NCJ Number
120591
Date Published
1989
Length
520 pages
Annotation
Sentencing guidelines have been developed by the U.S. Sentencing Commission that are intended to apply to approximately 90 percent of all Federal court cases.
Abstract
In developing the guidelines, the Commission examined numerous criminal statutes in the U.S. Code, developed distinctions relevant to Code provisions, and applied sentencing ranges to each resulting category. The Commission relied on estimates of existing sentencing practices, based on summary reports of approximately 40,000 convictions, a sample of 10,000 augmented presentence reports, parole guidelines, and policy judgments. The guidelines specifically cover offenses against the person and offenses involving property, public officials, drugs, criminal enterprises and racketeering, fraud or deceit, prostitution, obscenity, and sexual exploitation of minors. The guidelines also encompass offenses involving individual rights, the administration of justice, public safety, immigration and naturalization, national defense, food and drugs, agricultural products, odometer laws, prisons and correctional facilities, and the environment. Additionally, the guidelines focus on antitrust offenses, money laundering, and taxation. They detail sentence determination and sentencing procedures and discuss probation and supervised release violations. Additional information on sentencing statutes and procedures is contained in appendixes. A sentencing table is included that is based on offense level and criminal history category.