On September 1, 2004, the Commission filed an amicus curiae brief with the United States Supreme Court in support of the position of the United States in the consolidated cases U.S. v. Booker and U.S. v Fanfan.
After reviewing public comment received pursuant to the notice of proposed priorities, the Commission has identified its policy priorities for the upcoming amendment cycle and hereby gives notice of these policy priorities. (Published September 1, 2004, in the Federal Register (69 FR 53482-53483))
Hinojosa Named to Chair U.S. Sentencing Commission
Testimony of Commissioner John R. Steer and Judge William K. Sessions, III, before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Blakely v. Washington and the Future of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines (13 July 2004) (.PDF)
As part of its statutory authority and responsibility to analyze sentencing issues, including operation of the federal sentencing guidelines, and in accordance with Rule 5.2 of its Rules of Practice and Procedure, the Commission is seeking comment on possible priority policy issues for the amendment cycle ending May 1, 2005. Public comment should be received on or before August 5, 2004. (Published June 28, 2004, in the Federal Register) (69 FR 36148-36149)
The 2002 Annual Report presents an overview of major Commission activities and accomplishments for fiscal year 2002. See the Commission's 2002 Sourcebook of Federal Sentencing Statistics for descriptive figures, tables, and charts, and selected district, circuit, and national sentencing data.
The first release in the Research Series on the Recidivism of Federal Offenders, this report examines in detail the predictive statistical power of the Chapter Four Criminal History guidelines. The study uses pre-conviction and instant offense information for a sample of guideline federal offenders sentenced in fiscal year 1992, matched with their post-sentencing criminal behavior collected from FBI records. Both tabular and statistical models of recidivism outcomes report findings by criminal history category and point groupings, as well as by offender demographics, instant offense characteristics, and recidivating offense types.
This second release in the Research Series on the Recidivism of Federal Offenders provides an empirical foundation for the Commission’s study of recidivism rates among federal offenders with little or no criminal history prior to the federal instant offense. Using definitional frameworks established in several earlier Commission staff working group studies on “first offenders,” the data documents recidivism risk for three plausible first offender groupings. The analysis reports that recidivism risk is lowest for those offenders with least experience in the criminal justice system.
of submission to Congress of amendments to the sentencing guidelines effective November 1, 2004.(Published May 19, 2004 in the Federal Register) (69 FR 28994-29028)
This compilation contains unofficial text of amendments to the sentencing guidelines submitted to Congress on April 30, 2004, and is provided only for the convenience of the user. Official text of these amendments is available on the Commission’s web site and will be published in a future edition of the Federal Register. (.PDF format)
Commission Tightens Requirements for Corporate Compliance and Ethics Programs.
Pursuant to section 994(p) of title 28, United States Code, the United States Sentencing Commission submitted to the Congress these amendments to the sentencing guidelines and the reasons for the amendments. (PDF)
Sentencing Commission Toughens Requirements for Corporate Compliance and Ethics Programs; Agency Also Announces Increased Prison Sentences for Sex Offenses and Offenses Involving Hazardous Materials and Spamming.
United States Sentencing Commission Public Hearing (Washington, DC - March 17, 2004. (.PDF)
Sentencing Commission Targets Corrupt Public Officials; Agency Also Takes Aim at Portable Rockets and Missiles -- Commission Also Increases Penalties for Body Armor and Other Offenses.
United States Sentencing Commission 2004 Public Hearing (Washington, DC - March 17, 2004)
United States Sentencing Commission Chair Diana E. Murphy Resigns; Transfer of Duties Expected to Go Smoothly
"Reader-friendly" version of the Proposed 2004 Guideline Amendments (.PDF format) This compilation contains unofficial text of proposed amendments to the sentencing guidelines and is provided only for the convenience of the user in the preparation of public comment. Official text of the proposed amendments can be found in the December 30, 2003 Federal Register (68 Fed. Reg. 75339) and in the edition of the Federal Register that will be published on January 14, 2004.
Commission Meeting Information
Probation Officers Advisory Group
Organizational Guidelines Advisory Group
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