- 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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(May 9, 2022) The Commission released new data on compassionate release motions decided during fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2021). Listen to the latest Commission Chats podcast episode to hear from key Commission staff working on this important topic.
Data Report
Commission Chats
Research Report (Published March 2022) -
(April 27, 2022) This interactive PDF summarizes recent case law involving the guidelines and other aspects of federal sentencing. It combines features of two newly retired products—the Case Law Concierge and Case Law Quarterly.
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Use the links below to access information on the 57,287 federal offenders sentenced last fiscal year.
Datafiles (Published April 27, 2022)
Overview of Federal Criminal Cases (Published April 25, 2022)
Interactive Data Analyzer (Updated April 12, 2022)
FY21 Sourcebook (Published March 16, 2022) -
(April 26, 2022) Explore these resources to learn about crime victims' rights in the sentencing process and how the federal sentencing guidelines account for harm to victims.
Crime Victims' Rights Primer
Economic Crime Victims Primer
Victims' Rights and Sentencing Video -
(April 21, 2022) The preliminary data in this report reflects information received on offenders sentenced through the first quarter of fiscal year 2022 (October 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021).
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(April 21, 2022) These data reports examine FY21 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state compared to the nation as a whole.
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
Upcoming Training EventsVirtual Sentencing Guidelines training is now open to a national audience! Sessions are available on a first come, first served basis to all members of the court family.
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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
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.
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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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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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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”.