referral and placement service
Access to the APA Archives for written, visual and auditory materials relevant to educational information and the polygraph profession, including taped seminar sessions
Access to the Research Center1, its progressive research, and its publications in areas of techniques, validity, scientific issues, current practices, assessments, surveys of attitudes and problems facing the polygraph profession, where its publications and papers have been presented at APA seminars as well as at other criminal justice and related conferences
Access to a Legislation Committee and state liaisons who bring forth any areas of interest of the APA in all matters relating to legislation, proposed or enacted, at federal, state and local levels which affect or may affect the Association, it's members and the polygraph profession in general
Assistance to any state organization for legislation restricting or prohibiting the use of polygraph, as well as assistance in other areas that may affect members and the profession
Annual awards presentation that identifies those persons who through their unselfish and extraordinary efforts promote and advance the best interest of the polygraph profession
An Ethics & Grievance Committee who receives and investigates all allegations of misconduct against members of the APA
An Educational Accreditation Committee that establishes minimum criteria for evaluation and accreditation of polygraph training programs to enhance the instruction and learning experiences of those seeking to be polygraph professionals
Free referrals and advance notice of accredited training programs and other approved advanced continuing education seminars
The chance to network with over 2,800 members in the polygraph profession
E-Mail capabilities and Internet home page which is constantly updated
In addition to the services you will receive, the APA Board of Directors, its Officers and Committee Members, are dedicated to the polygraph profession who go about the tasks of running an organization to benefit the entire polygraph profession. On any given day, you will find those Officers and Committee Members corresponding, teaching, recruiting, developing new initiatives, conducting research, establishing and reviewing accredited polygraph schools, resolving ethical issues and disputes, preparing publications, fighting anti-polygraph legislation, and providing liaisons between the individual needs of state associations, as well as liaison between the needs of private, law enforcement and government sectors. Services, guidance, references, networking and publications are only a phone call away!
For more information about the American Polygraph Association, contact Lisa Jacocks, National Office Manager, 1-800-APA-8037 or at (423) 892-3992; by FAX at: (423) 894-5435; or via mail at: APA National Office, PO Box 8037, Chattanooga, TN 37414-0037
Footnotes:
1. The Research Center was at one time located at Michigan State, however, the Research Center is now considered the publications and information located on the website.