Primer
December 2025
(Updated December 2025) This primer provides an overview of the federal sentencing system. For context, it first briefly...
The Federal Sentencing Guidelines
- The Commission promulgates guidelines that federal judges consult when sentencing individuals. When the guidelines are amended, a subsequent Guidelines Manual is published.
- In this section, you will find the Commission’s comprehensive archive of yearly amendments and Guidelines Manuals dating back to 1987.