Research
The Commission collects, analyzes, and disseminates a broad array of information on federal crime and sentencing practices. The Office of Research and Data collects data from documents submitted by the courts in each case in which a defendant is sentenced. From that data, the Commission prepares and disseminates public reports on a wide variety of sentencing issues. The Commission also uses this data in its consulting capacity to the courts, Congress, and the Executive Branch.


Explore our research and data reports below or download our datafiles and perform your own analysis.
Public Access to Commission Data and Documents

Sourcebooks of Federal Sentencing Statistics


The Sourcebook contains descriptive statistics on the application of the federal sentencing guidelines and provides selected district, circuit, and national sentencing data. The latest edition reports information on offenders sentenced in fiscal year 2021 (October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021).

2021 Sourcebook Previous Years




Interactive Data Analyzer



You've got questions, IDA has data. The Interactive Data Analyzer (IDA) is an online tool that can be used to explore, filter, customize, and visualize federal sentencing data for research, policymaking, and sentencing purposes.

IDA presents annual data that is refreshed periodically with the latest information collected, received, and edited by the Commission.

Explore IDA
Research Reports
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  • Revisiting Status Points

    (June 2022) This report examines the application and significance of status points, and considers the extent to which status points contribute to the criminal history score’s prediction of rearrest.

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  • Recidivism and Federal Bureau of Prisons Programs: Vocational Program Participants Released in 2010

    (June 2022)  This report is the sixth in a series continuing the Commission’s study of the recidivism of federal offenders released in 2010. In this report, the Commission examines recidivism of federal offenders who participated in Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) vocational programs while incarcerated. 

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  • Length of Incarceration and Recidivism (2022)

    (June 2022) This report is the seventh and final report in a series continuing the Commission’s research of the recidivism of federal offenders. It provides an overview of the recidivism of federal violent offenders released from incarceration or sentenced to a term of probation in 2010.

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Data Reports
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  • Quarterly Sentencing Updates

    (June 2022) The preliminary data in these reports present selected quarterly sentencing information submitted to the Commission by the U.S. Courts.

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  • Compassionate Release Data Reports

    (May 2022) This report provides an analysis of the compassionate release motions filed with the courts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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  • 2021 Federal Sentencing Statistics

    (April 2022) These reports compare FY 2021 federal sentencing statistics for each judicial district, judicial circuit, and state to the nation as a whole.

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  • Prison & Sentencing Impact Assessments

    (January 2022) When possible, the Commission performs prison and sentencing impact assessments as part of its consideration of amendments to the federal sentencing guidelines. The Commission also is often asked to perform prison and sentencing impact assessments for Congress.

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  • Retroactivity Analyses and Data Reports

    (May 2021) These reports present data on federal cases in which a motion for a reduced sentence was considered as a result of a federal statute or an amendment to the federal sentencing guidelines.

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  • Guideline Application Frequencies

    (April 2021) These annual reports provide data on the frequency of application of specific guidelines, including increases for aggravating factors and decreases for mitigating factors.

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Quick Facts
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  • Child Pornography
    (June 2022) In fiscal year 2021, 1,215 child pornography offenders were sentenced in the federal system. Child pornography offenses have decreased by 13.8% since fiscal year 2017.

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  • Mandatory Minimum Penalties
    (June 2022) In fiscal year 2021, 16,439 cases involved an offense carrying a mandatory minimum penalty; 53.5% did not receive relief from the mandatory minimum penalty (15.7% of all federal offenders).

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Commission Datafiles
 
Individual Offenders

The Commission's individual datafiles provide information on the sentences imposed in cases involving individuals. In these datafiles the individual is the unit of analysis. These datafiles do not contain information from the Commission's Organizational, Resentencing, or Appeals Databases.

Corporate Offenders

The Commission's organizational datafiles provide information on the sentences imposed in cases involving organizational offenders (i.e., corporations, partnerships, and other entities having a legal existence separate from the individuals having an interest in them).

Special Projects

Commission datafiles that are used in various reports to Congress. These datafiles may contain information collected during a special coding project performed for a particular report and, therefore, will not be available in the Commission's fiscal year datafiles.

 

Reports to Congress
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