Established in 1966, the American Polygraph Association (APA) is the world's leading association dedicated to the use of evidence-based scientific methods for credibility assessment. About the APA
The American Polygraph Association (APA) is the leading professional polygraph organization in the world, representing more than 2,800 experienced polygraph examiners in private business, law enforcemen
t and government. The APA establishes standards of ethical practices, techniques, instrumentation and research, as well as provides advanced training and continuing education programs. APA examiners are highly qualified professionals who are motivated to help protect the public by verifying the truth, while following the highest standards of moral, ethical, and professional conduct. APA examiners pledge to follow all the rules and regulations for polygraph methodologies that are accepted and used in the field today. The APA governs the conduct of its members by requiring adherence to a Code of Ethics and a set of Standards and Principles of Practice. In order to become an APA member, examiners must adhere to strict guidelines and educational requirements that include hundreds of hours of coursework at an APA approved school, as well as an internship. As in many respected professions, APA members must acquire annual continuing education and training in order to maintain membership. Each APA accredited school is inspected regularly and rigorously to ensure that the curriculums attain the highest standards by teaching the most current, fundamental polygraph techniques. Through strict adherence to training and education standards, APA examiners are able to attain accuracy rates exceeding 90 percent. The Association is governed by a board of 11 officers who are elected by the members. Through this board, the APA represents industry segments that include government, law enforcement, private practice, education and the public at large. The Association's national office is in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
