Federal Sentencing Guidelines Calculator

The federal sentencing guidelines are a set of rules created by the U.S. Sentencing Commission that provide recommended sentence ranges based on the offense level and the defendant's criminal history. While advisory since 2005 (United States v. Booker), judges still consult them.

The offense level is a number (1-43) that reflects the seriousness of the crime. It starts with a base level for the type of offense and is adjusted for specific characteristics (e.g., amount of loss, use of a weapon, role in the offense).

A defendant who clearly accepts responsibility for their offense (typically by pleading guilty) may receive a 2 or 3 level reduction in their offense level. An early guilty plea before significant resources are spent usually qualifies for the full 3-level reduction.