During our March 1995 meeting, I presented a blueprint for the Sentencing Commission's activities for my term. The pillars of my plan are continuity, program assessment, simplification, and management review. The materials contained in this booklet reflect the first component of that plan - continuity of the ongoing activities of the Sentencing Commission. This report compiles a sampling of materials produced by the Sentencing Commission during the past six months.
The day-to-day activities of the Sentencing Commission fall into three categories: amending the guidelines; producing statutorily required reports; and establishing working relationships with the executive, legislative and judicial branches. In the most recent amendment cycle, the Sentencing Commission considered 47 proposals and passed 27 amendments to the guidelines, the vast majority in response to directives contained in the 1994 crime bill. In addition to the three reports offered here, we sent to Congress our comprehensive report, Cocaine and Federal Sentencing Policy, which you received earlier this year. Finally, we have actively pursued better relations with Congress, the Justice Department, and the Federal Judiciary. All of these activities are reflected in this biannual report.
In keeping with my desire to make simplification of the guidelines the hallmark of my chairmanship, I have also included our purpose statement for this comprehensive review. I stress this item since simplification will permeate our day-to-day activities and, once the staff completes the ongoing projects started before my tenure, will be the principal focus of the Sentencing Commission's energies.
United States Sentencing Commission