NCJ Number
196915
Date Published
2001
Length
231 pages
Annotation
This document describes statistics on the application of Federal sentencing guidelines and provides selected sentencing data.
Abstract
The Sentencing Commission maintains a comprehensive data collection system. Each probation office in each judicial district submits documents on every offender sentenced under the guidelines. These documents include indictment, presentence report (PSR), report on the sentencing hearing, written plea agreement, and judgment of conviction. The distribution of offenders in each primary offense category shows 41 percent for drugs, 18 percent for immigration, and 11 percent for fraud. Marijuana was the major drug, followed by powder cocaine and crack cocaine. In the total of primary offenses, the racial distribution was 30 percent White, 25 percent Black, and 40 percent Hispanic. With regard to gender, 85 percent were male, 15 percent female. The age of the offender was presented as 20 percent aged 26 to 30 years old, 19 percent 21 to 25 years old, and 17 percent 31 to 35 years of age. The education of offenders in each primary offense category shows 45 percent with less than a high school education, 31 percent high school graduates, and 17 percent had some college. Sixty-six percent were United States citizens while 34 percent were non-citizens. In the Circuit court, 97 percent of the total entered guilty pleas and three percent went to trial. The distribution of offenders receiving sentencing options was 82 percent prison only, 9 percent probation, 6 percent probation and confinement, and 4 percent prison/community split. The average sentence length of primary offenses was 47 mean months and 24 median months. There is a breakdown of guideline application with offenders sentenced for each Chapter Two and Chapter Three Guideline; offenders receiving Acceptance of Responsibility and Chapter Four Criminal History Points; and offenders receiving Career Offender/Armed Career Criminal Adjustments. The Departures and Sentences within the Guideline Range are outlined. The distribution of guideline drug offenses, and demographic and offense information for immigration offenses are detailed. Statistics on organizational sentencing practices and sentencing appeals are also presented. 2 appendixes