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Donnie W. Dutton
Computerized polygraph scoring algorithms and objective test data analysis methods
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About Donnie W. Dutton
D. W. Dutton (Donnie W. Dutton) served as Vice President - Government of the American Polygraph Association (APA) in the early 2000s, and later held the position of Chairman of the Board. He retired from the federal government in 2014 with over 40 years of federal service, during which his career included positions at the National Center for Credibility Assessment (NCCA) at Ft. Jackson, SC, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), the DoD Polygraph Institute (DoDPI), and various military intelligence assignments. He is affiliated with the Capital Center for Credibility Assessment (C3A) and serves as director of the BMUK Polygraph School in the UK.
Dutton has made substantial contributions to polygraph science through his collaborative research with Donald J. Krapohl. In 2000, he authored publications on the Objective Scoring System (OSS), a groundbreaking method for objectively scoring polygraph data. He co-authored a landmark 2000 study with Dollins and Krapohl comparing the performance of five different computer-based classification algorithms, which was cited by the National Research Council. His 2024 study with Krapohl comparing OSS-3 and PolyScore algorithms in multi-issue and single-issue field exams demonstrates his continued work on improving computerized scoring accuracy and reducing inconclusive rates in polygraph examinations. He also contributed to research on the Rank Order Scoring System using field data.
Dutton has received significant recognition in the polygraph profession, including the APA's President's Award of Merit in 2018 (shared with Lisa Jacocks) and the APA Award for Distinguished Service in 1998, along with the Fay J. Arther, Sr. Award for excellence in 1999 and 2000. His collaboration with Donald J. Krapohl spans decades, with Krapohl being identified as an APA Past President and regular contributor to the field. Together they have published multiple influential studies on expectation bias, scoring reliability, structural weighting of polygraph signals, and decision rules that have shaped modern polygraph practice.
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Researchers who have co-authored studies with Donnie W. Dutton.
Publications [11]
All peer-reviewed studies by Donnie W. Dutton in our database.
Comparison of OSS-3 and PolyScore in Multi-Issue and Single-Issue Field Exams
Compared computerized scoring algorithms on field data. OSS-3 correctly identified 71% truthful and 96% deceptive with 14% inconclusive rate, outperforming PolyScore on multiple-issue tests. [002] 2021 Polygraph & Forensic Credibility AssessmentResponse Onset Windows for Electrodermal, Cardiovascular and Vasomotor Responses: A Preliminary Study Using the British One-issue Screening Test
Conventional response onset windows (0.5-4.0s electrodermal, 1.0-9.0s cardiovascular, 2.0-9.0s vasomotor) were empirically validated, with electrodermal responses showing significant skew clustering in the 1-3 second range. [003] 2020 Polygraph & Forensic Credibility AssessmentBest Practices in Polygraph Examination
Monte Carlo simulations based on 299 subtotal scores provided the first systematic criterion accuracy estimates and confidence intervals for two-relevant-question multi-issue examinations, confirming that each question must be evaluated independently. [004] 2019 Polygraph & Forensic Credibility AssessmentLiterature Survey of Structural Weighting of Polygraph Signals
EDA contributes over 60% of diagnostic information in polygraph testing, with cardiovascular responses accounting for approximately 34% and respiration contributing the remainder. [005] 2018 Polygraph and Forensic Credibility AssessmentBelieving is Seeing: The Influence of Expectations on Blind Scoring of Polygraph Data
Polygraph scores and decisions were systematically shifted in the direction of biasing information provided to examiners, demonstrating that confirmation bias can penetrate standardized numerical scoring protocols, though not all scorers… [006] 2018 Polygraph & Forensic Credibility AssessmentReducing Inconclusive Results: A Descriptive Analysis of Decision Rules, Weighted Electrodermal Scores and Multinomial Cut-Scores
Weighted EDA scores alone reduced inconclusive results by 49%, while combining EDA weighting with multinomial cut-scores achieved a 72% reduction in inconclusive outcomes. [007] 2005 PolygraphThe Impact of Averaging Assigned Scores on Polygraph Decision Accuracy
Averaging assigned scores from multiple evaluators prior to the decision stage did not consistently or significantly improve ZCT decision accuracy compared to the traditional individual scoring approach, with no statistically… [008] 2001 PolygraphThe Rank Order Scoring System: Replication and Extension with Field Data
ROSS achieved 80.3% accuracy with inconclusives and 91.6% without them in a 300-case field sample, showing no statistically significant difference in accuracy compared to traditional 7-point scoring on a 100-case… [009] 2000 PolygraphGuide for Performing the Objective Scoring System
Dutton's guide demonstrated that all OSS scoring decisions can be derived entirely from direct physical measurement of three Kircher physiological features, eliminating subjective chart interpretation and providing the foundational procedural… [010] 2000 PolygraphIntroduction
Polygraph testing was identified as a highly effective disclosure facilitation tool in sex offender treatment, with a minimum 40-hour specialized training standard established for PCSOT examiners operating within an interdisciplinary… [011] 1999 Department of Defense Polygraph Institute ReportA Comparison of Computer Programs Designed to Evaluate Psychophysiological Detection of Deception Examinations: Bakeoff 1
All five computer scoring programs achieved statistically equivalent accuracy rates of 88–91% on definitive decisions, with no single program significantly outperforming the others; four of five programs exhibited a consistent…Explore all research.
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