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TO Center for the Study of Intelligence
Office of Training
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
CIA.
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 rimifications of psychically derived
information as a tool in the fulfillment of CIA's intelligence
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collection and analysis an.d. operational missions.
3. The benefits of such a 'Study are:
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
--O-f its practical -applica-tions.
B. An understanding of how, to what extent, and with
what success and problems, the@ Soviet Union and Soviet Bloc countries
have-employed this t,ool.
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
tiirmqiils 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.
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government agencies) which have uscd-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 ipeans which will
have, @to be devised) and seek their cooperation in a research program.
j
address
5. CIA-management must, at the outset of this study,
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
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P
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-is psycilics throughout the U. S. that CIA is doing research
v, rio,
in the psychic field and is exploring practical ways of gathering
and using psychic information to fulfill CIA responsibilities?
if management determines such, an effect to be detrimental," the
researchers should be directed to devise acceptable cover
mechanisms. If the effects are considered to be minimal and
acceptable, research can proceed directly, although discreetly,
and without subterfuge.
B. What ethical and moral guidelines must be established
to ensure the proper use of the psychic force, to protect human
rights, and to prevent spiritual and psychological detriment to
the participants and users?
6. Attached is a more detailed description of wh.at questions
need to be addressed in such an investigation.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF 'ropics AND OUESTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED IN
A PROPOSED RESEARCH STUDY Jy) DETERMINE THE ROLE OF PSYC-HICALLY
DERIVED INFORMATION IN FULFILLING CIA'S MISSIONS
I. 'How have other U.S. government agencies obtain ed and used
psychically derived information in.support of their operations
and information gathering responsibilities?
A. In particular, what lessons pertinent to CIA operations
have been learned by police forces in working with psychics in
support of police investigations?
(1) Where, besides in the states of California and
Nebraska, and the cities of Dallas, Helena, Little Rock, New Orleans,
Oklahoma City, and St. Louis, have psychics been used by police
departments in support of police investigations? (The information
indicating that psychics have been used by police departments in
the above locations was obtained from Predictions For-1976., a paper
back book compiled and edited by Warren Smith and publishedoby
Award Books of New York City.
(2) How have psychics been identified? How 1lave they
been contacted and approached for their cooperation? What kind
of security and-financia.1 arrangements have been made?
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(3) What criteria have been used in determining on
what cases psychic assistance will be sought?
(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?
(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
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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 circums tances, and with
what.results?
(2) What lessons pertinent to CIA's responsibilities
can be learned from the experiences of these organizations?
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II. flow 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 responsibilities?
A. In general terms, wha^t should be the methodology for
obtaining and reporting psychic information peftaining to CIA
responsibilities?
(1) Within what framework, and under what circumstances.,
coverY agreements, payments, etc., should psychic information
concerning future events be sought?
(2)- How s.hould psychics be identified and a cooperative
relationship be established? Are there psychics currently within
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?
(4) What kind of time frame should be allowed for any
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given prediction of a spe.c.ific event or trend? Should a special
weighting be given to a prediction of a specific future event or
trenA if predicted independently by two or more psychics ? What
are the problems of measuring a psy'chic..'S,p-redictions 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
derived information about future trends or events? Within the
Agency? Outside the Agency?
(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?
(8) What clearance criteria will be acceptable to the
Office of Security in contacting and working with psychics?
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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 @nd analyzing current and future events?
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?
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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
1
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
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USSR or worked with Soviets may be productive.
SG1
A
C. -The researchers should identify possible ways in which
U.S. intelligence orgainzations might benefit from Soviet attitudes
toward psychically derived information.
IV.. What are the ethical ramifications of obtaining information
by psychic means for use in pursuit of U.S. government goals and
in tIhe fulfillment of CIA missions?
A. Discussion: Many psychics have said thatpsychic 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
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upoll psychic force i.S' theref.o.re of great importance in judging the
moral,and ethical quality of the request. N6gative 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 analys.is responsibilities,' and in support of decision-making
by U.S. @ .-government o-fficials -relying on CIA information?
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