Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about federal sentencing data, district comparisons, and how to interpret our statistics.
What is the U.S. Sentencing Commission?
The United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) is an independent agency of the judicial branch of the federal government. It establishes sentencing policies and practices for federal courts and publishes annual data on every federal offender sentenced in U.S. district courts.
How many sentencing records does PlainSentencing cover?
Our database aggregates over 660,000 federal sentencing records from FY2015 through FY2024, spanning 90 federal judicial districts and 45 offense categories.
What is a federal judicial district?
The United States is divided into 94 federal judicial districts, each with its own U.S. District Court. PlainSentencing covers 90 districts with sentencing data from the USSC. Each district has a U.S. Attorney's office that prosecutes federal crimes within its boundaries.
What does the disparity score mean?
The disparity score shows how a district's average sentences compare to the national average for the same offense types. A score of +20% means defendants in that district receive sentences averaging 20% longer than the national average for comparable offenses. This controls for offense type but not for case-specific factors like drug quantity, role, or cooperation.
Why are some average sentences very high?
Life sentences are coded as 470 months in USSC data per their standard convention, and they are included in average calculations. Districts or offense types with a significant share of life sentences will show higher averages. The USSC uses this coding to maintain a numerical value for statistical analysis.
What does 'within guidelines' mean?
Federal sentencing guidelines provide a recommended sentence range for each case based on the offense severity and the defendant's criminal history. A sentence 'within guidelines' falls within that recommended range. Judges may also depart above, depart below, or impose a Booker variance based on their discretion under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a).
Is this site a substitute for legal advice?
No. PlainSentencing is for educational and research purposes only. Nothing on this site constitutes legal advice. Sentencing outcomes depend on case-specific facts, criminal history, cooperation, and many other factors not captured in aggregate statistics. Always consult a qualified federal defense attorney for advice on a specific case.
How current is the data?
The current database covers FY2015 through FY2024 (October 2023 – September 2024). The USSC releases updated datafiles annually, typically several months after fiscal year end. We update PlainSentencing when new annual data becomes available.