Average Sentence
67.7 months
FY2024 national benchmark
-24.6% vs natl avg
9th Circuit California
2026 data Public-data reference. official source
Southern California District
Open-data reference.
Federal criminal sentencing data · FY2015–FY2024 · Source: USSC
For educational and research purposes only. Not legal advice.
67.7
Avg Months (FY2024)
286
Cases (FY2024)
10%
Within Guidelines
91%
Guilty Pleas
92%
Prison Sentences
Sentencing Trends (FY2015–FY2024)
| Year | Cases | Avg (mo) | Within GL | Above GL | Below GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 286 | 67.7 | 10% | 1% | 0% |
| FY2023 | 289 | 65.8 | 11% | 4% | 0% |
| FY2022 | 213 | 65.7 | 8% | 3% | 0% |
| FY2021 | 199 | 58.2 | 15% | 2% | 0% |
| FY2020 | 238 | 51.8 | 20% | 3% | 0% |
| FY2019 | 360 | 51.5 | 20% | 3% | 0% |
| FY2018 | 345 | 57.3 | 16% | 3% | 0% |
| FY2017 | 338 | 56.9 | 16% | 5% | 0% |
| FY2016 | 305 | 60.0 | 14% | 5% | 0% |
| FY2015 | 380 | 54.2 | 14% | 9% | 0% |
Top Offenses (FY2024)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Counterfeiting/Forgery
120 cases · 83.4 mo avg
RICO
50 cases · 37.8 mo avg
Drug Trafficking
29 cases · 10.2 mo avg
Drug Simple Possession
19 cases · 6.3 mo avg
Firearms (Other)
16 cases · 185.3 mo avg
Theft/Property
14 cases · 92.6 mo avg
Immigration
8 cases · 14.1 mo avg
Robbery
8 cases · 66.4 mo avg
Drug Offenses (Other)
6 cases · 136.0 mo avg
Environmental
3 cases · 3.3 mo avg
Sentencing Disparity
-24.6%
vs. national average (FY2024)
Southern California Disparity Overview (FY2024)
Sentencing Breakdown (FY2024)
Within Guidelines
10%
28 cases
Above Guidelines
1%
4 cases
Below Guidelines
0%
0 cases
Booker Variance
0%
0 cases
Guideline Compliance
10%
Within USSC range
Prison Rate
92%
of 286 cases
Guideline Adherence Breakdown
Within Guidelines 10.0%
28 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 Southern California District Data Reveals
In FY2024, the Southern California District (9th Circuit, California) sentenced 286 federal defendants, with an average imposed sentence of 67.7 months. Of those cases, 10% 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 92% of cases, and 91% of defendants resolved their cases through a guilty plea rather than trial.
Relative to the national average for the same offense mix, the Southern California District ran a disparity of -24.6% in FY2024. Sentences here trended shorter 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 Southern California District, which drives much of the variation across federal courts. The top offense category was "Counterfeiting/Forgery" with 120 cases and an average sentence of 83.4 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 Southern 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 Southern California District?
In FY2024, the Southern California District Court imposed an average federal sentence of 67.7 months across 286 cases. This includes all offense types handled by the district.
How often do judges in Southern California follow the sentencing guidelines?
In FY2024, 10% of sentences in the Southern 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 Southern California District had a disparity of -24.6% 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 Southern California District, 0% of cases in FY2024 involved Booker variances.
Where does the Southern 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.