THIRTY-YEAR CLASSIFICATION REVIEW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP93B01194R001200150015-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 28, 2002
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: February 4, 1977
• Content Type: OUTLINE

Approved For Release 2006/11/06: CIA-RDP93BOl194R001200150015-6
4 February 1977
THIRTY-YEAR CLASSIFICATION REVIEW
I. Requirement
Under Executive Order 11652, all Agency classified information and
material which is 30 years old or older must be reviewed for de-
classification, and all will be declassified except-for such in-
formation and material that the Director personally determines in
writing needs continued protection for reasons of national security
or because disclosure would place a person in immediate jeopardy.
In each case where continued protection is certified as necessary,
the period for such continued protection must be specified. -
II. Responsibility
Within CIA, the DDA has been given responsibility for establishing
an Agency program for conducting the classification review of 30-
year-old material.
III. Draft DDA Proposal
A draft DDA proposal calls for the establishment within ISAS of a
"Central Review Group" which would provide guidelines and procedures,
administer and coordinate the Agency program, and conduct liaison
with non-CIA offices and agencies. The "Central Review Group" would
not, however, actually perform the 30-year review. The proposal
would require the establishment in each major 'Agency component of
a "Review Team" to perform the 30-year review, and make the necessary
classification decisions.
IV. Other Considerations
There are a number of facts which should be considered before an
Agency decision is reached on how to proceed with the 30-year review.
None seems to favor a "decentralized" system such as that outlined
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 Approved For Release 2006/11/06: CIA-RDP93B01194R001200150015-6
in the draft DDA proposal. Most seem to militate in favor of es-
tablishing an Agency component not simply to "administer" an Agency
program, but in fact to carry out requirements of E.O. 11652.
a. The 30-year review is and will be a continuing requirement, and
hence should be programmed and budgeted for by the Agency from
the start.
b. Agency organization has changed frequently and considerably
over the past 30 years; although some existing components may
be (virtually) strict linear descendants of components of 30
years ago, responsibilities and characteristics have changed
significantly.
c. Although no one has yet determined the magnitude of the Agency's
task in reviewing all 30-year-old material, the task will be
a sizable one.
d. In comparison with a "decentralized" system involving both a
central staff and a multitude of component staffs, a "centralized"
system for conducting the 30-year review would offer obvious
economies in terms of manpower and money.
e. Also, a "centralized" system would be more efficient in terms
of (1) speed, (2) consistency in application of guidelines, and
(3) reduction of paper flow.
f. Past experience with the review of OSS documents has shown that
trained reviewers, working with articulated guidelines, can
handle the review of 30-year-old documents and adequately
identify (i.e., make the yes/no decision on) those which need
the protection of classification for a further period of time.
Whatever system is adopted, provisions should be made for full com-
pliance with E.O. 11652 and implementing directives and regulations
on keeping continuing records of material declassified and for en-
suring that Agency file systems are kept current on the status of
classification of all documents in the files.
V. Recommendation
That a new component (in ISAS or elsewhere) be established, staffed
with relatively senior personnel (staff personnel or retired employees
Approved For Release 2006/11/06: CIA-RDP93B01194R001200150015-6
 Approved For Release 2006/11/06: CIA-RDP93BOl194R001200150015-6
on contract), to conduct the 30-year classification review and,
working under guidelines to be developed in consultation among all
Agency components, to make declassification decisions and recom-
mendations to the Director with regard to records which need the
protection of classification beyond 30 years, and to keep appropriate
records and make necessary notifications on all classification and
declassification actions.
For the Directorate of Intelligence;
For the Directorate of Science
and TPchnn nay-
Approved For Release 2006/11/06: CIA-RDP93BOl194R001200150015-6
 ^ 1JNCLASSU EDred For [gIe ~
/11/06: CIA-RDP930 ~GWfftTftl ^ " SECRET
'ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
SUBJECT: (Optional)
Thirty-Year Classification Review
F
EXTENSION
NO.
DATE
2.4.1977
b
DA
TE
OFFICER'S
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
INITIALS
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.)
ED
FORWARDED
Attached here is a joint DDI-
DDS&T statement and recommendation
2.~
regarding the requirement for re-
viewing for declassification all
Agency classified information and
3.
material which is 30 years old
and older.
4.
As you know, the meetings on 18
and 21 January of component repre-
sentatives to consider the 30 year
s
review question were inconclusive
and failed to reach a consensus
on how the Agency might best hands
6.
the 30-year review. At the meetin
on 21 January, we were asked if
our two Directorates could put
7.
together a brief paper expressing
the position of our Directorates.
The attached is that paper.
8.
10.
12.
13.
14.
1S.
FORM
3-62
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