Ratings By The Collection Department
In U.S. practice, a typical system, using the basic A-F and 1-6 conventions below, comes from (FM 2.22-3 Appendix B, Source and Information Reliability Matrix). Raw reports are typically given a two-part rating by the collection department, which also removes all precise source identification before sending the report to the analysts.
| Code | Source Rating | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| A | Reliable | No doubt of authenticity, trustworthiness, or competency; has a history of complete reliability |
| B | Usually Reliable | Minor doubt about authenticity, trustworthiness, or competency; has a history of valid information most of the time |
| C | Fairly Reliable | Doubt of authenticity, trustworthiness, or competency but has provided valid information in the past |
| D | Not Usually Reliable | Significant doubt about authenticity, trustworthiness, or competency but has provided valid information in the past |
| E | Unreliable | Lacking in authenticity, trustworthiness, and competency; history of invalid information |
| F | Cannot Be Judged | No basis exists |
| Code | Rating | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Confirmed | Confirmed by other independent sources; logical in itself; consistent with other information on the subject |
| 2 | Probably True | Not confirmed; logical in itself; consistent with other information on the subject |
| 3 | Possibly True | Not confirmed; reasonably logical in itself; agrees with some other information on the subject |
| 4 | Doubtfully True | Not confirmed; possible but not logical; no other information on the subject |
| 5 | Improbable | Not confirmed; not logical in itself; contradicted by other information on the subject |
| 6 | Cannot Be Judged | No basis exists |
An "A" rating, for example, might mean a thoroughly trusted source, such as your own communications intelligence operation. That source might be completely reliable, but, if it intercepted a message that other intelligence proved was sent for deceptive purposes, the report reliability might be rated 5, for "known false". The report, therefore, would be A-5. It may also be appropriate to reduce the reliability of a human source if the source is reporting on a technical subject, and the expertise of the subject is unknown.
Another source might be a habitual liar, but gives just enough accurate information to be kept in use. Her trust rating would be "E", but if the report was independently confirmed, it would be rated "E-1".
Most intelligence reports are somewhere in the middle; a "B-2" is taken seriously. Sometimes, it is impossible to rate the reliability of source, most commonly from lack of experience with him, so an F-3 could be a reasonably probable report from an unknown source. An extremely trusted source might submit a report that cannot be confirmed or denied, so it would get an "A-6" rating.
Read more about this topic: Intelligence Collection Management
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