5th Circuit · Mississippi · FY2015–FY2025
Southern Mississippi District
26% of classifiable Southern Mississippi sentences landed below the guideline range - rarer below-guideline share (≤ 47%).
- 77.1
- Avg months FY2025
- above the national average
- 378
- Federal cases
- 65%
- Within guidelines
- high guideline adherence
- +16.9%
- Disparity vs natl
Below-guideline book · Southern FY2025
26% of classifiable outcomes landed below the guideline range (rarer below-guideline share (≤ 47%)). Case-level mean CH 0.90 (10% no prior) ; defendants 88% male / 12% female / 22% non-citizen. Mean OL 4.0 on 378 rows, departure share is the signature, not volume.
The verdict
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission FY2025 Individual Offender Datafiles, Southern Mississippi District ranks #49 of 93 by caseload (378 cases) and #39 of 88 districts with at least 100 cases by average sentence (77.1 months).
- #49
- Caseload of 93
- #39
- Avg sentence of 88
- 77.1 months
- This district avg FY2025
- 378
- This district cases FY2025
Caseload rank covers every district with at least one FY case. Average-sentence rank covers districts with at least 100 cases so a thin docket cannot top the list. Offense ranks cover the 30 published guideline types. Averages follow offense mix, not court character.
Southern USSC docket plate
FY2025: 378 cases at 77.1 mo average · #39/88 harshest-rank · mix-adjusted +16.9% (DISP-LONG). Nearest ABS peer: Northern (-0.3 mo).
Avg-sentence neighbourhood · Southern
Harsh/lenient poles plus ABS(avg_sentence) peers (≥100 FY2025 cases) - not a full 93-district reprint.
- Arizona 17.4
Arizona · lenient pole
17.4 mo avg
- Northern · near
Northern · near
76.6 mo avg
- Northern · near
Northern · near
76.8 mo avg
- Southern
Southern · this district
77.1 mo avg
- Eastern · near
Eastern · near
77.5 mo avg
- Southern
Southern · harsh pole
129.3 mo avg
For educational and research purposes only. This page summarizes historical USSC sentencing statistics, not a prediction for any individual case, sentencing depends on many case-specific factors. Consult a licensed criminal defense attorney for guidance on a specific matter.
Source: U.S. Sentencing Commission Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2025. · Methodology and data dictionary.
Southern FY2024→FY2025: -10.2 mo avg
| Year | Cases | Avg (mo) | Within GL | Above GL | Below GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 378 | 77.1 | 65% | 9% | 26% |
| FY2024 | 322 | 87.3 | 66% | 7% | 27% |
| FY2023 | 372 | 77.6 | 63% | 6% | 31% |
| FY2022 | 324 | 82.4 | 68% | 4% | 28% |
| FY2021 | 262 | 75.6 | 63% | 6% | 31% |
| FY2020 | 386 | 56.5 | 58% | 3% | 39% |
| FY2019 | 456 | 74.0 | 70% | 4% | 26% |
| FY2018 | 342 | 73.7 | 79% | 3% | 18% |
| FY2017 | 281 | 88.9 | 78% | 8% | 14% |
| FY2016 | 238 | 80.7 | 65% | 3% | 32% |
| FY2015 | 278 | 97.5 | 59% | 5% | 36% |
Top Offenses (FY2025)
Sentencing Disparity
Most Common Offenses - Southern Mississippi (FY2025)
Federal cases sentenced in this district by offense category
- Drug Trafficking
Drug Trafficking
121 cases
- Firearms
Firearms
78 cases
- Immigration
Immigration
65 cases
- Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement
Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement
55 cases
- Sexual Abuse 9
Sexual Abuse
9 cases
- Murder 9
Murder
9 cases
- Prison Offenses 5
Prison Offenses
5 cases
- Money Laundering 5
Money Laundering
5 cases
- Robbery 4
Robbery
4 cases
- Assault 4
Assault
4 cases
What this shows Drug Trafficking was the most common offense in this district, accounting for 121 of the cases sentenced in FY2025.
Nationwide districts with similar caseload or average sentence
Two peer sets for Southern Mississippi: FY2025 federal caseload volume and average imposed sentence, distinct from same-circuit neighbors.
Similar FY caseload
Nearest nationwide districts by ABS(378 cases here).
- Western Louisiana · 378 cases · 5th Circuit
- Colorado · 377 cases · 10th Circuit
- Western Kentucky · 388 cases · 6th Circuit
- Eastern Kentucky · 390 cases · 6th Circuit
Similar average sentence
Nearest nationwide districts by ABS(77.1 mo here; ≥100-case books).
- Northern West Virginia · 76.8 mo avg · 326 cases
- Eastern Pennsylvania · 77.5 mo avg · 477 cases
- Northern Ohio · 76.6 mo avg · 662 cases
- Eastern Washington · 77.8 mo avg · 335 cases
Read with Southern
ABS(avg_sentence) peers first, then a stamp-branched guide - not a fixed three-guide strip. This sheet stamps BOOK-LIGHT · SENT-LONG · DISP-LONG · WITHIN-TIGHT · RANK-MID · PHOTO-NEAR · CIR-5TH.
ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 76.8 mo (Δ 0.3 mo lenient vs Southern); 326 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.
ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 77.5 mo (Δ 0.4 mo harsher vs Southern); 477 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.
ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 76.6 mo (Δ 0.5 mo lenient vs Southern); 662 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.
ABS(avg_sentence) peer at 77.8 mo (Δ 0.7 mo harsher vs Southern); 335 FY2025 cases · same USSC book axis as this sheet.
Southern stamps DISP-LONG on mix-adjusted disparity - the disparity guide explains offense-mix vs judicial variation.
Drug Trafficking led Southern at 121 cases (32% of the FY2025 book) - offense-specific averages differ from the district headline.
Source: U.S. Sentencing Commission Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2025.
Source: USSC public-use extracts rendered by PlainSentencing; methodology at /methodology/.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified. One-line guide: reading sentencing data. Report a data issue on this page.