SGI I*
VIA
:
DDO
•
DDS §T
/
SUBJECT
:
Proposal For
a One-Year Research
Study
to Determine
the
Role,
If Any,
Of Information Obtained From Psychics
In Fulfilling CIA's Missions
1.
It
is proposed that
a one-year study be conducted by
the
undersigned,
under the
auspices
of the
Center
for the Study of
Intelligence,
into
the possible use
of psychically derived information
in
the
fulfillment of intelligence
and operational missions
of the
r
!
CIA.
-7
.
2.
Research will center
on two main aspects:
A.
The
documentation of the use of psychics by U.S.
police
forces
and possibly
other
U.S.
Government Agencies
in
the
investigation
of crimes,
related police work,
and other missions;
and
B.
An attempt
to work
in direct
contact with psychics,
and to work with information from psychics
not directly contacted,
to determine
the problems
and ramifications
of psychically derived
information
as
a tool
in the
fulfillment
of CIA's
intelligence
P
Approved For Release 2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000200020007-3
Approved For Rele^, 2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000^p020007-3
collection
and analysis
and operational missions.
3.
!
The benefits
of such
a study
are:
I
I
!
A.
The
identification and description of
a new
tool which
CIA may be able
to
put
to use
to fulfill
its missions,
and
a
proposal
of
its practical
applications.
"
B.
An understanding of how,
to what extent,
and with
what
success
and problems,
the' Soviet Union and Soviet Bloc countries
have employed this
tool
.
C.
A greater understanding of
a
force
and phenomenon
which may have
far-reaching benefits
for mankind.
D.
An ability to help
the
U.S.
guide
itself through such
i
turmoils
as may manifest
in
an approaching period of significant
change
for
the world and unrest
for
its peoples predicted by current
and past psychic
literature.
4.
The proposed methodology
for conducting such
a study
is:
A.
To devise means
of discovering
and making contact with
those
organizations
(police
forces,
the
FBI,
and possibly
other U.S.
Approved For Release 2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000200020007-3
Approved For Rele^2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000^020007-3
government agencies)
which have used psychics
in criminal
•*
investigations,
locating missing persons,
or other governmental
work.
This would involve
a literature
search,
contacting psychic
groups
,
etc.
B.
To contact
and interview police
force personnel
and
other pertinent
sources
about
their use
of psychics
to determine
their mode
of operation
and results.
C.
To contact known cooperative psychics
(those named by
the police departments
,
or others
identified by means which will
have
to be devised)
and seek their cooperation in
a research program.
5.
CIA management must,
at
the
outset
of this
study,
address
and answer the
following questions having
policy,
security,
and
ethical
ramifications
A.
What will be
the
effect upon
CIA's
image
if
it
is
learned by officers
of U.S.
police departments
and other government
agencies,
members
of various
groups
and private
individuals
throughout
the
U.S.
currently engaged
in psychic research,
and
©
Approved For Release 2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000200020007-3
Approved For Releqse,2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000^020007-3
i
(3)
What criteria have been used
in determining on
i
.
what
cases psychic assistance will be
sought?
«
I
(4)
What
types
of information have been obtained?
How
specific
and pertinent
to
the
case under investigation has psychically
derived information been?
How have police made use
of the
infor-
mation
in their investigation?
Have police departments
assigned
a percentage
of success
to working with psychics,
and
if
so, what
methodology was
used?
(5)
Have psychics working with police
observed
confidentiality
of information and of the
investigation?
k
(6)
How have
individual police
officers
reacted to using
psychically derived information
in their investigations?
What
has been
the
reaction of
the
leadership
levels within police
departments ?
(7)
Have
there been
any known miscarriages
of justice
through use
of psychically derived information?
Are
there
any
ft
Approved For Release 2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000200020007-3
b
'
•
>
i
Approved For Release 2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000^020007-3
known instances of misuse of
psychic
talents
in police- psychic
cooperative efforts?
*
(8)
What has been public
and news media reaction
to
knowledge of use by police forces of
psychically derived information?
Have any legal,
public
relations,
or other problems been encountered
in using psychically derived information?
B.
Have other U.S.
government agencies used psychics
in
the
fulfillment of
their missions?
(1)
What agencies,
under what circumstances,
and with
what results?
(2)
What lessons
pertinent
to CIA’s responsibilities
can be learned from
the experiences of
these organizations?
*
.
r
V
*
Approved For Release 2003/09/10
: ClA-RDP96-00787R0002b0020007-3
Approved For Relea^e^OOS/OO/IO
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000^>020007-3
i
-
II.
How should psychically derived information
of future
trends
!
'
and events,
unknown
current
information,
and guidance
on courses
!'
of action,
be
obtained,
handled and used
in support of CIA’s operations,
information- gathering
and analysis
res’p^onsibilities
?
A.
In general
terms, what
should be
the methodology
for
obtaining and reporting psychic information pertaining
to CIA
responsibilities?
(1)
Within what
framework,
and under what circumstances,
cover,
agreements,
payments,
etc.,
should psychic information
concerning future events be
sought?
(2)
How should psychics
be
identified and
a cooperative
rela
(t ionship be established?
Are
there psychics
currently within
i
.
CIA ranks?
Can psychic skills
be developed by training?
(3)
How should psychics
be
rated
for accuracy?
What
criteria should be used
to assign percentage
correct
scores
to
an
individual psychic's predictions?
C4)
What kind
of time
frame
should be
allowed
for
any
«
Approved For Release 2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000200020007-3
*k
‘
.
,
!
Approved For Relea^2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000^()20007-3
given prediction
of
a specific
event
or trend?
Should
a special
weighting be
given to
a prediction of
a specific
future event
or
trend
if predicted independently by
two
or more psychics
?
What
are
the problems
of measuring
a psychic's predictions
against
actual historical events?
(5)
What
format(s)
would be suitable
for reporting
psychically derived information
about
future
trends
or events?
(6)
What
audience should be
the
recipient
of psychically
i
derived information about
future
trends
or events?
Within the
Agency?
Outside
the Agency?
I
I
I
(7)’
How responsive
are psychics
in general
to requirements
for specific information?
To requirements
for highly detailed
information?
To requests
for clarification?
Can psychics
be
debriefed
in depth?
*#
(80
What
clearance
criteria will
be
acceptable
to the
Office
of Security
in contacting and working with psychics?
Approved For Release 2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000200020007-3
Approved For Relea^2003/09/1 0
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000^020007-3
What criteria should
govern the
use
of classified information
in
working with psychics?
B.
What
are
the characteristics
of psychically derived
information?
How does
each characteristic affect
the
use
of the
)
information
in understanding and analyzing current
and
future events?
(1)
Psychically derived information usually has
only
a general
or vague
time
frame
to which
it
is
ascribed.
What
is
the reason
for this?
How does,
or
should,
this
characteristic affect
the
use
of the
information?
(2)
When addressing future
events
(as
opposed to past
unknown events
such
as
the
location
of
a missing person)
,
psychics
speak
in terms
of what
"may" happen,
not
in
terms
of what
inevitably
"will" happen.
What
is
the reason
for this?
How does,
or should,
this
characteristic affect
the use
of
the
information?
III.
What
is
the current status
of Soviet efforts
to use psychically
derived information
in
the
furtherance
of Soviet
State
goals?
Approved For Release 2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000200020007-3
Approved For Relea^2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000a8«O20007-3
A,
How do Soviet
non- intelligence
government
agencies
use
psychically derived information
in support* of Soviet
governmental
goals?
/
(1)
The researchers should perform
a
literature search
to
determine
the
Soviet Union's present
and past
use
of psychically
derived information.
The book Psychic Discoveries Behind the
Iron Curtain
,
by Shiela Ostrander and Lynn Schroeder,
published by
Bantam books by arrangement with Prentice-Hall,
Inc.,
Englewood Cliffs,
New Jersey,
can be used
as
a starting point
in
this
search.
(2)
The
researchers
should seek
out
and interview
knowledgable
CIA officers who have served
in the USSR or who have
have worked with Soviets.
B.
How
do Soviet
intelligence
agencies
use psychics
and
psychically derived information
in support
of Soviet
intelligence
<#
gathering and analysis
responsibilities
and operational
objectives?
(1)
No known studies
exist
on this
question, but
it
is
hoped that
interviews with CIA officers who have served
in
the
j
Approved For Release 2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000200020007-3
I
Approved For Relea^2003/09/1 0
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000^020007-3
USSR or worked with Soviets
may be productive.
C.
The
researchers
should identify possible ways
in which
U.S.
intelligence
orgainzations might benefit
from Soviet
attitudes
i
toward psychically derived information.
IV.
What
are
the ethical ramifications
of obtaining information
I
!
by psychic means
for use
in pursuit
of U.S^
government
goals
and
in
the
fulfillment
of CIA missions?
A.
Discussion:
Many psychics have
said
that psychic
force
is
neutral,
in
the
sense
that things
are neither
good nor bad per
se,
#
but
can be put
to.
a
positive
or negative
use.
For example,
gasoline
/
is
a neutral
energy
force but
can be used positively to power
an
engine
or negatively
to build
a
fire bomb.
The purpose
in calling
SGI
A
Approved For Release 2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000200020007-3
Approved For Relea^2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000^p)20007-3
upon psychic
force
is
therefore
of
great
importance
in judging the
moral
and ethical quality
of the
request.
Negative uses
of psychic
information may
cause
spiritual
and psychological
detriment, while
positive
uses
may promote
spiritual
growth
and psychological balance.
B.
What
are
the ethical considerations
in seeking information
from psychics
for use
in support
of CIA operations
and CIA intelligence
and analysis
responsibilities,' and
in support
of decision-making
by U.S.
government
officials
relying
on CIA information?
Approved For Release 2003/09/10
: CIA-RDP96-00787R000200020007-3