Transforming the Security Classification System and Improving Declassification

A democratic society is grounded on the informed participation of the citizenry, which in turn requires access to Government information. If officials are to be accountable for their actions and decisions, secrecy must be kept to the minimum necessary to meet legitimate national security considerations. An open documentary record of official decisions is essential to educate and inform the public and enable it to assess the policies of its elected leaders. While agencies need to modernise and improve overall records management performance, classified records pertaining to our nation's security demand particular attention. Current practices for handling classification, declassification, and management of these records are outmoded, unsustainable, and keep too much information from the public. This book takes a look at transforming the security classification system and improving declassification efforts across government agencies.