What are the United States Sentencing Guidelines and what role do they play in sentencing?
The United States Sentencing Guidelines are rules which federal courts use to determine a recommended sentencing range in each case. A range is expressed in months – 21-27 months, for example. Before January 12, 2005, courts were in most cases required to impose sentence within the guideline range. A Supreme Court case called United States v. Booker changed that. Now a federal court must calculate and consider the sentencing range – but it does not have to impose sentence within that range. Although the guidelines are only advisory now, they still play an important role, since they are the starting point for determining the sentence.
