The Issue Encyclopedia
Every issue that appears in decided DOHA security-clearance cases, organized under the 13 adjudicative guidelines: how many decided cases involved it, and how they resolved. Click an issue for its full page with real cases and patterns. Counts are decided hearing-level cases from the public record; a case raising several issues counts under each one.
A · Allegiance
About Guideline A and its official conditions
- Unspecified Allegiance Concern · 28 cases · 32% granted
- Sabotage, Espionage, Treason, Terrorism, or Sedition · 2 cases
- Association or Sympathy with Persons Committing Such Acts · 2 cases
- Association with a Force/Violence or Unconstitutional-Means Organization · 1 case
B · Foreign Influence
About Guideline B and its official conditions · Decisions by country
- Parent (citizen/resident of foreign country) · 2,267 cases · 52% granted
- Sibling (citizen/resident of foreign country) · 1,743 cases · 57% granted
- In-law (citizen/resident of foreign country) · 1,017 cases · 52% granted
- Spouse (foreign citizen or dual citizen) · 792 cases · 43% granted
- Extended Family (uncle/aunt/cousin) in foreign country · 675 cases · 53% granted
- Foreign Real Estate Holding · 496 cases · 53% granted
- Financial Support to Foreign Relative · 408 cases · 47% granted
- Friend in foreign country · 387 cases · 52% granted
- Foreign Bank Account / Investment · 255 cases · 57% granted
- Foreign Employment / Pension · 93 cases · 52% granted
- Failure to Disclose Foreign Association · 84 cases · 42% granted
- Cohabitation with Foreign National · 67 cases · 36% granted
- Direct Contact with Foreign Government · 64 cases · 41% granted
- Business or Professional Associate in foreign country · 54 cases · 69% granted
- Unspecified Foreign Influence · 0 cases
C · Foreign Preference
About Guideline C and its official conditions
- Possession or Use of a Foreign Passport · 1,021 cases · 49% granted
- Applying for or Acquiring Foreign Citizenship · 681 cases · 47% granted
- Unwillingness to Renounce/Surrender Foreign Citizenship or Passport · 570 cases · 46% granted
- Unspecified Foreign Preference · 501 cases · 56% granted
- Accepting Foreign Benefits, Education, or Entitlements · 167 cases · 45% granted
- Voting in a Foreign Election · 163 cases · 48% granted
- Service in a Foreign Military or Government · 141 cases · 56% granted
D · Sexual Behavior
About Guideline D and its official conditions
- Criminal Sexual Conduct (D-side) · 268 cases · 13% granted
- Unspecified Sexual Behavior · 244 cases · 23% granted
- Compulsive / Addictive Sexual Behavior · 96 cases · 14% granted
- Prostitution or Solicitation · 90 cases · 24% granted
- Child Pornography Involvement · 84 cases · 17% granted
- Extramarital Relationship with Coercion Risk · 46 cases · 17% granted
- Online / Electronic Sexual Misconduct · 35 cases · 20% granted
- Workplace Sexual Misconduct · 28 cases · 14% granted
E · Personal Conduct
About Guideline E and its official conditions
- Falsification of Security Clearance Application · 3,072 cases · 10% granted
- Unspecified Personal Conduct · 2,932 cases · 26% granted
- Omission / Failure to Disclose on Security Form · 2,673 cases · 27% granted
- Lack of Candor in Interview / Investigation · 1,574 cases · 11% granted
- Questionable Judgment (general) · 1,421 cases · 25% granted
- Workplace Rules Violation · 758 cases · 21% granted
- Pattern of Dishonesty or Rule Violations · 609 cases · 14% granted
- Failure to Self-Report Required Information · 108 cases · 20% granted
- Falsification of Non-Security Records · 103 cases · 11% granted
- Concealment Creating Vulnerability to Coercion · 87 cases · 8% granted
- Misuse of Employer Time or Resources · 66 cases · 14% granted
- Failure/Refusal to Cooperate with Security Processing · 56 cases · 11% granted
- Association with Persons Involved in Criminal Activity · 47 cases · 30% granted
- Violation of a Written Commitment · 44 cases · 9% granted
F · Financial
About Guideline F and its official conditions
- Credit Card Debt · 4,699 cases · 36% granted
- Medical Debt · 3,855 cases · 34% granted
- Unpaid Federal/State Taxes · 3,188 cases · 27% granted
- Auto Loan / Vehicle Repossession · 2,797 cases · 29% granted
- Utility / Phone / Cable Debt · 2,342 cases · 34% granted
- Student Loan Debt · 2,232 cases · 32% granted
- Mortgage / Home Loan Debt · 2,121 cases · 41% granted
- Failure to File Tax Return · 2,063 cases · 22% granted
- Civil Judgment Against Applicant · 2,012 cases · 25% granted
- Bankruptcy Filing · 1,391 cases · 33% granted
- Personal Loan / Consumer Loan Debt · 724 cases · 33% granted
- Child Support Debt / Arrearage · 694 cases · 24% granted
- Financial Fraud / Check Kiting / Embezzlement · 68 cases · 15% granted
- Gambling Losses or Compulsive Gambling · 45 cases · 22% granted
- Unspecified Financial Issue · 0 cases
G · Alcohol
About Guideline G and its official conditions
- DUI / DWI (alcohol-incident dimension) · 1,578 cases · 29% granted
- Binge / Intoxication Pattern · 1,066 cases · 23% granted
- Unspecified Alcohol Incident · 976 cases · 32% granted
- Alcohol Use Disorder Diagnosed · 739 cases · 26% granted
- Continued Use After Treatment · 614 cases · 19% granted
- Treatment Non-Compliance · 524 cases · 21% granted
- Alcohol-Related Arrest (non-DUI) · 282 cases · 28% granted
- Public Intoxication · 175 cases · 31% granted
- Intoxication at Work or on Duty · 125 cases · 14% granted
- Underage Drinking · 67 cases · 37% granted
- Alcohol-Related Hospitalization · 61 cases · 16% granted
- Ignition Interlock Violation · 15 cases
H · Drug Involvement
About Guideline H and its official conditions
- Marijuana · 3,176 cases · 25% granted
- Unspecified Drug Involvement · 1,570 cases · 23% granted
- Cocaine · 709 cases · 21% granted
- Drug Distribution / Dealing · 513 cases · 17% granted
- Stated Intent to Use Again · 494 cases · 15% granted
- Drug Test Failure · 368 cases · 16% granted
- Psilocybin / Hallucinogenic Mushrooms · 335 cases · 25% granted
- MDMA / Ecstasy · 213 cases · 26% granted
- LSD · 194 cases · 21% granted
- Prescription Opioid Misuse · 183 cases · 30% granted
- Failure to Complete or Abide By Treatment · 171 cases · 18% granted
- Prescription Stimulant Misuse · 165 cases · 27% granted
- Diagnosed Substance Use Disorder · 153 cases · 18% granted
- Methamphetamine · 129 cases · 16% granted
- Drug Use After Clearance Granted · 110 cases · 11% granted
- Other Prescription Drug Misuse · 86 cases · 36% granted
- Drug Possession (charge or arrest) · 85 cases · 9% granted
- Benzodiazepine Misuse · 56 cases · 27% granted
- Heroin · 52 cases · 19% granted
- DMT or other hallucinogen · 36 cases · 11% granted
- Ketamine · 25 cases · 24% granted
- Inhalant Use · 13 cases
- Anabolic Steroid Misuse · 10 cases
- Synthetic Cannabinoid · 6 cases
I · Psychological
About Guideline I and its official conditions
- Unspecified Psychological Condition · 135 cases · 34% granted
- Mood Disorder Diagnosed · 103 cases · 26% granted
- Treatment Non-Compliance (Psychological) · 75 cases · 26% granted
- Suicidal Ideation or Attempt · 66 cases · 23% granted
- Adverse DoD Psychologist Opinion · 48 cases · 26% granted
- Psychotic Disorder Diagnosed · 44 cases · 9% granted
- Psychiatric Hospitalization · 42 cases · 31% granted
- PTSD or Anxiety Disorder Diagnosed · 38 cases · 32% granted
- Violent or Aggressive Episode · 14 cases
- Dishonesty / Lack of Candor in Psych Evaluation · 5 cases
J · Criminal Conduct
About Guideline J and its official conditions
- Unspecified Criminal Conduct · 2,133 cases · 23% granted
- DUI / DWI (criminal charge) · 1,099 cases · 24% granted
- Drug-Related Criminal Charge · 822 cases · 19% granted
- Assault or Battery · 598 cases · 23% granted
- Fraud or Deception (Criminal) · 535 cases · 13% granted
- Theft or Larceny · 437 cases · 22% granted
- Domestic Violence · 380 cases · 24% granted
- Traffic Offense (Pattern) · 322 cases · 20% granted
- Sexual Offense (Criminal) · 226 cases · 12% granted
- Probation or Court Order Violation · 171 cases · 20% granted
- Trespassing or Burglary · 140 cases · 20% granted
- Multiple Arrests / Cumulative Record · 128 cases · 17% granted
- Weapons Offense · 102 cases · 25% granted
- Vandalism or Property Damage · 61 cases · 18% granted
- Homicide · 56 cases · 18% granted
- Military / UCMJ Violation · 16 cases
- Juvenile Offense Pattern · 2 cases
K · Handling Protected Info
About Guideline K and its official conditions
- Failure to Safeguard or Secure · 156 cases · 41% granted
- Unspecified Information Handling Failure · 114 cases · 58% granted
- Unauthorized Disclosure · 76 cases · 30% granted
- Removed Classified Info to Personal Space · 37 cases · 54% granted
- Cross-Domain (Spillage) Violation · 27 cases · 37% granted
- Improperly Compiled or Used Protected Info · 24 cases · 42% granted
- Unauthorized Copying of Information · 14 cases
- Ignored Supervisor Security Guidance · 6 cases
L · Outside Activities
About Guideline L and its official conditions
- Unspecified Outside Activity · 34 cases · 53% granted
- Employment or Service with a Foreign National, Org, or Entity · 26 cases · 50% granted
- Failure to Report / Disclose an Outside Activity · 11 cases
- Employment or Service with a Foreign Government · 9 cases
- Representing a Foreign Interest · 5 cases
- Activity Involving Intelligence, Defense, or Protected Technology · 3 cases
M · IT Systems
About Guideline M and its official conditions
- Unauthorized Use of an IT System · 99 cases · 33% granted
- Unspecified IT Misuse · 92 cases · 36% granted
- Pornography / Inappropriate Content on an Employer System · 61 cases · 23% granted
- Unauthorized Access / Entry into an IT System · 44 cases · 41% granted
- Unauthorized Modification, Destruction, or Denial of Access · 40 cases · 20% granted
- Unauthorized Hardware, Software, or Media · 34 cases · 24% granted
- Negligent or Lax IT Security Practice · 21 cases · 33% granted
- Classified / Protected Information on an Unauthorized System · 13 cases
Descriptive research on decided public cases. Not legal advice, and not a prediction about any pending case.