Offence typesFY2018–FY2025
Manslaughter
Primary offence type · Commission code 20 · 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 36–106 months; mean 78. 0 cases at the 470-month cap (life or longer).
§ 2Summary
Manslaughter was the primary offence type in 600 federal cases sentenced across 8 fiscal years (FY2018–FY2025), 0.1% of all cases reported to the Commission, with 94 in FY2025.
The national median prison term for manslaughter offences was 63 months (5 yr 3 mo), against 24 months for all cases; 96% of cases carried a prison term and the middle half of terms fell between 36 and 106 months.
46% of sentences were within the guideline range, 12% below it on a government motion, 14% below it for other reasons and 29% above it.
The districts with the most manslaughter offences were the District of Arizona (132), the District of South Dakota (85) and the District of New Mexico (80).
FY2025 had more cases than FY2018 (94 against 61). The median prison term in FY2025 (72 months) was longer than in FY2018 (41 months).
§ 3Position relative to the guideline range
Within guideline range 46%Above range 29%Below range, government sponsored 12%Below range, other 14%Not determinable 0
| Measure | Manslaughter | All offence types |
|---|---|---|
| Median prison months | 63 | 24 |
| Mean prison months | 78 | 51 |
| Cases with a prison term | 96% | 92% |
| Within guideline range | 46% | 47% |
| Above range | 29% | 3% |
| Below range, government sponsored | 12% | 29% |
| Below range, other | 14% | 21% |
| Median final offence level | 22 | 17 |
| Criminal history category I | 57% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Arizona D. Ariz. | 132 | — | 70 | 42% | 9% | 13% |
| District of South Dakota D.S.D. | 85 | — | 60 | 47% | — | 19% |
| District of New Mexico D.N.M. | 80 | — | 60 | 54% | 13% | — |
| Eastern District of Oklahoma E.D. Okla. | 51 | — | 78 | 51% | 0% | — |
| Northern District of Oklahoma N.D. Okla. | 34 | — | 71 | 47% | — | — |
| District of Montana D. Mont. | 30 | — | 38 | — | — | 37% |
| District of North Dakota D.N.D. | 18 | 100% | 70 | — | — | — |
| District of Utah D. Utah | 15 | 100% | 51 | — | — | — |
| District of Maryland D. Md. | 12 | — | 36 | — | — | — |
| Eastern District of Washington E.D. Wash. | 10 | 100% | 52 | — | — | — |
| Southern District of Mississippi S.D. Miss. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Florida S.D. Fla. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Louisiana W.D. La. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Colorado D. Colo. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of West Virginia N.D.W. Va. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Ohio N.D. Ohio | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Tennessee E.D. Tenn. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Wisconsin E.D. Wis. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Central District of California C.D. Cal. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Nevada D. Nev. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Oregon D. Or. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Oklahoma W.D. Okla. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Nebraska D. Neb. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Middle District of North Carolina M.D.N.C. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Michigan E.D. Mich. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Minnesota D. Minn. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Missouri E.D. Mo. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Idaho D. Idaho | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Washington W.D. Wash. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Wyoming D. Wyo. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Maine D. Me. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of New York S.D.N.Y. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Virginia E.D. Va. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Virginia W.D. Va. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Kentucky E.D. Ky. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Iowa S.D. Iowa | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Missouri W.D. Mo. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Kansas D. Kan. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Georgia S.D. Ga. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Puerto Rico D.P.R. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Rhode Island D.R.I. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Vermont D. Vt. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Middle District of Pennsylvania M.D. Pa. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of North Carolina E.D.N.C. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of North Carolina W.D.N.C. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of South Carolina D.S.C. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Mississippi N.D. Miss. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Texas N.D. Tex. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Western District of Texas W.D. Tex. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Ohio S.D. Ohio | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Middle District of Tennessee M.D. Tenn. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Illinois S.D. Ill. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Indiana N.D. Ind. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of Indiana S.D. Ind. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eastern District of Arkansas E.D. Ark. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of Iowa N.D. Iowa | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Alaska D. Alaska | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Northern District of California N.D. Cal. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Southern District of California S.D. Cal. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| District of Hawaii D. Haw. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Middle District of Alabama M.D. Ala. | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
§ 5Circuits compared
| Circuit | Cases | Prison | Median months | Within range | Below, gov. | Below, other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia Circuit | 0 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| First Circuit | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Second Circuit | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Third Circuit | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Fourth Circuit | 27 | — | 47 | 59% | — | — |
| Fifth Circuit | 18 | — | 90 | 56% | — | 0% |
| Sixth Circuit | 17 | — | 68 | — | — | — |
| Seventh Circuit | <10 | fewer than 10 cases | ||||
| Eighth Circuit | 119 | — | 61 | 45% | — | 15% |
| Ninth Circuit | 197 | — | 62 | 39% | 15% | 18% |
| Tenth Circuit | 196 | — | 64 | 49% | 13% | 11% |
| Eleventh Circuit | 10 | 100% | 72 | — | 0% | — |
§ 6Trend by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Cases | Prison | Median months | Within range | Below, gov. | Below, other | Above |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 61 | — | 41 | 54% | — | — | 25% |
| FY2019 | 74 | — | 63 | 53% | — | 16% | 22% |
| FY2020 | 38 | — | 51 | 58% | — | — | — |
| FY2021 | 56 | — | 60 | 39% | — | 23% | 25% |
| FY2022 | 80 | — | 74 | 41% | — | — | 38% |
| FY2023 | 86 | — | 70 | 43% | 14% | 13% | 30% |
| FY2024 | 111 | — | 60 | 46% | 16% | 10% | 28% |
| FY2025 | 94 | — | 72 | 39% | — | 15% | 37% |
§ 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| §2A1.4 | Involuntary manslaughter | 328 | 54.7% |
| §2A1.3 | Voluntary manslaughter | 268 | 44.7% |
| §2X3.1 | Accessory after the fact | <10 | — |
§ 9Questions and answers
What is the average federal sentence for manslaughter offences?
The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 63 months (5 yr 3 mo) and the mean was 78 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 manslaughter offences vary by district?
Among districts with at least 10 cases, medians ranged from 36 months (D. Md.) to 78 months (E.D. Okla.). The mix of guidelines, statutory minimums and criminal history within the offence type explains much of the spread.
How often are manslaughter offences sentenced outside the guideline range?
54% of sentences were outside the range: 12% below it on a government motion, 14% below it for other reasons and 29% above it.
Which guidelines apply to manslaughter offences?
The most common primary guidelines are §2A1.4, §2A1.3 and §2X3.1. 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 20. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.