Other · National · FY2015–FY2025
Environmental
Average imposed sentence 7.0 mo in FY2025 - shorter-third average (≤ 21 mo) among 30 offense types.
- 7.0
- Avg months FY2025
- well below the national average
- 149
- Federal cases
- 38%
- Within guidelines
- low guideline adherence
- 83%
- Guilty plea
The verdict
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission FY2025 Individual Offender Datafiles, Environmental ranks #19 of 30 by caseload (149 cases) and #28 of 30 by average sentence (7.0 months).
- #19
- Caseload of 30
- #28
- Avg sentence of 30
- 7.0 months
- This offense avg FY2025
- 149
- 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.
Environmental FY2024→FY2025: -2.2 mo
| Year | Cases | Avg (mo) | GL Min | GL Max | Within GL | Above GL | Below GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 149 | 7.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 38% | 0% | 62% |
| FY2024 | 137 | 9.2 | 12.1 | 12.7 | 45% | 2% | 52% |
| FY2023 | 159 | 10.3 | 16.4 | 14.5 | 49% | 2% | 49% |
| FY2022 | 153 | 9.8 | 16.4 | 16.9 | 43% | 0% | 57% |
| FY2021 | 173 | 5.0 | 12.9 | 12.6 | 43% | 0% | 57% |
| FY2020 | 137 | 7.1 | 14.3 | 15.2 | 27% | 2% | 71% |
| FY2019 | 178 | 8.3 | 13.5 | 14.5 | 29% | 2% | 69% |
| FY2018 | 190 | 8.1 | 12.3 | 13.6 | 38% | 4% | 59% |
Environmental · hardest district slice
Among districts with ≥5 FY2025 cases, Montana posts the longest average (46.0 mo, 5 cases , +557.1% vs national).
Where environmental 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.
7 30th percentile longer than 30% 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
Environmental - Top District Disparities (FY2025)
District Comparison (FY2025)
Districts with ≥5 FY2025 Environmental cases. Averages still mix case factors (history, quantity, cooperation).
| District | Cases | Avg (mo) | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 5 | 46.0 | +557.1% |
| Central California | 3 | 30.0 | +328.6% |
| New Mexico | 1 | 24.0 | +242.9% |
| Nevada | 1 | 24.0 | +242.9% |
| Puerto Rico | 7 | 14.9 | +112.4% |
| Nebraska | 3 | 13.3 | +89.9% |
| Colorado | 3 | 12.0 | +71.9% |
| Arizona | 2 | 12.0 | +71.9% |
| South Carolina | 3 | 8.0 | +14.5% |
| Alaska | 11 | 7.2 | +3.0% |
| Eastern New York | 10 | 5.9 | -16.3% |
| Vermont | 1 | 5.6 | -20.1% |
| Western Washington | 3 | 4.0 | -42.9% |
| Eastern Michigan | 1 | 3.1 | -55.7% |
| Oregon | 4 | 3.0 | -57.7% |
| Western Texas | 4 | 3.0 | -57.2% |
| Southern Texas | 13 | 2.6 | -62.9% |
| Southern California | 10 | 0.9 | -87.4% |
| Northern Florida | 2 | 0.5 | -92.7% |
| Middle Florida | 8 | 0.0 | -99.6% |
Nationwide peers · caseload or average sentence
Similar FY caseload
Nearest by ABS(149 cases).
- Kidnapping · 146 cases · Violent Crime
- Drug Possession · 107 cases · Drug Offenses
- Individual Rights · 100 cases · Other
- Manslaughter · 94 cases · Violent Crime
Similar average sentence
Nearest nationwide offense types by ABS(7.0 mo here; ≥50-case types).
- Immigration · 10.2 mo avg · Immigration
- Drug Possession · 3.0 mo avg · Drug Offenses
- Other Offenses · 2.6 mo avg · Other
- Prison Offenses · 13.1 mo avg · Other
Same-category peers · Other
Source: United States Sentencing Commission (USSC), Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2025 · Methodology
What the Environmental data shows
In FY2025, 149 federal defendants were sentenced for environmental, with an average sentence of 7.0 months -- 44.9 months below the national average across all offenses.
- 38% of environmental sentences in FY2025 fell within the guideline range, with 62% 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 environmental in FY2025 was Montana, averaging 46.0 months -- 39 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. Montana data
- The average sentence for environmental has fallen 1.1 months since FY2018 (FY2018: 8.1 mo; FY2025: 7.0 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.