PROPOSAL TO REORGANIZE THE AGENCY CLASSIFICATION REVIEW PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89G00643R001100020021-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 28
• Document Creation Date: December 23, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 14, 2011
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: October 4, 1984
• Content Type: MEMO

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D st
MEMORANDUM FOR: The Record
~7 '4/_ /a G -'f !
The Directorates eventually agreed with this
plan and it was implemented by IPD and CRD on
1 May 1985. It has run continually and success-
fully since that time. The P0 has told us that they
most always agree with the CRD declassification
decisions, that this system makes their job easier,
and it saves them time.
I Date 14 August 1987 I
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egistry
4 OCT 1984
MFM)RA1W! FOR: Information Review Officer, DI
Chief, Information Management Staff
Director -or 1n.Tonnat.1kA1 ?.......j --
SPI3JECT: Proposal to P.eorganize the Agency
Classification Review Program
1. Enactment of the FOIA Relief Bill will create a new situation
zed for for the Agency Although specific relief is authorior the Direr-
torate of Operations (DO), Directorate of science and Technology (DS?,T),
and the office of Security (OS), there is a strong likelihood that the
work of the rest of the Agency, specifically the DI and the Executive
Registry, will increase. We are not sure what volume of activity to
expect. We know, however, that an expectation has been created that the
Agency's response time to requests will iriprove. Obviously, all of our
efforts must be directed toward that end. In addition, the DC.I is
be focused
committed to an historical review nrogrars, again probably to
on DI records.
2. These various commitments, especially the expectation that our
response time will improve significantly, suggest that the time has cane
to consider a new approach to the'Agency's system of review, declassifi-
cation, and release process. Some reasons to consider a change are:
a. The Agency seems to have accepted the fact that the
requirement for some review and release will be with us for
the foreseeable future.
b. We should attempt to improve our declassification
review and release program to minimize the amount of manpower
that we must drain from the line elements.
c. The review process must he improved to realize greater
efficiency and quicker responses.
d. Based on our experience we should he able to organize
and function in a way that would make us more consistent in our
review decisions; related this is been released
sa,ichow pet
in the past.
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. .se a ,
suBJEcr: Proposal to Reorganize the Agency Classification Review Program
3. What we propose is a unit, composed of knowledgeable and
experienced people (including annuitants) from all the Directorates,
to manage the review-process in all cas1s where the Agency must review
material for public release. This unit would also make the initial
declassification review recommendations and coordinate that reccnmendation
with the appropriate line units before any information would he made
public. This would relieve much of the workload from the line units yet
leave with them control over the public release of their information.
4. Probably the single most important argument for placing the
initial review activity in one unit is the complexity of the review
process. As you are aware., a great deal of subjective judgment is
required in the review for release of classified information and the
informational subtleties and.canplexities are endless. A decentralized
system, such as the one the.Agency,has always used except for the
systematic classification review program, makes it more difficult to
develop and implement consistent-guidelines. A single unit composed
of persons who are from, and have had experience throughout the Agency,
would have.the advantage of. simultaneously bringing to bear on classi-
fication questions a variety of Agency viewpoints. This should lead to
more rounded review decisions and, by working together in one unit,
offer a better opportunity to see that these decisions are implemented
consistently. The stronger we can base our review decisions and the
more consistent we can be in making than, the better prepared the
Agency will be to face appeals and litigation.
S. As we view it, the new unit would begin handling the mandatory
review requests that run about 250 annually and require no internal
search for documents (the requests come from the Presidential Libraries
and have the documents to be reviewed attached). Vie would monitor the
unit's activities to ensure that it is organizationally sound and effec-
tive. If so, its work can be expanded to handle the referrals from other
agencies; and again no searches would he required as the documents are
being referred to us. Based on 1983 figures, mandatory reviews and
referrals account for 48% of the requests received. Eventually, depending
on results and demonstrated capabilities, the unit would move to take on
FOIA-and PA requests. The unit would also be responsible for handling
the procedures and reviewing documents selected for the historical review
program.
6. Since this will he a service of common concern for the Agency,
it would be natural to Place it within the Directorate of A