NCJ Number
116853
Date Published
1988
Length
337 pages
Annotation
This manual contains an initial set of sentencing guidelines transmitted pursuant to statute to the U.S. Congress by the United States Sentencing Commission.
Abstract
Guidelines have grown out of an examination of hundreds of criminal statutes in the United States Code and reflect the policy requirements established by the Congress: that sentences be honest, uniform, and proportional. Criminal offense conduct is identified and discussed. The treatment of major issues such as real offense and charge offense sentencing is discussed, along with policies affecting the courts' departure powers, plea agreements, probation and split sentences, multi-count convictions, regulatory offenses, and sentencing ranges. The Commission's sentencing table, comprised of 43 levels, is also included and discussed. The guidelines will apply to approximately 90 percent of all cases in the Federal courts. As a permanent body the Commission will be able to amend the guidelines each year.