Violent Crime · National · FY2015–FY2025
Kidnapping
Average imposed sentence 191.2 mo in FY2025 - longer-third average (> 72 mo) among 30 offense types.
- 191.2
- Avg months FY2025
- well above the national average
- 146
- Federal cases
- 27%
- Within guidelines
- low guideline adherence
- 68%
- Guilty plea
The verdict
According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission FY2025 Individual Offender Datafiles, Kidnapping ranks #20 of 30 by caseload (146 cases) and #3 of 30 by average sentence (191.2 months).
- #20
- Caseload of 30
- #3
- Avg sentence of 30
- 191.2 months
- This offense avg FY2025
- 146
- 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.
Kidnapping FY2024→FY2025: -8.6 mo
| Year | Cases | Avg (mo) | GL Min | GL Max | Within GL | Above GL | Below GL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 146 | 191.2 | 1212.0 | 219.3 | 27% | 3% | 71% |
| FY2024 | 146 | 199.8 | 1147.5 | 304.5 | 27% | 2% | 71% |
| FY2023 | 151 | 202.4 | 1462.7 | 250.0 | 26% | 5% | 69% |
| FY2022 | 128 | 190.6 | 1516.8 | 223.0 | 28% | 4% | 68% |
| FY2021 | 92 | 170.7 | 1153.0 | 213.7 | 24% | 3% | 73% |
| FY2020 | 66 | 205.8 | 1116.0 | 278.0 | 32% | 8% | 61% |
| FY2019 | 96 | 170.6 | 1135.6 | 233.2 | 26% | 3% | 71% |
| FY2018 | 106 | 178.7 | 1209.2 | 208.9 | 30% | 5% | 65% |
Kidnapping · hardest district slice
Among districts with ≥5 FY2025 cases, Oregon posts the longest average (470.0 mo, 1 cases , +145.8% vs national).
Where kidnapping 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.
191 95th percentile longer than 95% 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
Kidnapping - Top District Disparities (FY2025)
District Comparison (FY2025)
Districts with ≥5 FY2025 Kidnapping cases. Averages still mix case factors (history, quantity, cooperation).
| District | Cases | Avg (mo) | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 1 | 470.0 | +145.8% |
| Western Kentucky | 2 | 414.0 | +116.5% |
| Northern Iowa | 1 | 372.0 | +94.6% |
| Western Texas | 6 | 356.2 | +86.3% |
| Western Michigan | 2 | 325.0 | +70.0% |
| Northern Illinois | 8 | 316.8 | +65.7% |
| Middle Tennessee | 2 | 313.5 | +64.0% |
| Western Missouri | 2 | 300.0 | +56.9% |
| Central Illinois | 3 | 272.0 | +42.3% |
| Middle Florida | 3 | 270.0 | +41.2% |
| South Dakota | 2 | 258.0 | +34.9% |
| Eastern Arkansas | 1 | 240.0 | +25.5% |
| Maryland | 1 | 240.0 | +25.5% |
| Eastern Texas | 2 | 237.0 | +24.0% |
| Southern Florida | 4 | 235.8 | +23.3% |
| Northern West Virginia | 1 | 235.0 | +22.9% |
| Wyoming | 3 | 228.0 | +19.2% |
| Minnesota | 2 | 219.0 | +14.5% |
| Western Tennessee | 1 | 216.0 | +13.0% |
| Connecticut | 2 | 216.0 | +13.0% |
Nationwide peers · caseload or average sentence
Similar FY caseload
Nearest by ABS(146 cases).
- Environmental · 149 cases · Other
- 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(191.2 mo here; ≥50-case types).
- Sexual Abuse · 248.8 mo avg · Sex Offenses
- Child Pornography · 121.6 mo avg · Sex Offenses
- Robbery · 111.1 mo avg · Violent Crime
- Drug Trafficking · 90.0 mo avg · Drug Offenses
Same-category peers · Violent Crime
Source: United States Sentencing Commission (USSC), Individual Offender Datafiles, FY2015–FY2025 · Methodology
What the Kidnapping data shows
In FY2025, 146 federal defendants were sentenced for kidnapping, with an average sentence of 191.2 months -- 139.3 months above the national average across all offenses.
- 27% of kidnapping sentences in FY2025 fell within the guideline range, with 71% 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 kidnapping in FY2025 was Oregon, averaging 470.0 months -- 278.8 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. Oregon data
- The average sentence for kidnapping has risen 12.5 months since FY2018 (FY2018: 178.7 mo; FY2025: 191.2 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.