SYSTEMATIC REVIEW FOR DECLASSIFICATION

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85B00552R001000070026-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 30, 2007
• Sequence Number: 26
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2007/11/30: CIA-RDP85B00552RO01000070026-7
SUBJECT: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW FOR DECLASSIFICATION
SYNOPSIS:
The program of Systematic Review for Declassification mandated by Executive
Order .12065 is a disaster. It is not cost effective; it syphons off valuable,
scarce resources from CIA's primary mission; and it poses security rises. It
should be abolished. The General Accounting Office has also recomi:ended its
BACKGROUND:
.Section 3-4 of Executive Order 12065 (E.O. 12065) effective 1 December 1978
requires the Executive Branch to institute programs to review all "permanently
valuable records" when they reach 20 years of age (30 years for foreign govern-
n. ent information) to determine whether the records should regain classified. If
they remain classified after such review, they then must be reviewed again 10.
years later, and every 10. years thereafter until declassified, unless a longer
period is agreed to by the Director, Information Security Oversight Office (ISO())
Such ISOO exe :rtions can be difficult to come by.
The above requirement is not new. The idea started during the Eisenhower
administration and in 1972 President Nixon issued E_O. 11652 -which contained a
similar declassification.review requirement with two major differences: the
initial review was to take place when records reached 30 years of ape, and the
time interval for re-review was left to Department Heads. E.O. 12065, recog-
nizing that agencies were not geared up to switch from the old 30-year period
to the new 20-year requirement overnight, allowed agencies 10 years to close
the gap. Hence, by 1 December 1988 all permanent records dated 1 December 1,963
and before are to receive an initial review.
CL'RRE'ff STATUS:
Our best estimate indicates that we still have approximately 22,000 cubic
feet of permanent records. that must be reviewed by 1 December 1988 if we are
to comply with E.O. 12065. Because - 25X1
of the sensitive nature of our records, we crust use mostly senior analysts with.
long years of experience. They are hinny trained in their jobs and utilize
procedures designed to maximize their production. In spite of this devotion of
resources, we are able to review on an average only 800:cubic feet per year.
Thus, by 1 Decent ber 1988, unless we more than triple our staff, we will accarn-
plish less than 30 percent of our objective. Also, in December 1988, as we
continue to attack the remaining 70 plus percent, we -will have to begin the
second review of all material once reviewed and on which the decision was made
to continue classification. Since our experience shows that we continue clas-
sification on' over 85 percent of the records revie;,~ed, we will have to re-review
Approved For Release 2007/11/30: CIA-RDP85B00552RO01000070026-7
 . Approved For Release 2007/11/30: CIA-RDP85B00552RO01000070026-7
most of the material we review by Deceirber 1938_ At that time, we A."I be
faced with the first review of records beginning to mature in December 1988_
It is.an impossible job.
CURRENT PROBLEMS : -
CIA's program for systematic review of classified material entails the
follo ing:
J.' Dollar Costs:-..:.We will spend $21 million by 1988 raider our current
program an still not .comply with E.O. 12065.
. -2. Human Resource- Costs:.
, nosily v cable; scarce senior
analysts, spend l time. reviewing classified documents under our current
setup; over 88' people hould~.be* required if we are to comely with E_C}_ 12O65_
These.people could and should. be used to collect and, produce intelligence-
3. Results of Review:. On the average, two percent of the material,
reviewed is declassified. .. The. declassified material that does eventually
reach the public will be'of:little interest. -
4. Security Risks : Given our workload and time pressures, there is
always the danger o - human error- resulting in the release of compromising
. --25X1
information. Also,' the release of the declassified material adds to the total
picture our adversaries have access to. t1. an added to material released under-
FOIA, books, ankl leaks, this total picture is awesome and frightful.
5. Chilling Effect on Intelligence Relationships: Because of past .
Congressional investigations, FOIA releases, books by former eRE, loyees, and
leaks, many agents and foreign intelligence contacts who 'would have cooperated
in the past r_oz?: perceive that we are unable to keep their relationship secret-
With systematic review for declassification added to the list, we. guarantee
these folks that if their names haven't come up for review previously,. they
.rill come up uhhen documents containing their names or identifying data become
20 years old.
RECOMATIO. :
It is recc-mended that E.O. 12065 be modified to eliminate Section 3-4
or, alternatively, to exempt CIA from its provisions.. The General Accounting
Office has concluded after a lengthy investigation that this program should
be abolished Government wide. If so, then it is submitted that even more so
should it be abolished with respect to CIA.
Approved For Release 2007/11/30: CIA-RDP85B00552RO01000070026-7