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, continuously establishing and amending sentencing guidelines for the judicial branch and assisting the other branches in developing effective and efficient crime policy. Learn the basics of federal sentencing.


2016 Statistics 2016 Annual Report
Full Manual

 

  • Research and Data
    Quick Facts on Methamphetamine Trafficking

    (August 7, 2017) Methamphetamine trafficking offenders accounted for one-third of all federal drug trafficking offenders sentenced in fiscal year 2016.

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  • Research and Data
    Retroactivity Data for 2014 Drug Amendment

    (August 2, 2017) This report provides information on motions for a reduced sentence pursuant to the retroactive application of Amendment 782, which reduced the drug quantity table by two levels....

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  • Research and Data
    FY 2017 Quarterly Report on Federal Sentencing Data

    (June 22, 2017) This quarterly report contains preliminary data on cases in which the offender was sentenced through the second quarter of fiscal year 2017.

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  • Research and Data
    Quick Facts on Non-U.S. Citizen Federal Offenders

    (June 20, 2017) Non-U.S. citizens accounted for 41.7% of all federal offenders sentenced in fiscal year 2016. These offenders were mostly commonly sentenced for illegal reentry (62.8%). 

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  • Research and Data
    Quick Facts on Offenders in the Federal Bureau of Prisons

    (June 7, 2017) There were 164,598 offenders serving a sentence for a federal conviction in the Bureau of Prisons, most commonly for drug offenses (48.1%).

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2017-2018 Amendment Cycle

  • proposed priorities
  • final priorities
  • proposed amendments
  • final amendments

  • Event

    August 17, 2017

    A public meeting of the Commission is scheduled for Thursday, August 17, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. pursuant to Rule 3.2 of the Rules of Practice and Procedure of the United States Sentencing Commission.

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  • Public Comment

    August 11, 2017

    Public Comment on Synthetic Drugs
    82 FR 28382

    The Commission received comment on synthetic drugs, including MDMA/Ecstasy and methylone.

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  • Public Comment

    July 31, 2017

    Public Comment Received on Proposed Priorities
    82 FR 28381

    The Commission received public comment on proposed priorities, including the structure of the guidelines, mandatory minimum penalties, crimes of violence, alternatives to incarceration, recidivism, and others.

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  • Federal Register Notice

    June 22, 2017

    As part of its continuing work on this priority, the Commission is publishing this request for public comment on issues related to MDMA/Ecstasy and methylone, one of the synthetic cathinones included in the Commission's study. 


    Public comment should be received by the Commission on or before August 7, 2017.


    82 FR 28382

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  • Federal Register Notice

    June 22, 2017

    The Commission has proposed priorities for the amendment cycle ending May 1, 2018 and has requested public comment.


    Public comment should be received by the Commission on or before July 31, 2017. 


    82 FR 28381

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  • Press Release

    August 17, 2017

     

    U.S. Sentencing Commission announces its list of 2017-2018 policy priorities, proposes "holdover" amendments. 

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  • Federal Register Notice

    August 17, 2017

    The Commission has finalized policy priorities for the amendment cycle ending May 1, 2018.

    Download the Notice

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