U.S.

Sentencing Commission
2014 Drug Guidelines Amendment
Retroactivity Data Report

August 2015

Introduction
As part of its ongoing mission, the United States Sentencing Commission provides
Congress, the judiciary, the executive branch, and the general public with data extracted from
and based on sentencing documents submitted by courts to the Commission.1 Data is reported on
an annual basis in the Commissions Annual Report and Sourcebook of Federal Sentencing
Statistics.2
The Commission also reports preliminary data for an on-going fiscal year in order to
provide real-time analysis of sentencing practices in the federal courts. Since 2005, the
Commission has published a series of quarterly reports that are similar in format and
methodology to tables and figures produced in the Sourcebook of Federal Sentencing Statistics or
in the Commissions Final Report on the Impact of the United States v. Booker on Federal
Sentencing.3 The quarterly reports contain cumulative data for the on-going fiscal year (i.e., data
from the start of the fiscal year through the most current quarter).
On April 30, 2014, the Commission submitted to Congress an amendment to the federal
sentencing guidelines that revised the guidelines applicable to drug trafficking offenses by
changing how the base offense levels in the drug or chemical quantity tables in sections 2D1.1
and 2D1.11 of the Guidelines Manual4 incorporate the statutory mandatory minimum penalties
for drug trafficking offenses (Amendment 782).5 Specifically, the amendment reduced by two
levels the offense levels assigned to the quantities that trigger the statutory mandatory minimum
penalties, resulting in corresponding guideline ranges that include the mandatory minimum
penalties, and made conforming changes to section 2D1.1. Amendment 782 became effective on
November 1, 2014.

In each felony or Class A misdemeanor case sentenced in federal court, sentencing courts are required to
submit the following documents to the Commission: the judgment and commitment order, the statement of reasons,
the plea agreement (if applicable), the indictment or other charging document, and the presentence report. See 28
U.S.C. 994(w).
2

See the Commissions website, www.ussc.gov, for electronic copies of the 1995-2014 Annual Report and
Sourcebook of Federal Sentencing Statistics.
3

See www.ussc.gov/bf.htm for an electronic copy of the Commissions Final Report on the Impact of
United States v. Booker on Federal Sentencing.
4

U.S. SENTENCING COMMISSION, GUIDELINES MANUAL 2D1.1 (Unlawful Manufacturing, Importing,

Exporting or Trafficking (Including Possession with Intent to Commit These Offenses); Attempt or Conspiracy)
(2013) (hereinafter USSG); USSG 2D1.11 (Unlawfully Distributing, Importing, Exporting or Possessing a Listed
Chemical; Attempt or Conspiracy).
5
References to the 2014 drug guidelines amendment, the amendment, or any similar references mean
Amendment 782.

On July 18, 2014, the Commission voted to give retroactive effect to Amendment 782
beginning on the effective date of the amendment. The Commission also voted to require that
courts not release any offender whose term of imprisonment was reduced pursuant to retroactive
applications of Amendment 782 prior to November 1, 2015. To effectuate these decisions, the
Commission promulgated Amendment 788, which added Amendment 782 to the list of
amendments in section 1B1.10 (Reduction in Term of Imprisonment as a Result of an Amended
Guideline Range)(Policy Statement) that apply retroactively. Amendment 788 also added a new
special instruction to section 1B1.10 requiring that the effective date of all orders reducing a term
of imprisonment pursuant to retroactive application of Amendment 782 be November 1, 2015 or
later. Amendment 788 became effective on November 1, 2014.
The data in this report represents information concerning motions for a reduced sentence
pursuant to the retroactive application of Amendment 782. The data in this report reflects all
motions decided through July 24, 2015 and for which court documentation was received, coded,
and edited at the Commission by August 3, 2015.

Table 1
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF APPLICATION OF RETROACTIVE DRUG GUIDELINES AMENDMENT BY DISTRICT
District
TOTAL
Southern Texas
Northern Iowa
Western Texas
Southern Florida
Western Virginia
South Carolina
Eastern Virginia
Eastern Texas
Kansas
Eastern North Carolina
Southern Georgia
Eastern Missouri
Southern Iowa
Northern Texas
Northern Florida
Western North Carolina
Southern Illinois
Central Illinois
Northern Illinois
Eastern Arkansas
Southern Ohio
Central California
Eastern Kentucky
Puerto Rico
Northern Ohio
Northern West Virginia
Middle Georgia
Southern Alabama
Montana
Eastern California
Maryland
Western Michigan
Eastern Pennsylvania
Nebraska
Western Arkansas
Northern Mississippi
Middle Florida
New Jersey
Western Tennessee
Northern New York
Hawaii
Northern California
Western Missouri
Utah
Southern New York
Connecticut

Total
N
17,446
1,330
1,068
815
627
489
472
456
413
404
396
367
356
346
336
332
295
259
254
233
229
229
228
223
220
220
212
210
209
205
201
200
199
198
193
164
161
159
150
144
141
141
140
139
139
137
135

Granted
N
%
13,187
75.6
870
485
715
536
361
329
331
378
307
320
178
356
245
142
175
140
218
211
231
221
221
228
66
218
173
212
143
209
147
164
196
34
198
128
117
144
152
107
82
104
141
85
125
104
137
95

65.4
45.4
87.7
85.5
73.8
69.7
72.6
91.5
76.0
80.8
48.5
100.0
70.8
42.3
52.7
47.5
84.2
83.1
99.1
96.5
96.5
100.0
29.6
99.1
78.6
100.0
68.1
100.0
71.7
81.6
98.0
17.1
100.0
66.3
71.3
89.4
95.6
71.3
56.9
73.8
100.0
60.7
89.9
74.8
100.0
70.4

Denied
N
%
4,259
24.4
460
583
100
91
128
143
125
35
97
76
189
0
101
194
157
155
41
43
2
8
8
0
157
2
47
0
67
0
58
37
4
165
0
65
47
17
7
43
62
37
0
55
14
35
0
40

34.6
54.6
12.3
14.5
26.2
30.3
27.4
8.5
24.0
19.2
51.5
0.0
29.2
57.7
47.3
52.5
15.8
16.9
0.9
3.5
3.5
0.0
70.4
0.9
21.4
0.0
31.9
0.0
28.3
18.4
2.0
82.9
0.0
33.7
28.7
10.6
4.4
28.7
43.1
26.2
0.0
39.3
10.1
25.2
0.0
29.6

District

Middle Pennsylvania
Maine
Southern Mississippi
Northern Indiana
Minnesota
Western Washington
Western Kentucky
Eastern Wisconsin
Idaho
Massachusetts
Western Wisconsin
Eastern Tennessee
Western New York
Northern Georgia
South Dakota
Southern California
Southern Indiana
Alaska
Northern Oklahoma
Western Oklahoma
Eastern New York
Western Pennsylvania
Wyoming
Rhode Island
Middle Tennessee
Eastern Louisiana
Colorado
Oregon
Nevada
Middle Louisiana
Northern Alabama
Eastern Oklahoma
New Hampshire
Southern West Virginia
District of Columbia
New Mexico
North Dakota
Middle Alabama
Eastern Michigan
Vermont
Eastern Washington
Middle North Carolina
Delaware
Western Louisiana
Arizona
Northern Mariana Islands

Note: Some districts may not have reported all denials of motions seeking retroactive application of Amendment 782.
SOURCE: U.S. Sentencing Commission, Amendment 782 Datafile.

Total
N

135
134
128
121
120
120
120
114
114
110
110
110
103
103
95
94
84
83
82
78
76
76
73
71
68
67
66
65
58
57
50
47
47
46
45
37
32
31
31
24
15
13
11
6
1
1

Granted
N

102
96
96
94
100
120
115
89
114
65
110
99
62
103
73
94
56
68
73
78
33
42
73
36
49
67
66
65
58
27
50
47
28
46
45
24
32
24
28
24
15
10
10
0
1
1

75.6
71.6
75.0
77.7
83.3
100.0
95.8
78.1
100.0
59.1
100.0
90.0
60.2
100.0
76.8
100.0
66.7
81.9
89.0
100.0
43.4
55.3
100.0
50.7
72.1
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
47.4
100.0
100.0
59.6
100.0
100.0
64.9
100.0
77.4
90.3
100.0
100.0
76.9
90.9
0.0
100.0
100.0

Denied
N

33
38
32
27
20
0
5
25
0
45
0
11
41
0
22
0
28
15
9
0
43
34
0
35
19
0
0
0
0
30
0
0
19
0
0
13
0
7
3
0
0
3
1
6
0
0

24.4
28.4
25.0
22.3
16.7
0.0
4.2
21.9
0.0
40.9
0.0
10.0
39.8
0.0
23.2
0.0
33.3
18.1
11.0
0.0
56.6
44.7
0.0
49.3
27.9
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
52.6
0.0
0.0
40.4
0.0
0.0
35.1
0.0
22.6
9.7
0.0
0.0
23.1
9.1
100.0
0.0
0.0

Table 2
DISTRIBUTION OF DRUG TYPE OF OFFENDERS WHO RECEIVED SENTENCE REDUCTION
DUE TO APPLICATION OF RETROACTIVE DRUG GUIDELINES AMENDMENT1

Methamphetamine
30.9%
Marijuana
9.1%

PCP
0.4%
MDMA/Ecstacy
1.1%
Steroids
0.0%

Heroin
7.6%
Other
4.7%

Oxycodone/Oxycontin
2.6%
Hydrocodone
0.0%
Synthetic THC
0.0%
Other Drugs
0.5%

Crack Cocaine
20.5%
Powder Cocaine
27.2%

Of the 13,187 cases in which the court granted a motion for a sentence reduction due to retroactive application of Amendment 782,

information on drug type was missing in 229 cases.

SOURCE: U.S. Sentencing Commission, Amendment 782 Datafile.

Table 3
APPLICATION OF RETROACTIVE DRUG GUIDELINES AMENDMENT
BY YEAR OF ORIGINAL SENTENCE1

Fiscal
Year

Total
N

Total
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990
1989

17,372
80
1,726
3,035
2,555
1,994
1,481
1,349
1,040
949
720
490
407
338
186
172
142
136
110
89
81
78
64
45
44
33
21
7

Granted
N
13,161
24
1,165
2,437
2,102
1,588
1,086
986
770
699
540
353
287
230
126
132
104
99
84
68
67
52
44
35
34
29
15
5

%
75.8
30.0
67.5
80.3
82.3
79.6
73.3
73.1
74.0
73.7
75.0
72.0
70.5
68.0
67.7
76.7
73.2
72.8
76.4
76.4
82.7
66.7
68.8
77.8
77.3
87.9
71.4
71.4

Denied
N
4,211
56
561
598
453
406
395
363
270
250
180
137
120
108
60
40
38
37
26
21
14
26
20
10
10
4
6
2

Of the 17,446 cases reported to the Commission, 74 were excluded from this analysis because the case
cannot be matched with an original case in the Commission's records.
SOURCE: U.S. Sentencing Commission, Amendment 782 Datafile.

%
24.2
70.0
32.5
19.7
17.7
20.4
26.7
26.9
26.0
26.3
25.0
28.0
29.5
32.0
32.3
23.3
26.8
27.2
23.6
23.6
17.3
33.3
31.3
22.2
22.7
12.1
28.6
28.6

Table 4
ORIGIN OF GRANTED MOTION FOR SENTENCE REDUCTION DUE TO
RETROACTIVE APPLICATION OF DRUG GUIDELINES AMENDMENT1
Director BOP2

Total

Defendant

N
12,568

N
9,636

%
76.7

N
0

%
0.0

N
2,932

%
23.3

43

43

100.0

0.0

0.0

FIRST CIRCUIT

443

358

80.8

0.0

85

19.2

SECOND CIRCUIT

446

338

75.8

0.0

108

24.2

THIRD CIRCUIT

301

291

96.7

0.0

10

3.3

FOURTH CIRCUIT

1,871

1,446

77.3

0.0

425

22.7

FIFTH CIRCUIT

2,389

1,365

57.1

0.0

1,024

42.9

SIXTH CIRCUIT

858

692

80.7

0.0

166

19.3

SEVENTH CIRCUIT

997

984

98.7

0.0

13

1.3

EIGHTH CIRCUIT

1,865

1,098

58.9

0.0

767

41.1

NINTH CIRCUIT

1,099

1,072

97.5

0.0

27

2.5

TENTH CIRCUIT

704

647

91.9

0.0

57

8.1

1,552

1,302

83.9

0.0

250

16.1

CIRCUIT
TOTAL
D.C. CIRCUIT

ELEVENTH CIRCUIT

Court

Of the 13,187 cases in which the court granted a motion for a sentence reduction due to retroactive application of Amendment 782,
630 cases were excluded from this analysis because the information received by the Commission prevented a determination of motion
origin. Additionally, courts may cite multiple origins for a motion; consequently, the total number of origins cited generally exceeds
the total number of cases. In this table, 12,568 origins were cited for the 12,557 cases.

In nine cases, documents provided to the Commission indicated that the Director of the Bureau of Prisons made the motion. Those
cases appear to be clerical errors.
SOURCE: U.S. Sentencing Commission, Amendment 782 Datafile.

Table 5
DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF OFFENDERS WHO RECEIVED SENTENCE REDUCTION
DUE TO APPLICATION OF RETROACTIVE DRUG GUIDELINES AMENDMENT

Race/Ethnicity
White
Black
Hispanic
Other
Total

Total
Granted1

Powder
Cocaine

Crack
Cocaine

Heroin

Marijuana

Methamphetamine

Other

3,129
4,452
4,979
381
12,941

N
340
1,259
1,881
46
3,526

%
9.6
35.7
53.3
1.3

N
137
2,309
183
26
2,655

%
5.2
87.0
6.9
1.0

N
115
369
492
7
983

%
11.7
37.5
50.1
0.7

N
287
224
622
41
1,174

%
24.4
19.1
53.0
3.5

N
1,944
113
1,737
197
3,991

%
48.7
2.8
43.5
4.9

N
306
178
64
64
612

%
50.0
29.1
10.5
10.5

9,900
3,051
12,951

2,379
1,145
3,524

67.5
32.5

2,565
92
2,657

96.5
3.5

689
294
983

70.1
29.9

857
320
1,177

72.8
27.2

2,856
1,141
3,997

71.5
28.5

554
59
613

90.4
9.6

12,011
946
12,957

3,374
154
3,528

95.6
4.4

2,539
119
2,658

95.5
4.5

905
78
983

92.1
7.9

1,129
48
1,177

95.9
4.1

3,517
481
3,998

88.0
12.0

547
66
613

89.2
10.8

35

36

Citizenship
U.S. Citizen
Non-Citizen
Total

Gender
Male
Female
Total

Average Age

32

36

36

35

37

Of the 13,187 cases in which the court granted a motion for a sentence reduction due to retroactive application of Amendment 782, 229 cases were excluded due to missing
drug type information. Additional cases were excluded from each section of this table due to the following reasons: missing race information (17), missing citizenship
information (7), missing gender information (1), and missing age information (3).
SOURCE: U.S. Sentencing Commission, Amendment 782 Datafile.

Table 6
SELECTED SENTENCING FACTORS FOR OFFENDERS WHO WERE CONSIDERED FOR SENTENCE
1
REDUCTION DUE TO APPLICATION OF RETROACTIVE DRUG GUIDELINES AMENDMENT
Total

Powder
Cocaine

Crack
Cocaine

Heroin

Marijuana

Methamphetamine

Other

Grant Deny
%
%

Grant Deny
%
%

Grant Deny
%
%

Grant Deny
%
%

Grant Deny
%
%

Grant Deny
%
%

Grant Deny
%
%

Weapon
Weapon Specific Offense Characteristic
Firearms Mandatory Minimum Applied

21.9
0.0

19.4
1.0

19.9
0.0

18.6
0.9

29.3
0.1

24.3
2.1

16.3
0.0

16.7
0.0

18.6
0.0

15.9
0.5

21.7
0.1

17.5
0.3

16.8
0.0

12.6
0.6

Safety Valve

15.2

8.5

19.8

8.6

3.1

0.8

17.9

7.7

16.8

9.2

18.2

16.3

15.0

8.5

Guideline Role Adjustments

Aggravating Role (USSG 3B1.1)
Mitigating Role (USSG 3B1.2)
Obstruction Adjustment (USSG 3C1.1)

17.4
3.7
6.1

14.3
3.8
5.5

19.4
3.5
6.2

16.7
3.9
5.1

17.1
1.4
7.0

12.3
2.1
6.3

21.6
4.3
3.7

16.3
3.8
5.0

28.5
4.2
9.9

18.5
4.7
5.9

11.9
5.3
5.1

11.9
5.6
4.8

15.2
2.6
4.7

19.5
2.3
5.7

Sentence Relative to the Guideline Range

Within Range
Above Range
Below Range

64.3
0.8
34.9

47.8
1.9
50.3

66.6
0.8
32.7

49.9
0.9
49.2

65.9
1.0
33.1

52.3
2.0
45.7

63.5
1.3
35.2

46.3
3.8
50.0

70.9
0.8
28.3

60.5
3.1
36.4

59.3
0.4
40.3

39.3
1.3
59.4

64.7
1.3
34.0

33.3
4.0
62.6

Criminal History Category

I
II
III
IV
V
VI

36.3
13.8
20.0
12.4
7.8
9.8

23.9
10.3
14.5
8.6
5.5
37.3

48.7
14.3
18.2
9.4
4.4
5.0

30.1
10.2
16.4
6.9
4.5
32.0

14.3
12.2
23.3
18.7
13.8
17.9

8.2
6.9
12.6
9.7
6.7
56.0

37.0
13.6
18.5
12.3
8.1
10.4

20.8
10.4
12.5
6.3
5.8
44.2

44.0
15.5
20.5
9.6
5.4
5.1

30.0
13.0
17.3
8.0
4.3
27.4

37.0
13.7
19.5
11.6
7.9
10.3

34.1
12.7
14.7
9.3
4.9
24.2

39.3
14.8
21.4
13.1
4.2
7.2

28.7
10.9
14.4
8.6
7.5
29.9

Some cases were excluded from sections of this table due to missing information on the offense or sentencing factors reported.

SOURCE: U.S. Sentencing Commission, Amendment 782 Datafile.

Table 7
DEGREE OF DECREASE IN SENTENCE DUE TO RETROACTIVE
APPLICATION OF DRUG GUIDELINES AMENDMENT1

Average
Current
Sentence
in Months

Average
New
Sentence
in Months

12,691

131

108

23

17.5

33
33

96
96

85
85

11
11

12.7
12.7

FIRST CIRCUIT
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island

434
95
64
28
217
30

117
119
144
135
105
121

97
99
117
114
88
104

20
21
27
22
17
17

16.9
17.5
19.2
16.9
16.4
14.0

SECOND CIRCUIT
Connecticut
New York
Eastern
Northern
Southern
Western
Vermont

412
95

123
112

102
93

22
19

16.6
17.2

29
73
135
56
24

219
108
127
113
105

174
88
106
94
89

45
20
21
19
16

19.4
18.3
15.2
15.8
15.7

THIRD CIRCUIT
Delaware
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Eastern
Middle
Western
Virgin Islands

457
10
107

125
126
111

104
104
91

21
22
20

16.8
19.9
17.5

196
102
42
0

147
102
113
--

121
87
94
--

26
15
19
--

17.2
15.0
16.6
--

1,847
195

134
106

111
88

23
18

17.4
16.9

317
10
96
303

114
161
109
134

94
125
90
109

20
37
19
25

17.6
24.1
16.9
18.4

315
353

174
152

144
128

30
25

16.6
17.3

212
46

113
122

93
99

20
23

17.3
18.7

CIRCUIT
District
TOTAL
D.C. CIRCUIT
District of Columbia

FOURTH CIRCUIT
Maryland
North Carolina
Eastern
Middle
Western
South Carolina
Virginia
Eastern
Western
West Virginia
Northern
Southern

Average Decrease
in Months From
Current Sentence

Average Percent
Decrease From
Current Sentence

Table 7 (continued)
DEGREE OF DECREASE IN SENTENCE DUE TO RETROACTIVE
APPLICATION OF DRUG GUIDELINES AMENDMENT

Average
Current
Sentence
in Months

Average
New
Sentence
in Months

FIFTH CIRCUIT
Louisiana
Eastern
Middle
Western
Mississippi
Northern
Southern
Texas
Eastern
Northern
Southern
Western

2,433

121

100

21

16.9

67
25
0

136
121
--

114
96
--

22
25
--

15.7
20.1
--

144
96

121
96

97
80

24
16

20.7
16.7

378
140
869
714

106
127
134
114

86
105
112
95

19
22
22
19

18.3
17.2
15.6
17.0

SIXTH CIRCUIT
Kentucky
Eastern
Western
Michigan
Eastern
Western
Ohio
Northern
Southern
Tennessee
Eastern
Middle
Western

821

113

93

21

18.1

66
115

135
139

117
116

19
23

15.2
16.3

28
21

102
85

85
70

16
15

15.9
16.5

172
221

101
117

78
97

23
20

21.5
16.9

98
49
51

95
119
98

74
99
82

21
21
16

21.4
17.0
16.0

SEVENTH CIRCUIT
Illinois
Central
Northern
Southern
Indiana
Northern
Southern
Wisconsin
Eastern
Western

995

148

118

30

19.8

209
228
218

159
158
132

115
131
105

44
27
27

26.6
16.4
20.6

94
55

140
130

117
108

24
22

16.2
16.7

89
102

131
170

108
136

23
33

17.0
18.8

1,823

138

113

25

18.2

221
115

122
106

102
87

20
19

17.0
17.6

455
219
100

159
161
127

126
133
105

33
28
21

21.6
17.5
17.5

355
125
128
32
73

139
122
111
88
152

115
101
92
70
127

24
21
20
19
25

16.3
16.6
17.7
22.0
16.8

CIRCUIT
District

EIGHTH CIRCUIT
Arkansas
Eastern
Western
Iowa
Northern
Southern
Minnesota
Missouri
Eastern
Western
Nebraska
North Dakota
South Dakota

Average Decrease
in Months From
Current Sentence

Average Percent
Decrease From
Current Sentence

Table 7 (continued)
DEGREE OF DECREASE IN SENTENCE DUE TO RETROACTIVE
APPLICATION OF DRUG GUIDELINES AMENDMENT

CIRCUIT
District
NINTH CIRCUIT
Alaska
Arizona
California
Central
Eastern
Northern
Southern
Guam
Hawaii
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
Northern Mariana Islands
Oregon
Washington
Eastern
Western
TENTH CIRCUIT
Colorado
Kansas
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Eastern
Northern
Western
Utah
Wyoming
ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
Alabama
Middle
Northern
Southern
Florida
Middle
Northern
Southern
Georgia
Middle
Northern
Southern

Average
Current
Sentence
in Months

Average
New
Sentence
in Months

1,255
68
1

126
128
--

105
107
--

21
21
--

16.2
15.8
--

227
164
85
94
0
140
114
145
58
1
65

129
120
107
100
-150
119
146
118
-128

110
100
90
83
-123
97
120
98
-107

18
20
17
18
-27
21
26
20
-21

14.1
16.7
15.6
16.8
-18.1
18.0
17.5
16.6
-16.9

15
78

135
115

118
99

18
16

12.3
12.9

684
66
306
24

136
96
151
98

113
77
125
80

24
19
26
18

17.2
19.7
16.8
18.3

47
59
46
104
32

109
162
156
127
102

90
132
130
106
82

18
30
26
21
20

17.3
17.3
16.0
15.9
19.9

1,497

146

120

26

17.7

24
49
207

134
163
169

112
136
138

22
27
31

16.2
15.5
17.9

150
157
528

108
174
150

88
145
125

20
30
25

18.0
16.8
16.6

142
102
138

109
153
131

84
125
110

25
28
21

23.7
18.0
16.4

Average Decrease
in Months From
Current Sentence

Average Percent
Decrease From
Current Sentence

Of the 17,446 cases reported to the Commission, 74 cases were excluded from this analysis because the case cannot be matched with an original case
in the Commission's records and 4,211 cases were excluded from this analysis because the court denied the motion for a sentence reduction. Of the
remaining 13,161 cases, 470 cases in which the court granted the motion were excluded from this analysis because the offender was sentenced to
time served but the resulting term of imprisonment could not be determined from the records received by the Commission.
SOURCE: U.S. Sentencing Commission, Amendment 782 Datafile.

Table 8
REASONS GIVEN BY SENTENCING COURTS FOR DENIAL OF MOTION1

REASONS

233
195
38

5.0
4.2
0.8

Offender not eligible under 1B1.10

Career Offender or Armed Career Criminal provisions control sentence
Statutory mandatory minimum controls sentence
Guideline range does not change
Defendant will be released before November 1, 2015
Statutory maximum sentence is less than applicable guideline range
Original sentence has been served
Base offense level is 43

2,557
1,045
861
464
110
41
35
1

55.6
22.7
18.7
10.1
2.4
0.9
0.8
0.0

Denied on the merits

Offender has already benefitted from departure or variance
18 U.S.C. 3553(a) factors
Denial because of binding plea
Already received Amendment 782 reduction
Protection of the public
Post-sentencing or post-conviction conduct

1,129
496
157
151
143
119
63

24.6
10.8
3.4
3.3
3.1
2.6
1.4

687
528
159

15.0
11.5
3.5

Offense does not involve drugs

Sentence is determined by a non-drug guideline
Case does not involve drugs

No reason provided/Other reason

No reason provided
Other
1

Courts may cite multiple reasons for denying a motion; consequently, the total number of reasons cited
generally exceeds the total number of cases. In this table, 4,606 reasons were cited in the 4,259 cases
in which the court denied the motion for a sentence reduction pursuant to the retroactive application of
Amendment 782.
SOURCE: U.S. Sentencing Commission, Amendment 782 Datafile.