D.D.C. · Burglary/TrespassFY2018–FY2025

Burglary/Trespass in the District of Columbia

Q: What is the typical sentence for burglary and trespass offences in the District of Columbia?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 2 months, with the middle half of terms between 1 and 3 months. 53% of cases carried a prison term. The national median for burglary and trespass offences is 18 months.

Q: How often are burglary and trespass offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

0% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and — below it for other reasons; 94% were within the range. The Commission's categories are explained in the guide to how the guidelines work.

Q: How does this compare with the rest of the country?

Nationally, burglary and trespass offences had a median prison term of 18 months and a within-range share of 64% over the same period. The district's figures are below on median term and higher than the national within-range share.

Q: Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §2B2.3 and §none.

Q: Is this a prediction for a particular case?

No. The figures are aggregates of sentences already imposed, as recorded by the US Sentencing Commission. They are not legal advice and do not estimate the outcome of any case.

D.D.C. · District of Columbia Circuit · Burglary/Trespass nationally

The datafile contains cases reported to the Commission with sentencing documents. Sentence length statistics use the Commission's capped variable (sentences of 470 months or longer, including life, are recorded as 470 months) and exclude sentences of probation or a fine only. Figures are aggregates of past cases and are not a prediction for any case.

<10cases, FY2025133 over FY2018–FY2025

2median prison monthsnational, this offence: 18

94%within guideline rangenational 64%

53%cases with a prison termnational 79%

§ 1Length of prison terms

89%

<10

median 2 mo

under 6 mo6–11 mo1–2 yr2–3 yr3–5 yr5–10 yr10–15 yr15–20 yr20–30 yr30 yr+life

Share of cases with a prison term, by length of the term (71 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: burglary and trespass offences nationally.

Interquartile range 1–3 months; mean 2. 0 cases at the Commission's 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

Burglary/Trespass was the primary offence type in 133 cases sentenced in the District of Columbia between FY2018 and FY2025 (5% of the district's cases), with <10 in FY2025.

The median prison term was 2 months, shorter than the national median for burglary and trespass offences (18 months) and close to the District of Columbia Circuit median (2). Half of prison terms fell between 1 and 3 months; 53% of cases carried a prison term.

94% of these sentences were within the guideline range (nationally for this offence type: 64%); 0% were below the range on a government motion and — below it for other reasons.

FY2024 had more cases than FY2022 (40 against 34). The median prison term was about the same in FY2024 as in FY2022.

These are aggregates of past cases. The guideline range for any case depends on its offence level, criminal history and statutory minimums, and the sentence on the court's findings; no figure here estimates an outcome.

§ 3Position relative to the guideline range

Within guideline range 94%Above range 0%Below range, government sponsored 0%Below range, other <10Not determinable 0

§ 4Compared with the district, the circuit and the nation

Measure	D.D.C., burglary/trespass	D.D.C., all offences	D.C. Cir., burglary/trespass	US, burglary/trespass
Cases per fiscal year	17	356	17	69
Share of district caseload	4.7%	100%	—	—
Median prison months	2	36	2	18
Mean prison months	2	57	—	23
Cases with a prison term	53%	89%	53%	79%
Within guideline range	94%	44%	94%	64%
Above range	0%	3%	0%	8%
Below range, government sponsored	0%	23%	0%	12%
Below range, other	—	31%	—	17%
Median final offence level	4	19	—	12

§ 5Trend by fiscal year

<10

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Burglary/Trespass cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)

<10

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Median prison months by fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)

Fiscal year	Cases	Prison	Median months	Within range	Below, gov.	Below, other	Above
FY2018	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2019	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2020	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2021	<10	fewer than 10 cases
FY2022	34	41%	2	100%	0%	0%	0%
FY2023	32	69%	2	91%	0%	—	0%
FY2024	40	50%	2	100%	0%	0%	0%
FY2025	<10	fewer than 10 cases

§ 6Criminal history

Category I84% · 45%

Category II<10

Category III<10

Category IV<10

Category V<10

Category VI<10

Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: burglary and trespass offences nationally.

§ 7Guidelines applied

§2B2.3 Trespass · 125 cases in the district (all offence types)
§none · 123 cases in the district (all offence types)

Primary guidelines the Commission associates with this offence type, with the district's caseload under each across all offence types.

§ 8Questions and answers

What is the typical sentence for burglary and trespass offences in the District of Columbia?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 2 months, with the middle half of terms between 1 and 3 months. 53% of cases carried a prison term. The national median for burglary and trespass offences is 18 months.

How often are burglary and trespass offences sentenced below the guideline range here?

0% of sentences were below the range on a government motion and — below it for other reasons; 94% were within the range. The Commission's categories are explained in the guide to how the guidelines work.

How does this compare with the rest of the country?

Nationally, burglary and trespass offences had a median prison term of 18 months and a within-range share of 64% over the same period. The district's figures are below on median term and higher than the national within-range share.

Which guidelines are involved?

The most common primary guidelines for these cases are §2B2.3 and §none.

Is this a prediction for a particular case?

No. The figures are aggregates of sentences already imposed, as recorded by the US Sentencing Commission. They are not legal advice and do not estimate the outcome of any case.

§ 9Other offence types in the District of Columbia

§ 10Provenance

Source: United States Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles, fiscal years 2018–2025 (US government works), aggregated by this site; the FY2025 file is dated 29 Apr 2026. Offence type is the Commission's OFFGUIDE code 6; district is CIRCDIST 01. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.