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.
The Commission collects, analyzes, and disseminates a broad array of information on federal crime and sentencing practices.
In this section, you will find a comprehensive collection of research and data reports published on sentencing issues and other areas of federal crime.
The Commission establishes sentencing policies and practices for the federal courts. Each year, the Commission reviews and refines these policies in light of congressional action, decisions from courts of appeals, sentencing-related research, and input from the criminal justice community.
In this section, you can follow the Commission’s work through the amendment cycle as priorities are set, research is performed, testimony is heard, and amendments are adopted.
The Commission serves as an information resource for Congress, the executive branch, the courts, criminal justice practitioners, the academic community, and the public.
In this section, you will find resources to assist you in understanding and applying the federal sentencing guidelines.
The U.S. Sentencing Commission is an independent agency in the judicial branch that was created as part of the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984. Commissioners are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The Attorney General, or the Attorney General’s designee, and the Chair of the U.S. Parole Commission serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of the Commission.
In this section, learn about the Commission’s mission, structure, and ongoing work.
Using Commission data, the Office of Research and Data publishes periodic reports on federal sentencing practices and tracks the application of the sentencing guidelines. These data reports provide information concerning the types of crimes committed, the offenders who commit those crimes, the punishments imposed, and the manner in which the sentencing guidelines were applied.
(April 2024) These reports compare FY 2023 federal sentencing statistics for each judicial district, judicial circuit, and state to the nation as a whole.
(April 2023) These reports compare FY 2022 federal sentencing statistics for each judicial district, judicial circuit, and state to the nation as a whole.
(April 2022) These reports compare FY 2021 federal sentencing statistics for each judicial district, judicial circuit, and state to the nation as a whole.
(May 2021) These reports compare FY 2020 federal sentencing statistics for each judicial district, judicial circuit, and state to the nation as a whole.
(April 2020) These reports compare FY 2019 federal sentencing statistics for each judicial district, judicial circuit, and state to the nation as a whole.
(August 2019) These reports compare FY 2018 federal sentencing statistics for each judicial district, judicial circuit, and state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 2010 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 2009 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 2008 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 2007 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 2006 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 2005 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 2004 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 2003 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 2002 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 2001 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 2000 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 1999 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 1998 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 1997 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 1996 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.
These reports examine FY 1995 federal sentencing statistics from each judicial district, the districts within each judicial circuit, and the districts within each state comparing the respective district, circuit, or state to the nation as a whole.