District Sentencing

Offence typesFY2018–FY2025

Offence types

Other

Primary offence type · Commission code 30 · 1.5% 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.

1,665cases, FY20257,753 over FY2018–FY2025
0median prison monthsall offences 24
90%within guideline rangeall offences 47%
40%cases with a prison termall offences 92%

§ 1Length of prison terms, all districts

72%
14%
6%
2%
2%
2%
1%
<10
<10
median 0 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 (3,110 cases with a prison term; life and terms of 470 months or more counted as life). Grey: all federal cases.

Interquartile range 0–6 months; mean 7. 0 cases at the 470-month cap (life or longer).

§ 2Summary

Across 8 fiscal years (FY2018–FY2025), 7,753 sentenced cases had other as their primary offence type (1.5% of the national caseload); FY2025 accounts for 1,665.

The national median prison term for other offences was 0 months, against 24 months for all cases; 40% of cases carried a prison term and the middle half of terms fell between 0 and 6 months.

90% of sentences were within the guideline range, 3% below it on a government motion, 3% below it for other reasons and 5% above it.

The districts with the most other offences were the Western District of Texas (1,717), the Eastern District of Virginia (1,374) and the Western District of Washington (598).

FY2025 had more cases than FY2018 (1,665 against 1,022). The median prison term in FY2025 (0 months) was shorter than in FY2018 (1 months).

§ 3Position relative to the guideline range

Within guideline range 90%Above range 5%Below range, government sponsored 3%Below range, other 3%Not determinable 746

MeasureOtherAll offence types
Median prison months024
Mean prison months751
Cases with a prison term40%92%
Within guideline range90%47%
Above range5%3%
Below range, government sponsored3%29%
Below range, other3%21%
Median final offence level417
Criminal history category I85%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.

DistrictCasesPrisonMedian monthsWithin rangeBelow, gov.Below, other
Western District of Texas W.D. Tex.1,71789%083%——
Eastern District of Virginia E.D. Va.1,37412%098%—1%
Western District of Washington W.D. Wash.59825%099%——
Eastern District of North Carolina E.D.N.C.5899%199%——
Middle District of Georgia M.D. Ga.4655%199%——
Southern District of Georgia S.D. Ga.43444%099%——
Western District of Oklahoma W.D. Okla.22027%597%——
Northern District of New York N.D.N.Y.17926%1870%8%22%
Central District of California C.D. Cal.13716%192%——
Northern District of Alabama N.D. Ala.1299%298%0%—
Middle District of Tennessee M.D. Tenn.12769%099%—0%
District of Arizona D. Ariz.10847%582%17%—
District of Maryland D. Md.99——91%——
Northern District of Florida N.D. Fla.9331%488%——
District of Colorado D. Colo.6534%267%——
Western District of Kentucky W.D. Ky.6416%094%——
Northern District of Oklahoma N.D. Okla.6284%1892%——
District of Kansas D. Kan.6020%090%—0%
Southern District of California S.D. Cal.5666%066%——
District of New Mexico D.N.M.4657%988%——
District of South Dakota D.S.D.4367%1395%0%—
Western District of Louisiana W.D. La.4231%6100%0%0%
Eastern District of Oklahoma E.D. Okla.40—36100%0%0%
District of Oregon D. Or.3850%090%——
Middle District of Alabama M.D. Ala.38——90%——
Northern District of Texas N.D. Tex.3358%673%——
Eastern District of Missouri E.D. Mo.2945%1270%——
District of Nebraska D. Neb.2948%1079%——
Southern District of Texas S.D. Tex.27—1273%——
Northern District of California N.D. Cal.2744%077%——
Southern District of Florida S.D. Fla.27—1050%——
Eastern District of Texas E.D. Tex.24—3883%——
Western District of Pennsylvania W.D. Pa.2352%674%——
Eastern District of Louisiana E.D. La.22——91%——
Southern District of Ohio S.D. Ohio22——84%——
Northern District of Iowa N.D. Iowa22—864%——
Middle District of Florida M.D. Fla.22——75%——
District of Minnesota D. Minn.21——81%0%—
Middle District of Pennsylvania M.D. Pa.200%—80%0%—
Western District of Virginia W.D. Va.20——63%—0%
Northern District of Georgia N.D. Ga.20—————
Southern District of Illinois S.D. Ill.19——53%——
District of Idaho D. Idaho18——78%0%—
Southern District of Mississippi S.D. Miss.17——88%—0%
Western District of Arkansas W.D. Ark.17——94%—0%
Southern District of Iowa S.D. Iowa17——77%——
Middle District of North Carolina M.D.N.C.16——63%——
Western District of Missouri W.D. Mo.16——88%0%—
Eastern District of California E.D. Cal.16—————
District of Montana D. Mont.16——81%0%—
District of Utah D. Utah16——67%——
Southern District of New York S.D.N.Y.15—073%——
Western District of New York W.D.N.Y.15——87%——
Eastern District of Michigan E.D. Mich.15——80%0%—
Central District of Illinois C.D. Ill.15—————
Northern District of Indiana N.D. Ind.15—————
District of Wyoming D. Wyo.15——100%0%0%
Eastern District of Kentucky E.D. Ky.14——86%0%—
Eastern District of Arkansas E.D. Ark.14—————
Eastern District of Tennessee E.D. Tenn.13—————
District of Alaska D. Alaska13—————
District of New Jersey D.N.J.12—————
District of Massachusetts D. Mass.11————0%
Eastern District of Pennsylvania E.D. Pa.11—————
Southern District of West Virginia S.D.W. Va.11——91%0%0%
Eastern District of Wisconsin E.D. Wis.11————0%
Western District of North Carolina W.D.N.C.10—————
Western District of Michigan W.D. Mich.10————0%
Western District of Wisconsin W.D. Wis.10—————
District of Nevada D. Nev.10——100%0%0%
District of Puerto Rico D.P.R.<10fewer than 10 cases
Northern District of Ohio N.D. Ohio<10fewer than 10 cases
Western District of Tennessee W.D. Tenn.<10fewer than 10 cases
Eastern District of Washington E.D. Wash.<10fewer than 10 cases
Southern District of Alabama S.D. Ala.<10fewer than 10 cases
District of Columbia D.D.C.<10fewer than 10 cases
District of Maine D. Me.<10fewer than 10 cases
Eastern District of New York E.D.N.Y.<10fewer than 10 cases
District of South Carolina D.S.C.<10fewer than 10 cases
District of Hawaii D. Haw.<10fewer than 10 cases
Northern District of Mississippi N.D. Miss.<10fewer than 10 cases
Northern District of Illinois N.D. Ill.<10fewer than 10 cases
District of New Hampshire D.N.H.<10fewer than 10 cases
Northern District of West Virginia N.D.W. Va.<10fewer than 10 cases
District of North Dakota D.N.D.<10fewer than 10 cases
Middle District of Louisiana M.D. La.<10fewer than 10 cases
Southern District of Indiana S.D. Ind.<10fewer than 10 cases
District of Rhode Island D.R.I.<10fewer than 10 cases
District of Vermont D. Vt.<10fewer than 10 cases
District of Guam D. Guam<10fewer than 10 cases
District of the Virgin Islands D.V.I.<10fewer than 10 cases
District of Connecticut D. Conn.<10fewer than 10 cases
District of the Northern Mariana Islands D.N. Mar. I.<10fewer than 10 cases

§ 5Circuits compared

CircuitCasesPrisonMedian monthsWithin rangeBelow, gov.Below, other
District of Columbia Circuit<10fewer than 10 cases
First Circuit3664%069%——
Second Circuit22130%1473%8%18%
Third Circuit6835%575%——
Fourth Circuit2,13212%098%1%1%
Fifth Circuit1,89385%083%1%1%
Sixth Circuit28348%092%——
Seventh Circuit8053%1266%16%16%
Eighth Circuit21346%1279%9%11%
Ninth Circuit1,05831%092%4%3%
Tenth Circuit52443%691%6%3%
Eleventh Circuit1,23724%096%1%2%

§ 6Trend by fiscal year

1.0k
1.0k
675
782
767
939
871
1.7k
’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Cases sentenced per fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)
1
1
2
1
1
7
0
0
’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Median prison months by fiscal year (fiscal years 2018–2025)
Fiscal yearCasesPrisonMedian monthsWithin rangeBelow, gov.Below, otherAbove
FY20181,02231%192%4%4%—
FY20191,03239%186%3%6%5%
FY202067534%289%3%3%6%
FY202178229%193%2%2%2%
FY202276735%188%2%4%6%
FY202393940%778%3%2%18%
FY202487128%092%3%3%2%
FY20251,66563%098%1%1%—

§ 7Criminal history

Category I85% · 46%
Category II6% · 15%
Category III5% · 16%
Category IV2% · 9%
Category V1% · 6%
Category VI1% · 9%

Share of cases at each final criminal history category; grey figure: all federal cases.

§ 8Guideline sections involved

Primary guidelineSubjectCasesShare of this offence type
§2X5.2Class A misdemeanors (not covered by another guideline)1,69121.8%
§2D2.24305.5%
§2A5.21922.5%
§2D1.11Unlawfully distributing, importing, exporting or possessing a listed chemical821.1%
§2X3.1Accessory after the fact320.4%
§2D3.1280.4%
§2D1.12240.3%
§2X7.2150.2%
§2D1.7<10—
§2D2.3<10—

§ 9Questions and answers

What is the average federal sentence for other offences?

The median prison term over FY2018–FY2025 was 0 months and the mean was 7 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 other offences vary by district?

Among districts with at least 10 cases, medians ranged from 0 months (W.D. Tex.) to 38 months (E.D. Tex.). The mix of guidelines, statutory minimums and criminal history within the offence type explains much of the spread.

How often are other offences sentenced outside the guideline range?

10% of sentences were outside the range: 3% below it on a government motion, 3% below it for other reasons and 5% above it.

Which guidelines apply to other offences?

The most common primary guidelines are §2X5.2, §2D2.2, §2A5.2 and §2D1.11. 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 30. Counts below 10 are hidden or pooled. Errors in this site's processing are corrected at the next build; see corrections. Methodology.