Offence typesFY2018–FY2025
Arson
Primary offence type · Commission code 3 · 0.1% of federal cases
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.
§ 1Length of prison terms, all districts
Interquartile range 30–72 months; mean 65. <10 cases at the 470-month cap (life or longer).
§ 2Summary
Arson was the primary offence type in 623 federal cases sentenced across 8 fiscal years (FY2018–FY2025), 0.1% of all cases reported to the Commission, with 77 in FY2025.
The national median prison term for arson offences was 60 months (5 years), against 24 months for all cases; 97% of cases carried a prison term and the middle half of terms fell between 30 and 72 months.
45% of sentences were within the guideline range, 25% below it on a government motion, 18% below it for other reasons and 12% above it.
The districts with the most arson offences were the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (28), the District of Minnesota (25) and the Eastern District of Oklahoma (24).
FY2025 had more cases than FY2018 (77 against 55). The median prison term was about the same in FY2025 as in FY2018.
§ 3Position relative to the guideline range
Within guideline range 45%Above range 12%Below range, government sponsored 25%Below range, other 18%Not determinable 0
| Measure | Arson | All offence types |
|---|---|---|
| Median prison months | 60 | 24 |
| Mean prison months | 65 | 51 |
| Cases with a prison term | 97% | 92% |
| Within guideline range | 45% | 47% |
| Above range | 12% | 3% |
| Below range, government sponsored | 25% | 29% |
| Below range, other | 18% | 21% |
| Median final offence level | 21 | 17 |
| Criminal history category I | 44% | 46% |
§ 4Districts compared
Every district with at least one case, most cases first. Districts with at least 30 cases in 2021–2025 link to a district × offence page; others link to the district's overview. Rows under 10 cases show the count only.
| District | Cases | Prison | Median months | Within range | Below, gov. | Below, other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern District of Pennsylvania E.D. Pa. | 28 | 100% | 53 | — | — | — |
| District of Minnesota D. Minn. | 25 | — | 52 | 56% | — | — |
| Eastern District of Oklahoma E.D. Okla. | 24 | 100% | 54 | 58% | — | — |
| Western District of Missouri W.D. Mo. | 20 | — | 63 | 50% | — | — |
| Eastern District of Wisconsin E.D. Wis. | 19 | — | 68 | — | — | — |
| Eastern District of Missouri E.D. Mo. | 18 | — | 60 | — | — | — |
| District of Arizona D. Ariz. | 17 | 100% | 36 | — | — | — |
| Central District of California C.D. Cal. | 17 | 100% | 60 | — | — | — |
| Northern District of Oklahoma N.D. Okla. | 16 | — | 46 | — | — | — |
| Eastern District of New York E.D.N.Y. | 15 | 100% | 60 | — | — | — |
| Middle District of Florida M.D. Fla. | 15 | 100% | 60 | — | — | — |
| District of North Dakota D.N.D. | 14 | 100% | 32 | — | 71% | — |
| Western District of New York W.D.N.Y. | 13 | — | 34 | — | — | — |
| Eastern District of North Carolina E.D.N.C. | 13 | 100% | 30 | — | — | — |
| Northern District of Illinois N.D. Ill. | 13 | 100% | 45 | — | — | — |
| Eastern District of California E.D. Cal. | 12 | — | 60 | — | — | — |
| Western District of Washington W.D. Wash. | 12 | — | 48 | — | — | — |
| Southern District of New York S.D.N.Y. | 11 | 100% | 28 | — | — | — |
| Southern District of Texas S.D. Tex. | 11 | 100% | 60 | — | — | — |
| Northern District of Ohio N.D. Ohio | 11 | 100% | 41 | — | — | 0% |
| Eastern District of Washington E.D. Wash. | 11 | 100% | 46 | — | — | — |
| Northern District of Georgia N.D. Ga. | 11 | 100% | 21 | — | — | 0% |
| Western District of Pennsylvania W.D. Pa. | 10 | 100% | 33 | — | — | — |
| District of South Dakota D.S.D. | 10 | 100% | 34 | — | 0% | — |
| District of New Mexico D.N.M. | 10 | 100% | 45 | — | — | — |
| Southern District of Alabama S.D. Ala. | 10 | 100% | 54 | — | — | — |
| Western District of Texas W.D. Tex. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of California N.D. Cal. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Nevada D. Nev. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Utah D. Utah | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Georgia S.D. Ga. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of South Carolina D.S.C. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Texas E.D. Tex. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Ohio S.D. Ohio | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Arkansas E.D. Ark. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Florida S.D. Fla. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of New Jersey D.N.J. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Maryland D. Md. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Virginia E.D. Va. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Montana D. Mont. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Colorado D. Colo. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Oklahoma W.D. Okla. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Wyoming D. Wyo. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Middle District of Alabama M.D. Ala. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of West Virginia S.D.W. Va. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Middle District of Louisiana M.D. La. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Illinois S.D. Ill. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Iowa S.D. Iowa | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of California S.D. Cal. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Columbia D.D.C. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Maine D. Me. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Massachusetts D. Mass. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Middle District of North Carolina M.D.N.C. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Texas N.D. Tex. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Tennessee W.D. Tenn. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Indiana S.D. Ind. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Wisconsin W.D. Wis. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Arkansas W.D. Ark. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Oregon D. Or. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Rhode Island D.R.I. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Louisiana W.D. La. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Kentucky E.D. Ky. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Michigan E.D. Mich. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Middle District of Tennessee M.D. Tenn. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Iowa N.D. Iowa | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Florida N.D. Fla. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of New York N.D.N.Y. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Middle District of Pennsylvania M.D. Pa. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of North Carolina W.D.N.C. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of West Virginia N.D.W. Va. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Louisiana E.D. La. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Michigan W.D. Mich. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Tennessee E.D. Tenn. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Central District of Illinois C.D. Ill. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Indiana N.D. Ind. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Puerto Rico D.P.R. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Connecticut D. Conn. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Vermont D. Vt. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Delaware D. Del. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of the Virgin Islands D.V.I. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Mississippi N.D. Miss. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Nebraska D. Neb. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Idaho D. Idaho | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Kansas D. Kan. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
§ 5Circuits compared
| Circuit | Cases | Prison | Median months | Within range | Below, gov. | Below, other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia Circuit | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| First Circuit | 12 | — | 60 | 83% | 0% | — |
| Second Circuit | 43 | — | 60 | 37% | 28% | 23% |
| Third Circuit | 48 | — | 46 | 42% | 27% | 21% |
| Fourth Circuit | 45 | 100% | 57 | 58% | — | — |
| Fifth Circuit | 42 | — | 60 | 43% | 26% | — |
| Sixth Circuit | 35 | — | 60 | 49% | 37% | — |
| Seventh Circuit | 49 | — | 60 | 47% | — | — |
| Eighth Circuit | 107 | — | 60 | 48% | 21% | 20% |
| Ninth Circuit | 101 | — | 48 | 30% | 41% | 21% |
| Tenth Circuit | 77 | — | 46 | 47% | 20% | 25% |
| Eleventh Circuit | 60 | 100% | 60 | 55% | 23% | — |
§ 6Trend by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Cases | Prison | Median months | Within range | Below, gov. | Below, other | Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 55 | — | 53 | 40% | 29% | — | — |
| FY2019 | 68 | — | 60 | 52% | 22% | 16% | — |
| FY2020 | 48 | — | 60 | 46% | 21% | 23% | — |
| FY2021 | 79 | — | 48 | 46% | 27% | 18% | — |
| FY2022 | 106 | — | 48 | 42% | 30% | 20% | — |
| FY2023 | 106 | — | 60 | 45% | 26% | 17% | 11% |
| FY2024 | 84 | — | 60 | 41% | 20% | 20% | 19% |
| FY2025 | 77 | 100% | 60 | 52% | 23% | — | 13% |
§ 7Criminal history
Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: all federal cases.
§ 8Guideline sections involved
| Primary guideline | Subject | Cases | Share of this offence type |
|---|---|---|---|
| §2K1.4 | Arson; property damage by use of explosives | 611 | 98.1% |
| §2X3.1 | Accessory after the fact | <10 | — |
| §2X1.1 | Attempt, solicitation or conspiracy (not covered by a specific guideline) | <10 | — |
§ 9Questions and answers
What is the average federal sentence for arson offences?
The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 60 months (5 years) and the mean was 65 months (life sentences counted as 470 months, the Commission's convention). Medians are used on this site because a few very long terms pull the mean upward.
How much does the sentence for arson offences vary by district?
Among districts with at least 10 cases, medians ranged from 21 months (N.D. Ga.) to 68 months (E.D. Wis.). The mix of guidelines, statutory minimums and criminal history within the offence type explains much of the spread.
How often are arson offences sentenced outside the guideline range?
55% of sentences were outside the range: 25% below it on a government motion, 18% below it for other reasons and 12% above it.
Which guidelines apply to arson offences?
The most common primary guidelines are §2K1.4, §2X3.1 and §2X1.1. The Commission assigns the offence type mainly from the primary guideline the court applied.
Where do these figures come from?
The US Sentencing Commission's individual offender datafiles, FY2018–FY2025, using the Commission's OFFGUIDE offence type, SENTRNGE range status and SENTTCAP capped prison months. Counts under 10 are hidden.
§ 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 3. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.