Brain Imaging and Courtroom Deception

Abstract

Scientists have developed new approaches to lie detection that use a brain scanning technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to evaluate whether someone is lying. Enthusiasts hope that courts will be more receptive to fMRI lie detection techniques than they have been to polygraph tests. But two recent court decisions - United States v. Semrau and Wilson v. Corestaff Services - suggest that these techniques are far from ready for courtroom use.