Failed Poly and future clearance

Will failing a polygraph for a prior TS/SCI investigation from a few years ago affect getting a non-poly TS clearance where the investigation was recently completed?

Yes. The adjudicator will have access to information from your prior failed polygraph and may rely on that information in making a decision on whether to grant clearance.

On the other hand, I know a few people who ā€œfailedā€ a poly with one agency but got cleared with anotherā€¦ one even ā€œpassedā€ a poly with another agency (DHS?) after failing the first one (DOJ? Not sureā€¦ but two different non-DOD agencies).

If you are going for a new clearance, the passage of time will help, and it will also help if youā€™re applying to a different agency.

In other words, the answer isā€¦ it depends.

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I took a CI Poly over 2 years ago and was subsequently removed from the program before the 4th attempt. I was told they rarely go past 3 attempts and I was free to reapply to another program. I was never told I failed or anything. My clearance went to a loss of jurisdiction and has been stuck like that since. My company was notified to remove my access or something since it has been over two years. I am now being resubmitted for a new TS. I assume the passage of time should help, correct?

I donā€™t believe they ever officially use the word ā€œfail.ā€ They use words like inconclusive, canā€™t get a clear reading, possible use of countermeasures, elements of deceptionā€¦or changed answers throughout Poly. I do know of people who had ā€œinconclusiveā€ poly results from one agency, but did reclear on several other contracts and take a poly later and get cleared. Each agency has their own standard. For instance, Border jobs have a high reject rate. Not real sure how to speak to that. Why do they screen many more out?

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Thatā€™s what I thought too, at least for the IC. Donā€™t know about others (including CBP with their incredibly high ā€˜failā€™ rate).

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Within the polygraph community, the official term for ā€œfailingā€ a screening polygraph is ā€œsignificant response,ā€ and the official term for failing a so-called ā€œspecific incidentā€ polygraph is ā€œdeception indicated.ā€ But the bottom line is the same: the subject is deemed to be lying.

The subject doesnā€™t have to be ā€œdeemed to be lyingā€ in order to be rejected for cleared service.

Both of which can be mitigated in followup interviews. Orā€¦if people are lyingā€¦shockā€¦as everyone does lieā€¦it does successfully screen out people who think they are easily beating the system. About the only thing you and I will agree on is that there are plenty who are not guilty, that also get screened out, and clearly some who continue to lie and deceive, remain cleared. Spies. So I view it as a necessary evil I submit myself to as I find great value in my work.

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