What are the Federal Sentencing Guidelines?

These are rules that set forth a uniform sentencing policy for individuals convicted of federal crimes.  The guidelines are a product of the United States Sentencing Commission, and their primary goal is to prevent similarly-situated persons from being sentenced differently.  The sentencing guidelines help determine sentences based primarily on two factors:

1. The conduct associated with the offense; and
2. An accused individual’s criminal history.

For example, if an accused individual has an offense level of 22 and a criminal history category of II, then his guideline range is 46 to 57 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons.