# Sentencing guidelines

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Criminal procedure Criminal trials and convictions Rights of the accused Appeal Bail Double jeopardy2 Exclusionary rule1 Fair trial Jury trial Trial as an adult Presumption of innocence Pre-trial Counsel Self-incrimination Rights of the victim Clearance rate Criminal justice Right to an effective remedy Speedy trial Victims' rights Verdict Acquittal Blackstone's ratio Conviction Conviction rate False accusation Guilt Not proven3 Directed verdict Post conviction Sentencing Custodial Disparity Discharge Guidelines Totality5, 6 Mandatory Periodic Dangerous offender4, 5 Capital punishment Execution warrant Cruel and unusual punishment Imprisonment Life Indefinite Corporal punishment Legal remedy Loss of rights Reparation Restitution Reform Suspended Three-strikes law Zero tolerance Post-sentencing Criminal justice Exoneration Parole Probation Habitual offender Life licence6 Miscarriage of justice Pardon Recidivism Rehabilitation Restorative justice Sex offender registry Sexually violent predator laws1 Tariff 6 Related areas of law Civil procedure Criminal defenses Criminal law Evidence Portals Law portal 1 US courts 2 Not in English/Welsh courts 3 Scottish courts (historic) 4 English/Welsh courts 5 Canadian courts 6 UK courts v t e

**Sentencing guidelines** define a recommended sentencing range for a criminal defendant, based upon characteristics of the defendant and of the criminal charge. Depending upon the jurisdiction, sentencing guidelines may be nonbinding, or their application may be mandatory for the criminal offenses that they cover.[1]

By contrast, [mandatory sentencing](/source/Mandatory_sentencing) involves the imposition of legal parameters for criminal sentences, typically mandatory minimum terms of [imprisonment](/source/Imprisonment).[2][3]

## Worldwide

### United States

Further information: [United States Federal Sentencing Guidelines](/source/United_States_Federal_Sentencing_Guidelines)

In the [United States federal courts](/source/Federal_judiciary_of_the_United_States), the [Federal Sentencing Guidelines](/source/United_States_Federal_Sentencing_Guidelines) have long been applied to criminal sentencings.[4] [State courts](/source/State_court_(United_States)) use their own sentencing guidelines.[1] The Federal Sentencing Guidelines are non-binding [independent agency](/source/Independent_agencies_of_the_United_States_government) recommendations that inform [sentencing](/source/Sentence_(law)) in law.[5] Courts consider these advisory [forms](/source/Form_(document)), which contain [maximum and minimum](/source/Maximum_and_minimum) [sentences](/source/Imprisonment), before deciding a defendant's sentence.[6]

"The [Sentencing Guidelines](/source/United_States_Federal_Sentencing_Guidelines) enumerate [aggravating](/source/Aggravating) and [mitigating](/source/Mitigating) circumstances, assign scores based on a defendant's [criminal record](/source/Criminal_record) and based on the seriousness of the [crime](/source/Crime), and specify a range of [punishments](/source/Punishment) for each crime."[7]

State sentencing guidelines vary significantly in their complexity, and whether they are non-binding or mandatory in their application.[1]

### United Kingdom

In [England and Wales](/source/England_and_Wales), the [Sentencing Council](/source/Sentencing_Council) (formerly the [Sentencing Guidelines Council](/source/Sentencing_Guidelines_Council)) sets sentencing guidelines, and in [Scotland](/source/Scotland) the [Scottish Sentencing Council](/source/Scottish_Sentencing_Council) holds this responsibility. There are no sentencing guidelines for [Northern Ireland](/source/Northern_Ireland).

### Canada

Canada does not possess sentencing guidelines or a sentencing commission.[8]

## See also

- [Aggravated felony](/source/Aggravated_felony)

- [Sentencing disparity](/source/Sentencing_disparity)

- [Imprisonment](/source/Imprisonment)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ncsc_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ncsc_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ncsc_1-2) ["State Sentencing Guidelines Profiles and Continuum"](https://www.ncsc.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0022/25474/state_sentencing_guidelines.pdf) (PDF). *National Center for State Courts*. July 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Mandatory Minimums"](https://www.ussc.gov/topic/mandatory-minimums). United States Sentencing Commission. Retrieved 2021-11-05.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Sentencing Commission Takes New Look at Mandatory Minimums"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121011112132/http://www.uscourts.gov/News/TheThirdBranch/10-06-01/Sentencing_Commission_Takes_New_Look_at_Mandatory_Minimums.aspx). United States Courts. June 2010. Archived from [the original](http://www.uscourts.gov/News/TheThirdBranch/10-06-01/Sentencing_Commission_Takes_New_Look_at_Mandatory_Minimums.aspx) on 2012-10-11.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Compliance, Technology, and Modern Finance, 11 Journal of Corporate, Financial & Commercial Law 159 (2016)](https://ssrn.com/abstract=2904664)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-US_law_5-0)** ["Federal Sentencing Guidelines"](https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/federal_sentencing_guidelines). [Legal Information Institute](/source/Legal_Information_Institute). Retrieved 16 December 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Hughes_6-0)** ["Hughes v. United States, 138 S. Ct. 1765 (2018)"](https://cite.case.law/s-ct/138/1765/#p1776). *U.S. Supreme Court*. Harvard Law School. June 4, 2018. p. 1776.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Commonwealth v. Mouzon, 571 Pa. 419, 812 A.2d 617 (2002)"](https://cite.case.law/pa/571/419/#p424). *Supreme Court of Pennsylvania*. Harvard Law School. December 19, 2002. p. 424.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Sentencing in Canada"](https://lop.parl.ca/sites/PublicWebsite/default/en_CA/ResearchPublications/202006E?). *lop.parl.ca*. Retrieved 2022-05-12.

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