Violent Crime · National · FY2015–FY2025
Assault
Average imposed sentence 82.3 mo in FY2025 - longer-third average (> 72 mo) among 30 offense types.
- 82.3
- Avg months FY2025
- well above the national average
- 854
- Federal cases
- 45%
- Within guidelines
- typical guideline adherence
- 71%
- Guilty plea
The verdict
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission FY2025 Individual Offender Datafiles, Assault ranks #10 of 30 by caseload (854 cases) and #8 of 30 by average sentence (82.3 months).
- #10
- Caseload of 30
- #8
- Avg sentence of 30
- 82.3 months
- This offense avg FY2025
- 854
- This offense 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.
Assault FY2024→FY2025: +0.7 mo
| Year | Cases | Avg (mo) | GL Min | GL Max | Within GL | Above GL | Below GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 854 | 82.3 | 169.1 | 92.6 | 45% | 11% | 44% |
| FY2024 | 901 | 81.6 | 160.0 | 98.8 | 45% | 11% | 45% |
| FY2023 | 851 | 76.6 | 98.1 | 92.3 | 43% | 10% | 47% |
| FY2022 | 849 | 68.8 | 106.6 | 88.2 | 44% | 9% | 47% |
| FY2021 | 666 | 63.3 | 91.3 | 76.1 | 45% | 8% | 47% |
| FY2020 | 618 | 72.5 | 188.9 | 81.5 | 46% | 8% | 46% |
| FY2019 | 787 | 74.8 | 141.1 | 86.5 | 49% | 7% | 44% |
| FY2018 | 691 | 64.4 | 130.4 | 86.6 | 49% | 8% | 43% |
Assault · hardest district slice
Among districts with ≥5 FY2025 cases, Western Missouri posts the longest average (1225.0 mo, 2 cases , +1388.5% vs national).
Where assault sentences sit among all federal sentences (FY2025)
Each bar counts imposed federal prison terms in that length band; the marker is this offense's average.
82 79th percentile longer than 79% of 61,431 federal sentences
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more federal sentences. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles · FY2025
Assault - Top District Disparities (FY2025)
District Comparison (FY2025)
Districts with ≥5 FY2025 Assault cases. Averages still mix case factors (history, quantity, cooperation).
| District | Cases | Avg (mo) | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Missouri | 2 | 1225.0 | +1388.5% |
| Middle Louisiana | 1 | 240.0 | +191.6% |
| Middle North Carolina | 6 | 222.3 | +170.1% |
| Southern Iowa | 23 | 216.0 | +162.4% |
| Northern Texas | 16 | 203.3 | +147.0% |
| Eastern Louisiana | 6 | 180.8 | +119.6% |
| Northern Indiana | 2 | 178.5 | +116.9% |
| Northern Illinois | 4 | 174.8 | +112.3% |
| Middle Alabama | 4 | 169.0 | +105.3% |
| Western Oklahoma | 11 | 156.3 | +89.9% |
| Connecticut | 5 | 149.8 | +82.0% |
| Middle Tennessee | 12 | 143.3 | +74.1% |
| Western Pennsylvania | 6 | 136.8 | +66.2% |
| Southern Illinois | 1 | 132.0 | +60.4% |
| Middle Florida | 8 | 128.6 | +56.3% |
| Southern Georgia | 5 | 121.0 | +47.0% |
| Eastern Arkansas | 1 | 120.0 | +45.8% |
| Middle Georgia | 1 | 120.0 | +45.8% |
| Western North Carolina | 7 | 118.3 | +43.8% |
| Eastern Tennessee | 3 | 116.7 | +41.8% |
Nationwide peers · caseload or average sentence
Similar FY caseload
Nearest by ABS(854 cases).
- Administration of Justice Offenses · 558 cases · Other
- National Defense · 499 cases · Other
- Robbery · 1,242 cases · Violent Crime
- Prison Offenses · 414 cases · Other
Similar average sentence
Nearest nationwide offense types by ABS(82.3 mo here; ≥50-case types).
- Manslaughter · 89.1 mo avg · Violent Crime
- Drug Trafficking · 90.0 mo avg · Drug Offenses
- Individual Rights · 74.2 mo avg · Other
- Arson · 71.9 mo avg · Violent Crime
Same-category peers · Violent Crime
Source: United States Sentencing Commission (USSC), Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2025 · Methodology
What the Assault data shows
In FY2025, 854 federal defendants were sentenced for assault, with an average sentence of 82.3 months -- 30.4 months above the national average across all offenses.
- 45% of assault sentences in FY2025 fell within the guideline range, with 44% below (downward departures or variances, often for cooperation). The below-range rate reflects how frequently prosecutors offer departure motions for substantial assistance. How the guidelines work
- The highest-average district for assault in FY2025 was Western Missouri, averaging 1225.0 months -- 1142.7 months above the national average. Case-specific factors within this offense (criminal history, quantity or aggravating circumstances, cooperation) drive that gap as much as any district-level pattern; the comparison below shows the full spread. Western Missouri data
- The average sentence for assault has risen 17.9 months since FY2018 (FY2018: 64.4 mo; FY2025: 82.3 mo). The trend chart above compares actual sentences against the guideline midpoint each year. Post-Booker sentencing trends
Descriptive USSC aggregates, not legal advice; individual sentences depend on case-specific facts.
PlainSentencing is rendered directly from the United States Sentencing Commission Individual Offender Datafiles, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified. Report a data issue on this page.