- The Commission promulgates guidelines that judges consult when sentencing federal offenders. When the guidelines are amended, a subsequent Guidelines Manual is published.
- In this section, you will find the Commission’s comprehensive archive of yearly amendments and Guidelines Manuals dating back to 1987.
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(August 29, 2022) The Organizational Sentencing Guidelines: Thirty Years of Innovation and Influence summarizes the history of the organizational guidelines, several decades of trend analysis, and the impact of Chapter Eight beyond federal sentencing.
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(August 18, 2022) This study provides information on the prevalence of robbery offenses and how they were committed—including who was robbed, what was taken, the use of physical force, the use of a weapon, and whether any victim was injured during the robbery.
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(August 18, 2022) The Commission continues to release updated research and data on implementation of the First Step Act of 2018. New data show that 4,226 offenders have received sentence reductions pursuant to Section 404 of the First Step Act.
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(August 5, 2022) Acting Chair Judge Charles Breyer and incoming Chair, Judge Carlton W. Reeves applaud Senate confirmation of new commissioners as the Commission regains a quorum for the first time in over three years enabling it to amend the federal sentencing guidelines and issue sentencing policy.
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(July 26, 2022) This report examines federal offenders age 50 or older and the crimes for which they were sentenced in fiscal year 2021. The report assesses whether age was given a special consideration at sentencing, and specifically focuses on three issues that could impact the sentencing of older offenders: age and infirmity, life expectancy, and the risk of recidivism.
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(July 26, 2022) This publication examines life sentences in the federal system using data from fiscal years 2016 through 2021.
About the Commission
The U.S. Sentencing Commission, a bipartisan, independent agency located in the judicial branch of government, was created by Congress in 1984 to reduce sentencing disparities and promote transparency and proportionality in sentencing.
The Commission collects, analyzes, and distributes a broad array of information on federal sentencing practices. The Commission also continuously establishes and amends sentencing guidelines for the judicial branch and assists the other branches in developing effective and efficient crime policy. Learn the basics of federal sentencing.
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Resources
Glossary of Sentencing TermsUnclear about some of the terms found in the Guidelines Manual? This glossary covers everything from “Abuse of Trust” to “Zone D”.
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Resources
Ask the HelpLineThe HelpLine assists judges, probation officers, and practitioners in understanding and applying the guidelines. You can submit your questions electronically or call us directly.
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Resources
Decision TreesHow do the guidelines apply in a case with multiple counts? How do you score criminal history convictions? Follow the decision trees to answer these questions.
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Resources
PrimersWant to learn more about relevant statutes, case law and guidelines on a specific topic? Discover our primers that focus on topics ranging from drug trafficking to criminal history to supervised release....
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Resources
WorksheetsUse these worksheets to help determine the applicable offense level, criminal history score, and guideline range in an individual offender’s case.
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Resources
Quick FactsQuick Facts publications give readers basic facts about a single area of federal crime in an easy-to-read, two-page format. The Commission releases new Quick Facts periodically.
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Research NotesResearch Notes give background information on the technical details of the Commission’s data collection process and provide answers to common data analysis questions.
Quick Facts