NCJ Number
174135
Editor(s)
M Courlander
Date Published
1998
Length
68 pages
Annotation
This 1997 Annual Report of the activities and accomplishments of the U.S. Sentencing Commission describes the agency's varied research, training, and clearinghouse activities and provides information on Federal criminal cases sentenced under the guidelines in fiscal year 1997.
Abstract
Regarding sentencing policy, the Commission submitted to Congress on May 1, 26 amendments to the sentencing guidelines. Amendments included increased penalties for methamphetamine offenses; inclusion of flunitrazepam (the "date rape" drug) in the guidelines' drug quantity table; and increased penalties for smuggling an unlawful alien. These amendments took effect November 1, 1997. As part of its data collection and research, the Commission issued results from the first survey of public attitudes toward Federal sentencing. The Commission report compares guideline sentencing ranges with the public's sentencing opinions for four types of Federal crimes: drug trafficking, bank robbery, immigration offenses, and fraud. The number of guideline cases submitted to the Commission increased to 48,848 in 1997. The Commission had launched an effort to improve document submission by the courts in 1997. The majority of the 1997 increase over 1996 is attributed to this effort. Drug cases continued to account for approximately 40 percent of Federal sentences. This annual report also provides information and data on the Commission's efforts in training, education and public information. Changes in Commission membership are noted as well. Appended material on data collection issues