NCJ Number
63610
Date Published
1972
Length
17 pages
Annotation
AN EXAMINATION OF THE SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF SAFEGUARDS IN THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY INDICATES THAT DECISIONMAKING IN UNCERTAIN AND DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES CREATES CONFUSION EVEN FOR CAPABLE PERSONNEL.
Abstract
A SERIES OF SURVEYS WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS THAT WOULD CONFRONT DECISIONMAKERS IN A CIRCUMSTANCE OF DIVERSION OF WEAPONS-QUALITY NUCLEAR MATERIALS. TO IDENTIFY PARTICULAR SOURCES OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE SAFEGUARDS ENVIRONMENT, A 'HAZARDS SURVEY' ELICITED RESPONSES FROM 128 PERSONS INVOLVED IN NUCLEAR SCIENCE. THEY WERE QUESTIONED CONCERNING THE VULNERABILITY OF NUCLEAR FUEL TO DIVERSION. AMONG GOVERNMENT AND LABORATORY PERSONNEL, 62 AND 60 PERCENT RESPECTIVELY FELT THAT A SUBSTANTIAL RISK OF DIVERSION EXISTED IN FABRICATION PLANTS DURING THE FABRICATION PROCESS. ONLY 46 PERCENT OF THE INDUSTRIAL PERSONNEL SAW THE RISK DURING FABRICATION TO BE SUBSTANTIAL. MOST RESPONDENTS FELT THAT EXISTING PERSONNEL SELECTION METHODS WERE EFFECTIVE IN SCREENING OUT UNRELIABLE PERSONS. INTERVIEWS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES AND A DEVELOPED QUESTIONNAIRE PRODUCED RESPONSES SUGGESTING THAT THE DRUG AND NARCOTICS INDUSTRIES OFFER A CLOSE PARALLEL TO THE NUCLEAR FUEL INDUSTRY. PROTECTIVE ARRANGEMENTS RELYING ON CLOSE COOPERATION BETWEEN INDUSTRY, LABOR, AND GOVERNMENT HAVE PROVED EFFECTIVE FOR PREVENTING DIVERSION IN THE DRUG INDUSTRY. THE USE OF SEVERAL SIMULATIONS ANALYZED THE BEHAVIOR OF DECISIONMAKERS CONFRONTING SAFEGUARDS PROBLEMS. THE GRADUATE STUDENTS INVOLVED IN THE SCENARIOS EVALUATED THE MERITS OF VARIOUS SECURITY SYSTEMS, NEGOTIATED SAFEGUARDS PROPOSALS, AND MADE JUDGMENTS CONCERNING DIVERSION FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF INSPECTORS. WHILE SEVERAL DIFFICULTIES WERE PROVOKED BY THE SIMULATIONS, THEY INDICATE THE COMPLEX FACTORS WHICH MUST BE ANTICIPATED IN ACTUAL CRISES. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)