Sex Offenses · National · FY2015–FY2025
Child Pornography
Average imposed sentence 121.6 mo in FY2025 - longer-third average (> 72 mo) among 30 offense types.
- 121.6
- Avg months FY2025
- well above the national average
- 1,416
- Federal cases
- 38%
- Within guidelines
- low guideline adherence
- 84%
- Guilty plea
The verdict
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission FY2025 Individual Offender Datafiles, Child Pornography ranks #6 of 30 by caseload (1,416 cases) and #4 of 30 by average sentence (121.6 months).
- #6
- Caseload of 30
- #4
- Avg sentence of 30
- 121.6 months
- This offense avg FY2025
- 1,416
- 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.
Child Pornography FY2024→FY2025: +1.6 mo
| Year | Cases | Avg (mo) | GL Min | GL Max | Within GL | Above GL | Below GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 1,416 | 121.6 | 261.0 | 184.8 | 38% | 3% | 59% |
| FY2024 | 1,368 | 120.0 | 237.3 | 170.5 | 38% | 4% | 58% |
| FY2023 | 1,398 | 118.4 | 201.2 | 181.9 | 35% | 3% | 62% |
| FY2022 | 1,422 | 111.9 | 236.2 | 175.7 | 34% | 4% | 62% |
| FY2021 | 1,205 | 109.5 | 145.5 | 176.2 | 33% | 4% | 63% |
| FY2020 | 1,020 | 103.0 | 166.0 | 172.7 | 30% | 3% | 66% |
| FY2019 | 1,361 | 104.0 | 206.3 | 173.6 | 30% | 2% | 68% |
| FY2018 | 1,405 | 105.5 | 200.9 | 174.6 | 29% | 2% | 69% |
Child Pornography · hardest district slice
Among districts with ≥5 FY2025 cases, Southern Mississippi posts the longest average (498.0 mo, 3 cases , +309.5% vs national).
Where child pornography 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.
122 89th percentile longer than 89% 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
Child Pornography - Top District Disparities (FY2025)
District Comparison (FY2025)
Districts with ≥5 FY2025 Child Pornography cases. Averages still mix case factors (history, quantity, cooperation).
| District | Cases | Avg (mo) | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Mississippi | 3 | 498.0 | +309.5% |
| Northern Alabama | 2 | 260.0 | +113.8% |
| North Dakota | 7 | 217.0 | +78.5% |
| Northern Illinois | 7 | 212.0 | +74.3% |
| Northern Texas | 36 | 183.2 | +50.7% |
| Eastern Washington | 13 | 171.8 | +41.3% |
| Southern Alabama | 4 | 168.8 | +38.8% |
| Northern New York | 27 | 165.6 | +36.2% |
| Central Illinois | 10 | 164.7 | +35.4% |
| Eastern Texas | 16 | 162.4 | +33.6% |
| Eastern North Carolina | 12 | 162.3 | +33.5% |
| Southern Indiana | 7 | 162.1 | +33.3% |
| Montana | 5 | 153.6 | +26.3% |
| Northern Indiana | 12 | 150.8 | +24.0% |
| Maryland | 9 | 150.0 | +23.4% |
| Northern Iowa | 20 | 149.5 | +22.9% |
| Minnesota | 9 | 148.4 | +22.1% |
| Eastern Pennsylvania | 12 | 147.4 | +21.2% |
| Kansas | 19 | 147.3 | +21.1% |
| Eastern Kentucky | 10 | 146.2 | +20.2% |
Nationwide peers · caseload or average sentence
Similar FY caseload
Nearest by ABS(1,416 cases).
- Sexual Abuse · 1,403 cases · Sex Offenses
- Money Laundering · 1,368 cases · Fraud/Financial
- Robbery · 1,242 cases · Violent Crime
- Other Offenses · 1,665 cases · Other
Similar average sentence
Nearest nationwide offense types by ABS(121.6 mo here; ≥50-case types).
- Robbery · 111.1 mo avg · Violent Crime
- Drug Trafficking · 90.0 mo avg · Drug Offenses
- Manslaughter · 89.1 mo avg · Violent Crime
- Assault · 82.3 mo avg · Violent Crime
Same-category peers · Sex Offenses
Source: United States Sentencing Commission (USSC), Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2025 · Methodology
What the Child Pornography data shows
In FY2025, 1,416 federal defendants were sentenced for child pornography, with an average sentence of 121.6 months -- 69.7 months above the national average across all offenses.
- 38% of child pornography sentences in FY2025 fell within the guideline range, with 59% 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 child pornography in FY2025 was Southern Mississippi, averaging 498.0 months -- 376.4 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. Southern Mississippi data
- The average sentence for child pornography has risen 16.1 months since FY2018 (FY2018: 105.5 mo; FY2025: 121.6 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.