32 CFR § 147.12 - Guideline J—Criminal conduct.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t32/s147.12"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "32 CFR § 147.12 - Guideline J—Criminal conduct."
title_number: 32
title_name: "National Defense"
section_number: "147.12"
section_name: "Guideline J—Criminal conduct."
chapter_name: "OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE"
subchapter_number: "D"
subchapter_name: "PERSONNEL, MILITARY AND CIVILIAN"
part_number: "147"
part_name: "ADJUDICATIVE GUIDELINES FOR DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR ACCESS TO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "E.O. 12968 (60 FR 40245, 3 CFR 1995 Comp., p 391)."
regulatory_source: "63 FR 4573, Jan. 30, 1998, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "147"
---


# 147.12 Guideline J—Criminal conduct.

(a) *The concern.* A history or pattern of criminal activity creates doubt about a person's judgment, reliability and trustworthiness.

(b) *Conditions that could raise a security concern and may be disqualifying include:* (1) Allegations or admissions of criminal conduct, regardless of whether the person was formally charged;

(2) A single serious crime or multiple lesser offenses.

(c) *Conditions that could mitigate security concerns include:* (1) The criminal behavior was not recent;

(2) The crime was an isolated incident;

(3) The person was pressured or coerced into committing the act and those pressures are no longer present in that person's life;

(4) The person did not voluntarily commit the act and/or the factors leading to the violation are not likely to recur;

(5) Acquittal;

(6) There is clear evidence of successful rehabilitation.