- 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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This document provides brief summaries of select Supreme Court cases that involve the guidelines and other aspects of federal sentencing that may be of current interest.
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The Commission released new information on resentencings pursuant to Section 404 of the First Step Act of 2018—the section of the Act that gave retroactive effect to changes made by the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010.
Latest Resentencing Data (Published October 30, 2019)
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In 2019, the Commission did not pass amendments to the federal sentencing guidelines. The 2018 Guidelines Manual remains in effect. You can access the guidelines online through the following resources:
Guidelines Manual Annotated - quick, direct access to the amendment history and reasons for amendments
Guidelines App - mobile-friendly access to the manual and calculators -
The preliminary data in this report reflects information received on offenders sentenced during the first three quarters of fiscal year 2019 (October 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019). This data is preliminary as the Commission collects, analyzes, and reports additional cases throughout the fiscal year.
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This podcast series covers topics ranging from frequently asked questions on the HelpLine, to sentencing practice tips, to recent case law developments.
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This publication provides a brief, easy-to-use reference on the types of criminal cases handled by federal courts in FY 2018 and the punishments imposed on offenders convicted in those cases.
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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
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.
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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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In-District Training RequestsIf you are a district training coordinator, judge, CJA panel rep, or federal defender, contact us for a customized training session.
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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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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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Decision Tree: Grouping Multiple Counts of ConvictionHow do the guidelines apply in a case with multiple counts of conviction? Follow this decision tree to learn more about the grouping rules at §3D1.2 and §3D1.4.
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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”.