Articles

The FBI Records Appraisal

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Abstract

The appraisal of the headquarters and field office records of the Federal Bureau of Investigation by the National Archives in 1981 was perhaps the most important and certainly the most extensive and expensive appraisal carried out by federal archivists. In this article the author discusses the FBI records appraised; the appraisal methodology, including sampling case files for appraisal; the decision-making process for retaining records; and the records to be retained. The author also provides the background to the appraisal, including the 1979 lawsuit that led to the appraisal, and the judicial process that took place during and subsequent to the appraisal.

How to Cite:

Bradsher, J. G., (1988) “The FBI Records Appraisal”, Archival Issues 13(2), 51–66. doi: https://doi.org//archivalissues.10555