As seen on:
Grey Tesh
1610 Southern Blvd.
West Palm Beach, FL
33406
Board Certified
Criminal Trial Specialist
(561) 686-6886
CHAPTER FIVE – DETERMINING THE SENTENCE
Introductory Commentary
For certain categories of offenses and offenders, the guidelines permit the court to impose either imprisonment or some other sanction or combination of sanctions. In determining the type of sentence to impose, the sentencing judge should consider the nature and seriousness of the conduct, the statutory purposes of sentencing, and the pertinent offender characteristics. A sentence is within the guidelines if it complies with each applicable section of this chapter. The court should impose a sentence sufficient, but not greater than necessary, to comply with the statutory purposes of sentencing. 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a).
Historical Note: Effective November 1, 1987.
PART A – SENTENCING TABLE
The Sentencing Table used to determine the guideline range follows:
SENTENCING TABLE
(in months of imprisonment)
Criminal History Category (Criminal History Points)
Offense Level
I
(0 or 1)
II
(2 or 3)
III
(4, 5, 6)
IV
(7, 8, 9)
V
(10, 11, 12)
VI
(13 or more)
Zone A
1
0-6
0-6
0-6
0-6
0-6
0-6
2
0-6
0-6
0-6
0-6
0-6
1-7
3
0-6
0-6
0-6
0-6
2-8
3-9
4
0-6
0-6
0-6
2-8
4-10
6-12
5
0-6
0-6
1-7
4-10
6-12
9-15
6
0-6
1-7
2-8
6-12
9-15
12-18
7
0-6
2-8
4-10
8-14
12-18
15-21
8
0-6
4-10
6-12
10-16
15-21
18-24
Zone B
9
4-10
6-12
8-14
12-18
18-24
21-27
10
6-12
8-14
10-16
15-21
21-27
24-30
Zone C
11
8-14
10-16
12-18
18-24
24-30
27-33
12
10-16
12-18
15-21
21-27
27-33
30-37
Zone D
13
12-18
15-21
18-24
24-30
30-37
33-41
14
15-21
18-24
21-27
27-33
33-41
37-46
15
18-24
21-27
24-30
30-37
37-46
41-51
16
21-27
24-30
27-33
33-41
41-51
46-57
17
24-30
27-33
30-37
37-46
46-57
51-63
18
27-33
30-37
33-41
41-51
51-63
57-71
19
30-37
33-41
37-46
46-57
57-71
63-78
20
33-41
37-46
41-51
51-63
63-78
70-87
21
37-46
41-51
46-57
57-71
70-87
77-96
22
41-51
46-57
51-63
63-78
77-96
84-105
23
46-57
51-63
57-71
70-87
84-105
92-115
24
51-63
57-71
63-78
77-96
92-115
100-125
25
57-71
63-78
70-87
84-105
100-125
110-137
26
63-78
70-87
78-97
92-115
110-137
120-150
27
70-87
78-97
87-108
100-125
120-150
130-162
28
78-97
87-108
97-121
110-137
130-162
140-175
29
87-108
97-121
108-135
121-151
140-175
151-188
30
97-121
108-135
121-151
135-168
151-188
168-210
31
108-135
121-151
135-168
151-188
168-210
188-235
32
121-151
135-168
151-188
168-210
188-235
210-262
33
135-168
151-188
168-210
188-235
210-262
235-293
34
151-188
168-210
188-235
210-262
235-293
262-327
35
168-210
188-235
210-262
235-293
262-327
292-365
36
188-235
210-262
235-293
262-327
292-365
324-405
37
210-262
235-293
262-327
292-365
324-405
360-life
38
235-293
262-327
292-365
324-405
360-life
360-life
39
262-327
292-365
324-405
360-life
360-life
360-life
40
292-365
324-405
360-life
360-life
360-life
360-life
41
324-405
360-life
360-life
360-life
360-life
360-life
42
360-life
360-life
360-life
360-life
360-life
360-life
43
life
life
life
life
life
life
Commentary to Sentencing Table
Application Notes:
1.The Offense Level (1-43) forms the vertical axis of the Sentencing Table. The Criminal History Category (I-VI) forms the horizontal axis of the Table. The intersection of the Offense Level and Criminal History Category displays the Guideline Range in months of imprisonment. "Life" means life imprisonment. For example, the guideline range applicable to a defendant with an Offense Level of 15 and a Criminal History Category of III is 24-30 months of imprisonment.
2.In rare cases, a total offense level of less than 1 or more than 43 may result from application of the guidelines. A total offense level of less than 1 is to be treated as an offense level of 1. An offense level of more than 43 is to be treated as an offense level of 43.
3.The Criminal History Category is determined by the total criminal history points from Chapter Four, Part A, except as provided in §§4B1.1 (Career Offender) and 4B1.4 (Armed Career Criminal). The total criminal history points associated with each Criminal History Category are shown under each Criminal History Category in the Sentencing Table.
Historical Note: Effective November 1, 1987. Amended effective November 1, 1989 (see Appendix C, amendment 270); November 1, 1991 (see Appendix C, amendment 418); November 1, 1992 (see Appendix C, amendment 462); November 1, 2010 (see Appendix C, amendment 738).
(EFFECTIVE November 1, 2010)
United States Sentencing Commission
