Policymaking

Policymaking
One of the Commission’s principal purposes is to establish sentencing policies and practices for the federal courts. Each year, the Commission reviews and refines the guidelines in light of congressional action, decisions from courts of appeals, sentencing-related research, and input from the criminal justice community. There have been over 800 amendments since the guidelines went into effect in 1987.


Learn more about our amendment process below.
Rules of Practice and Procedure
  • Proposed Priorities
    June - August
    The Commission begins the amendment cycle in early spring with a Commission planning session. By late spring, the Commission publishes for public comment a list of tentative policy priorities.
  • Final Priorities
    September - December
    In late summer, the Commission votes to adopt final priorities. These are the issues the Commission will address in the amendment cycle. Then, staff policy teams are formed to research the various issues and develop recommendations, including possible guideline amendments.
  • Proposed Amendments
    January - March
    Typically in January (but sometimes earlier) the Commission publishes proposed amendments responding to its list of priorities. The Commission solicits comment from the general public and stakeholder groups and holds public hearings to receive testimony on the proposed amendments.
  • Adopted Amendments
    April - May
    Typically in April (but sometimes earlier), the Commission votes on whether to adopt amendments. No later than May 1, amendments are submitted to Congress for a 180-day review period. If Congress takes no action during this period, the adopted amendments become effective November 1.

 

2023-2024 Amendment Cycle

  • Public Comment

     

     

    The Commission received comment on proposed priorities for the amendment cycle ending May 1, 2024.

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  • Federal Register Notice

     

    The Commission seeks comment on proposed priorities for the amendment cycle ending May 1, 2024.
     

    Public comment should be received by the Commission on or before August 1, 2023. 

     

     

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  • Press Release

     

    Commissioners voted at a public meeting to allow delayed retroactive application of Amendment 821 relating to criminal history. The Commission also approved new policy priorities for the amendment year ending May 1, 2024.

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  • Federal Register Notice

     

    The Commission published final priorities for the amendment cycle ending May 1, 2024.
     

    Federal Register Notice

     

     

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  • Event

     

    A public meeting of the Commission was held on Thursday, August 24, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. (EDT) pursuant to Rule 3.2 of the Rules of Practice and Procedure of the United States Sentencing Commission. 

     

    A video recording and transcript are available. 

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  • Amendments

     

    This document contains unofficial text of the amendment to policy statement §1B1.10 (Reduction in Term of Imprisonment as a Result of Amended Guideline Range (Policy Statement)), as promulgated by the Commission. Official text will appear in a forthcoming edition of the Federal Register.

    "Reader-Friendly"
    Amendment 821 In Brief
     

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  • Public Comment

     

     

    The Commission received comment on possible retroactive application of Parts A and B of the 2023 Criminal History Amendment (effective November 1, 2023).

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