Federally Sentenced Women

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Of the 61,678 cases reported to the Commission in fiscal year 2024, 7,716 involved federally sentenced women.1 Women accounted for 12.5% of all individuals sentenced in fiscal year 2024.

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Individual and Offense Characteristics

 

 

  • 39.9% of federally sentenced women were Hispanic, 32.2% were White, 20.9% were Black, and 7.0% were Other races.2
    • Among women sentenced for drug trafficking offenses, 40.1% were White, followed by Hispanic (38.9%), Black (15.0%), and Other races (6.0%).
    • Among women sentenced for immigration offenses, 83.4% were Hispanic, followed by White (8.0%), Black (5.1%), and Other races (3.5%).
    • Among women sentenced for fraud offenses, 40.8% were Black, followed by White (38.2%), Hispanic (14.6%), and Other races (6.4%).
       
  • Their average age was 39 years. 
     
  • 84.6% were United States citizens.
     
  • 69.0% had little or no prior criminal history (Criminal History Category I);
    • 11.4% were CHC II;
    • 9.2% were CHC III;
    • 3.6% were CHC IV;
    • 2.8% were CHC V;
    • 4.0% were CHC VI.
       
  • 10.1% of women were sentenced for an offense involving weapons, compared to 14.6% of men.
     
  • The top five districts for federally sentenced women were:
    • Western District of Texas (842);
    • Southern District of Texas (586);
    • Southern District of California (468);
    • District of Arizona (446);
    • Northern District of Texas (163).
       
  • The top five districts where women comprised the highest proportion of the overall caseload were:
    • District of Vermont (24.7%);
    • District of Northern Mariana Islands (23.1%);
    • Northern District of West Virginia (22.3%);
    • Southern District of California (21.5%);
    • District of Maine (20.5%).

 

 

Punishment

  • The average sentence for women was 33 months, compared to 57 months for men.
     
  • 80.2% were sentenced to prison, compared to 94.0% of men.
     
  • 20.5% were convicted of an offense carrying a mandatory minimum penalty, compared to 25.8% of men.

 

 

Sentences Relative to the Guideline Range

  • 64.3% of sentences for women were under the Guidelines Manual.
    • 34.2% were within the guideline range.
       
    • 17.8% were substantial assistance departures.
      • The average sentence reduction was 64.0%.
         
    • 8.5% were Early Disposition Program (EDP) departures.3
      • The average sentence reduction was 65.3%.
         
    • 3.4% were some other downward departure.
      • The average sentence reduction was 63.2%.
         
  • 35.7% of sentences for women were variances.
    • 33.8% were downward variances.
      • The average sentence reduction was 58.0%.
         
    • 1.9% were upward variances.
      • The average sentence increase was 60.9%.

 

 

 

 

  • The average guideline minimum has fluctuated while the average sentence imposed has remained steady over the past five years.4
    • The average guideline minimum increased and decreased throughout the fiscal years. The average guideline minimum was 48 months in fiscal year 2020 and 54 months in fiscal year 2024.
       
    • The average sentence imposed was 30 months in fiscal year 2020 and 33 months in fiscal year 2024.

 

1 Cases with incomplete sentencing information were excluded from the analysis.

2 Among men sentenced in the federal system, 50.4% were Hispanic; their average age was 38 years; 63.6% were United States citizens; and they had more extensive criminal histories (43.3% were Criminal History Category I).

3  “Early Disposition Program" (or EDP) departures are departures where the government sought a sentence below the guideline range because the defendant participated in the government’s Early Disposition Program, through which cases are resolved in an expedited manner. See USSG §5K3.1.

4 For men sentenced in the federal system, the average guideline minimum and average sentence imposed have increased over the past five years. The average guideline minimum increased from 55 months in fiscal year 2020 to 72 months in fiscal year 2024. The average sentence imposed increased from 44 months in fiscal year 2020 to 57 months in fiscal year 2024.

SOURCE: United States Sentencing Commission, FY 2020 through FY 2024 Datafiles, USSCFY20-USSCFY24.

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