CIAO DATE: 10/06

Handbook on Making Intelligence Accountable: Legal Standards and Best Practice for Oversight of Intelligence Agencies

Hans Born and Ian Leigh

Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF)

September 2005

 

Table of Contents

  • Front Matter, Preface, Contents, List of Boxes, List of Acronyms (PDF, 10 pages, 84 KB)

  • Section I: Introduction (PDF, 16 pages, 96 KB)

    • Chapter 1 - Defining Democratic Oversight of Security and Intelligence Services

    • Chapter 2 - The Need for Oversight of the Security and Intelligence Services

    • Chapter 3 - In Search of Legal Standards and Best Practice of Oversight: Objectives, Scope and Methodology

  • Section II: The Agency (PDF, 26 pages, 144 KB)

    • Chapter 4 - Defining the Mandate

    • Chapter 5 - Appointing the Director

    • Chapter 6 - Authorising the Use of Special Powers

    • Chapter 7 - Information and Files

    • Chapter 8 - Internal Direction and Control of the Agency

  • Section III: The Role of the Executive (PDF, 22 pages, 141 KB)

    • Chapter 9 - The Case for Executive Control

    • Chapter 10 - Ministerial Knowledge and the Control of Intelligence

    • Chapter 11 - Control over Covert Action

    • Chapter 12 - International Cooperation

    • Chapter 13 - Safeguards against Ministerial Abuse

  • Section IV: The Role of Parliament (PDF, 28 pages, 164 KB)

    • Chapter 14 - The Case for Parliamentary Oversight

    • Chapter 15 - The Mandate of Parliamentary Oversight Bodies

    • Chapter 16 - The Composition of a Parliamentary Oversight Body

    • Chapter 17 - Vetting and Clearance of the Oversight Body

    • Chapter 18 - Parliamentary Powers to Obtain Information and Documents

    • Chapter 19 - Reporting to Parliament

    • Chapter 20 - Budget Control

  • Section V: The Role of External Review Bodies (PDF, 17 pages, 139 KB)

    • Chapter 21 - Resolving Citizens’ Grievances

    • Chapter 22 - Oversight of Agencies within the Administration by Independent Authorities

    • Chapter 23 - Independent Audit Offices

  • Overview of Best Practice (PDF, 10 pages, 54 KB)

  • Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces

  • Human Rights Centre, Department of Law, University of Durham

  • Norwegian Parliamentary Intelligence Oversight Committee

  • Contributors and Glossary (PDF, 10 pages, 7 KB)