NCJ Number
145575
Date Published
1990
Length
498 pages
Annotation
The U.S. Sentencing Commission asked its Firearms and Explosives Working Group to examine existing firearms and explosives guidelines and to make appropriate revisions.
Abstract
The working group reviewed firearms and explosives monitoring data, case files, and appellate decisions, and received comments from the field and from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). Initial firearms and explosives guidelines were drafted to combine four firearms guidelines into a single firearms guideline and to combine four explosives guidelines into a single explosives guideline. This consolidation was designed to achieve three key objectives: (1) eliminate duplication and confusion in guideline application; (2) reflect sentencing practices identified in monitoring data, appellate decisions, and hotline logs; and (3) reduce sentencing disparities by relying more heavily on specific offense characteristics. The working group's report includes a summary of firearms statutes, background data on firearms and explosives, a review of appellate cases, historical sentencing information, a review of monitoring data and case files, and a detailed discussion of proposed firearms and explosives guidelines. Appendixes contain additional information from the ATF and case file summaries. Tables