Security Classification of Information: Volume 1. Introduction, History, and Adverse Impacts
Abstract
Certain governmental information must be classified for national security reasons. However, the national security benefits from classifying information are usually accompanied by significant costs -- those due to a citizenry not fully informed on governmental activities, the extra costs of operating classified programs and procuring classified materials (e.g., weapons), the losses to our nation when advances made in classified programs cannot be utilized in unclassified programs. The goal of a classification system should be to clearly identify that information which must be protected for national security reasons and to ensure that information not needing such protection is not classified. This document was prepared to help attain that goal. This document is the first of a planned four-volume work that comprehensively discusses the security classification of information. Volume 1 broadly describes the need for classification, the basis for classification, and the history of classification in the United States from colonial times until World War 2. Classification of information since World War 2, under Executive Orders and the Atomic Energy Acts of 1946 and 1954, is discussed in more detail, with particular emphasis on the classification of atomic energy information. Adverse impacts of classification are also described. Subsequent volumes will discuss classificationmore »
- Authors:
-
- Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (K-25), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant (K-25), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 5675917
- Report Number(s):
- K/CG-1077/V1
ON: DE90000753
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- Resource Type:
- Technical Report
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY; 99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS; CLASSIFIED INFORMATION; CLASSIFICATION; DECLASSIFICATION; LEGISLATION; NATIONAL SECURITY; SECRECY PROTECTION; INFORMATION; SECURITY; 293000* - Energy Planning & Policy- Policy, Legislation, & Regulation; 990300 - Information Handling; 990100 - Management
Citation Formats
Quist, Arvin S. Security Classification of Information: Volume 1. Introduction, History, and Adverse Impacts. United States: N. p., 1989.
Web. doi:10.2172/5675917.
Quist, Arvin S. Security Classification of Information: Volume 1. Introduction, History, and Adverse Impacts. United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5675917
Quist, Arvin S. 1989.
"Security Classification of Information: Volume 1. Introduction, History, and Adverse Impacts". United States. https://doi.org/10.2172/5675917. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/5675917.
@article{osti_5675917,
title = {Security Classification of Information: Volume 1. Introduction, History, and Adverse Impacts},
author = {Quist, Arvin S.},
abstractNote = {Certain governmental information must be classified for national security reasons. However, the national security benefits from classifying information are usually accompanied by significant costs -- those due to a citizenry not fully informed on governmental activities, the extra costs of operating classified programs and procuring classified materials (e.g., weapons), the losses to our nation when advances made in classified programs cannot be utilized in unclassified programs. The goal of a classification system should be to clearly identify that information which must be protected for national security reasons and to ensure that information not needing such protection is not classified. This document was prepared to help attain that goal. This document is the first of a planned four-volume work that comprehensively discusses the security classification of information. Volume 1 broadly describes the need for classification, the basis for classification, and the history of classification in the United States from colonial times until World War 2. Classification of information since World War 2, under Executive Orders and the Atomic Energy Acts of 1946 and 1954, is discussed in more detail, with particular emphasis on the classification of atomic energy information. Adverse impacts of classification are also described. Subsequent volumes will discuss classification principles, classification management, and the control of certain unclassified scientific and technical information. The principal intended audience for this document is Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE-contractor personnel concerned with the security classification of information. Classification of scientific and technical information is extensively discussed because this is of major importance within DOE. However, these volumes should be useful to classification personnel in all federal agencies because the basic classification principles are the same for any governmental activity.},
doi = {10.2172/5675917},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5675917},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989},
month = {Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989}
}