Average Sentence
52.3 months
FY2024 national benchmark
+8.5% vs natl avg
9th Circuit California
2026 data Public-data reference. official source
Northern California District
Open-data reference.
Federal criminal sentencing data · FY2015–FY2024 · Source: USSC
For educational and research purposes only. Not legal advice.
52.3
Avg Months (FY2024)
271
Cases (FY2024)
4%
Within Guidelines
86%
Guilty Pleas
80%
Prison Sentences
Sentencing Trends (FY2015–FY2024)
| Year | Cases | Avg (mo) | Within GL | Above GL | Below GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 271 | 52.3 | 4% | 1% | 0% |
| FY2023 | 362 | 51.5 | 3% | 2% | 0% |
| FY2022 | 387 | 53.2 | 2% | 4% | 0% |
| FY2021 | 299 | 44.9 | 2% | 4% | 0% |
| FY2020 | 293 | 43.2 | 5% | 4% | 0% |
| FY2019 | 482 | 60.2 | 10% | 3% | 0% |
| FY2018 | 458 | 47.6 | 10% | 3% | 0% |
| FY2017 | 485 | 53.2 | 11% | 4% | 0% |
| FY2016 | 401 | 64.1 | 6% | 3% | 0% |
| FY2015 | 552 | 55.4 | 8% | 5% | 0% |
Top Offenses (FY2024)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Counterfeiting/Forgery
67 cases · 70.3 mo avg
RICO
50 cases · 39.1 mo avg
Drug Simple Possession
42 cases · 12.0 mo avg
Drug Trafficking
38 cases · 22.6 mo avg
Theft/Property
15 cases · 113.0 mo avg
Drug Offenses (Other)
12 cases · 94.3 mo avg
Drug Trafficking (Other)
9 cases · 70.3 mo avg
Robbery
7 cases · 81.7 mo avg
Child Pornography
6 cases · 24.4 mo avg
Burglary/Trespass
5 cases · 59.0 mo avg
Sentencing Disparity
+8.5%
vs. national average (FY2024)
Northern California Disparity Overview (FY2024)
Sentencing Breakdown (FY2024)
Within Guidelines
4%
11 cases
Above Guidelines
1%
4 cases
Below Guidelines
0%
0 cases
Booker Variance
0%
0 cases
Guideline Compliance
4%
Within USSC range
Prison Rate
80%
of 271 cases
Guideline Adherence Breakdown
Within Guidelines 4.0%
11 cases
Above Guidelines 1.0%
4 upward departures
Below Guidelines 0.0%
0 downward departures
Booker Variance 0.0%
0 post-Booker variances
What the Northern California District Data Reveals
In FY2024, the Northern California District (9th Circuit, California) sentenced 271 federal defendants, with an average imposed sentence of 52.3 months. Of those cases, 4% were sentenced within the U.S. Sentencing Commission guideline range, 1% received above-guideline sentences, and 0% received below-guideline sentences. Prison was imposed in 80% of cases, and 86% of defendants resolved their cases through a guilty plea rather than trial.
Relative to the national average for the same offense mix, the Northern California District ran a disparity of +8.5% in FY2024. Sentences here trended longer than the nationwide benchmark after controlling for offense composition. Booker variances — sentences imposed outside the guidelines under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) following United States v. Booker (2005) — accounted for 0% of dispositions.
Context matters: these figures reflect the specific offense mix handled by the Northern California District, which drives much of the variation across federal courts. The top offense category was "Counterfeiting/Forgery" with 67 cases and an average sentence of 70.3 months. Figures are aggregate descriptive statistics from USSC Individual Offender Datafiles and do not account for criminal history, offense-level adjustments, or cooperation agreements at the individual case level. This data is presented for research and educational purposes only and is not legal advice.
About This Data
Source: United States Sentencing Commission (USSC), Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2024. The Northern California District is part of the 9th Circuit.
"Within guidelines" means the sentence fell within the prescribed guidelines range. "Booker variance" reflects post-United States v. Booker variances where judges impose sentences outside the range under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a).
Source: USSC Commission Datafiles · Methodology: see how we compute these metrics
Nearby Districts in the 9th Circuit
Other federal district courts in the same circuit. Compare sentencing patterns across neighboring jurisdictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average federal sentence in the Northern California District?
In FY2024, the Northern California District Court imposed an average federal sentence of 52.3 months across 271 cases. This includes all offense types handled by the district.
How often do judges in Northern California follow the sentencing guidelines?
In FY2024, 4% of sentences in the Northern California District fell within the federal sentencing guidelines range. 1% were above guidelines (upward departures) and 0% were below guidelines (downward departures).
What is a sentencing disparity score?
The disparity score measures how far a district's average sentences deviate from the national average for the same offense types. A positive score means the district sentences higher than average; a negative score means lower. The Northern California District had a disparity of +8.5% in FY2024.
What is a Booker variance in federal sentencing?
A Booker variance occurs when a federal judge imposes a sentence outside the guidelines range under the authority of United States v. Booker (2005), citing 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a) factors. In the Northern California District, 0% of cases in FY2024 involved Booker variances.
Where does the Northern California District sentencing data come from?
All data comes from the United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) Individual Offender Datafiles, covering fiscal years 2015 through 2024. The USSC collects case-level data from federal courts nationwide.
Learn More About Federal Sentencing
Understanding Federal Sentencing
How federal sentencing guidelines work, from offense levels to criminal history categories.
Sentencing Disparity Explained
What drives differences in sentencing outcomes between federal districts.
Reading Sentencing Data
How to interpret the statistics and comparisons in PlainSentencing.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.