U.S.

Sentencing Commission
2014 Drug Guidelines Amendment
Retroactivity Data Report

October 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 for which court documentation was received, coded, and edited at the Commission by
October 8, 2015.

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

Total
N
23,022
1,546
1,280
1,109
710
667
652
631
609
544
498
484
481
478
464
458
443
364
343
331
327
322
312
312
308
301
275
268
261
257
248
246
242
241
230
227
223
218
213
209
201
184
183
177
175
173
170

Granted
N
%
17,128
74.4
932
1,048
511
614
478
476
474
563
286
294
380
381
251
274
344
252
244
254
329
263
301
124
262
306
292
228
165
212
244
210
158
62
177
222
128
222
196
213
122
187
132
123
130
114
147
163

60.3
81.9
46.1
86.5
71.7
73.0
75.1
92.4
52.6
59.0
78.5
79.2
52.5
59.1
75.1
56.9
67.0
74.1
99.4
80.4
93.5
39.7
84.0
99.4
97.0
82.9
61.6
81.2
94.9
84.7
64.2
25.6
73.4
96.5
56.4
99.6
89.9
100.0
58.4
93.0
71.7
67.2
73.4
65.1
85.0
95.9

Denied
N
%
5,894
25.6
614
232
598
96
189
176
157
46
258
204
104
100
227
190
114
191
120
89
2
64
21
188
50
2
9
47
103
49
13
38
88
180
64
8
99
1
22
0
87
14
52
60
47
61
26
7

39.7
18.1
53.9
13.5
28.3
27.0
24.9
7.6
47.4
41.0
21.5
20.8
47.5
40.9
24.9
43.1
33.0
25.9
0.6
19.6
6.5
60.3
16.0
0.6
3.0
17.1
38.4
18.8
5.1
15.3
35.8
74.4
26.6
3.5
43.6
0.4
10.1
0.0
41.6
7.0
28.3
32.8
26.6
34.9
15.0
4.1

District

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

167
166
163
161
160
155
145
142
141
139
138
137
133
133
132
124
122
117
114
109
99
99
97
95
93
89
84
80
80
78
76
76
73
71
56
52
52
52
49
44
43
28
26
18
16
3

Granted
N

167
131
163
115
131
105
143
105
99
139
112
98
75
133
83
119
108
92
113
69
99
86
47
80
55
89
74
45
80
42
61
76
53
71
56
52
52
30
49
34
24
28
26
18
10
3

100.0
78.9
100.0
71.4
81.9
67.7
98.6
73.9
70.2
100.0
81.2
71.5
56.4
100.0
62.9
96.0
88.5
78.6
99.1
63.3
100.0
86.9
48.5
84.2
59.1
100.0
88.1
56.3
100.0
53.8
80.3
100.0
72.6
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
57.7
100.0
77.3
55.8
100.0
100.0
100.0
62.5
100.0

Denied
N

0
35
0
46
29
50
2
37
42
0
26
39
58
0
49
5
14
25
1
40
0
13
50
15
38
0
10
35
0
36
15
0
20
0
0
0
0
22
0
10
19
0
0
0
6
0

0.0
21.1
0.0
28.6
18.1
32.3
1.4
26.1
29.8
0.0
18.8
28.5
43.6
0.0
37.1
4.0
11.5
21.4
0.9
36.7
0.0
13.1
51.5
15.8
40.9
0.0
11.9
43.8
0.0
46.2
19.7
0.0
27.4
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
42.3
0.0
22.7
44.2
0.0
0.0
0.0
37.5
0.0

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

Methamphetamine
31.2%
Marijuana
8.9%

PCP
0.3%
MDMA/Ecstacy
1.1%
Steroids
0.0%

Heroin
7.4%
Other
4.7%

Oxycodone/Oxycontin
2.7%
Hydrocodone
0.1%
Synthetic THC
0.0%
Other Drugs
0.5%

Crack Cocaine
20.6%
Powder Cocaine
27.2%

Of the 17,128 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 278 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

22,969
235
2,662
3,902
3,277
2,534
1,905
1,718
1,383
1,245
927
642
508
437
251
234
186
189
136
122
104
101
83
59
60
38
22
9

Granted
N
17,089
54
1,822
3,089
2,661
1,991
1,368
1,227
1,000
902
683
460
356
297
172
175
130
146
107
94
86
67
58
46
45
31
15
7

%
74.4
23.0
68.4
79.2
81.2
78.6
71.8
71.4
72.3
72.4
73.7
71.7
70.1
68.0
68.5
74.8
69.9
77.2
78.7
77.0
82.7
66.3
69.9
78.0
75.0
81.6
68.2
77.8

Denied
N
5,880
181
840
813
616
543
537
491
383
343
244
182
152
140
79
59
56
43
29
28
18
34
25
13
15
7
7
2

Of the 23,022 cases reported to the Commission, 53 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.

%
25.6
77.0
31.6
20.8
18.8
21.4
28.2
28.6
27.7
27.6
26.3
28.3
29.9
32.0
31.5
25.2
30.1
22.8
21.3
23.0
17.3
33.7
30.1
22.0
25.0
18.4
31.8
22.2

Table 4
ORIGIN OF GRANTED MOTION FOR SENTENCE REDUCTION DUE TO
RETROACTIVE APPLICATION OF DRUG GUIDELINES AMENDMENT1
Total
CIRCUIT
TOTAL

Defendant

Director BOP2

Court

N
16,403

N
12,925

%
78.8

N
0

%
0.0

N
3,478

%
21.2

50

50

100.0

0.0

0.0

FIRST CIRCUIT

577

489

84.7

0.0

88

15.3

SECOND CIRCUIT

548

409

74.6

0.0

139

25.4

THIRD CIRCUIT

378

368

97.4

0.0

10

2.6

FOURTH CIRCUIT

2,604

2,044

78.5

0.0

560

21.5

FIFTH CIRCUIT

3,209

2,031

63.3

0.0

1,178

36.7

SIXTH CIRCUIT

1,200

977

81.4

0.0

223

18.6

SEVENTH CIRCUIT

1,270

1,245

98.0

0.0

25

2.0

EIGHTH CIRCUIT

2,249

1,447

64.3

0.0

802

35.7

NINTH CIRCUIT

1,364

1,334

97.8

0.0

30

2.2

TENTH CIRCUIT

858

788

91.8

0.0

70

8.2

2,096

1,743

83.2

0.0

353

16.8

D.C. CIRCUIT

ELEVENTH CIRCUIT
1

Of the 17,128 cases in which the court granted a motion for a sentence reduction due to retroactive application of Amendment 782,
739 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, 16,403 origins were cited for the 16,389 cases.

In 10 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

4,077
5,837
6,419
489
16,822

N
443
1,630
2,439
60
4,572

%
9.7
35.7
53.3
1.3

N
172
3,040
227
32
3,471

%
5.0
87.6
6.5
0.9

N
134
498
600
8
1,240

%
10.8
40.2
48.4
0.6

N
383
290
769
53
1,495

%
25.6
19.4
51.4
3.5

N
2,531
152
2,312
251
5,246

%
48.2
2.9
44.1
4.8

N
414
227
72
85
798

%
51.9
28.4
9.0
10.7

12,929
3,906
16,835

3,129
1,442
4,571

68.5
31.5

3,359
114
3,473

96.7
3.3

884
357
1,241

71.2
28.8

1,091
409
1,500

72.7
27.3

3,743
1,508
5,251

71.3
28.7

723
76
799

90.5
9.5

15,603
1,245
16,848

4,380
196
4,576

95.7
4.3

3,328
146
3,474

95.8
4.2

1,150
91
1,241

92.7
7.3

1,435
66
1,501

95.6
4.4

4,599
657
5,256

87.5
12.5

711
89
800

88.9
11.1

35

36

Citizenship
U.S. Citizen
Non-Citizen
Total

Gender
Male
Female
Total

Average Age

32

35

36

35

37

Of the 17,128 cases in which the court granted a motion for a sentence reduction due to retroactive application of Amendment 782, 278 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 (28), missing citizenship
information (15), missing gender information (2), 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

22.4
0.1

19.1
0.8

20.1
0.1

18.7
0.7

29.9
0.1

23.2
1.8

17.8
0.0

16.8
0.0

19.6
0.0

14.7
0.4

22.1
0.1

18.0
0.2

16.8
0.0

13.1
0.8

Safety Valve

14.7

8.1

18.9

8.6

3.0

0.9

17.8

8.1

16.0

9.5

17.7

14.7

13.9

8.6

Guideline Role Adjustments

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

17.5
3.8
5.9

14.1
4.1
5.2

19.8
3.5
6.3

17.0
4.3
5.1

17.3
1.4
7.1

11.7
1.9
5.3

21.5
3.6
3.5

16.0
4.7
5.2

29.3
4.3
9.1

18.7
6.2
6.2

11.6
5.5
4.7

11.8
5.5
4.4

16.1
3.1
4.1

20.5
3.7
7.0

Sentence Relative to the Guideline Range

Within Range
Above Range
Below Range

64.2
0.8
34.9

47.5
1.9
50.6

66.4
0.9
32.7

50.3
1.2
48.5

66.0
1.0
33.0

52.5
1.8
45.7

64.2
1.1
34.6

44.8
3.8
51.4

70.3
1.0
28.7

59.6
3.4
37.0

59.7
0.4
39.8

38.8
1.2
60.0

62.5
1.5
36.0

33.6
4.1
62.3

Criminal History Category

I
II
III
IV
V
VI

35.7
13.8
20.2
12.5
7.8
9.9

23.8
10.5
14.7
8.9
5.7
36.3

48.0
14.5
18.4
9.2
4.3
5.6

30.1
10.4
16.3
8.0
4.2
31.0

13.8
11.7
23.3
19.4
13.8
18.0

7.9
6.8
12.5
10.1
7.1
55.7

37.1
13.3
19.9
11.8
8.1
9.8

23.4
9.9
14.3
6.6
6.3
39.6

43.6
16.1
20.6
9.1
5.5
5.1

31.0
13.8
17.3
7.2
5.3
25.4

36.5
14.0
19.6
11.9
7.8
10.2

33.4
13.2
15.0
9.5
5.0
23.9

39.4
14.4
21.3
12.8
4.9
7.4

27.5
12.3
15.2
8.6
7.8
28.7

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

16,553

132

109

23

17.5

39
39

104
104

92
92

12
12

12.5
12.5

FIRST CIRCUIT
Maine
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island

564
98
74
30
326
36

117
121
150
132
107
122

97
100
122
111
89
105

20
21
29
21
18
17

17.0
17.5
19.4
16.6
16.6
14.2

SECOND CIRCUIT
Connecticut
New York
Eastern
Northern
Southern
Western
Vermont

503
105

124
116

103
96

22
20

16.8
16.9

42
95
159
74
28

200
114
128
110
101

163
92
106
91
85

37
22
21
19
17

17.5
19.2
15.3
16.5
16.6

THIRD CIRCUIT
Delaware
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Eastern
Middle
Western
Virgin Islands

552
10
123

126
126
110

105
104
89

21
22
20

16.6
19.9
18.0

220
130
69
0

148
111
117
--

122
94
98
--

25
16
19
--

16.9
15.1
15.9
--

2,578
300

138
118

114
98

24
20

17.4
16.8

376
61
200
452

120
148
121
140

99
121
100
115

21
28
21
25

17.8
18.5
16.7
17.7

453
467

170
152

140
127

29
25

16.6
17.8

213
56

112
120

93
98

19
22

17.3
18.2

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

3,254

123

102

21

17.1

108
40
24

141
113
135

119
92
113

22
21
23

15.6
18.1
17.0

147
115

125
100

100
83

25
17

20.7
16.9

560
284
931
1,045

118
129
135
112

97
106
113
94

22
23
22
19

18.5
17.5
15.7
17.0

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

1,154

114

93

20

18.0

124
119

126
139

107
116

19
23

15.7
16.4

74
48

106
101

87
85

19
16

17.7
15.4

211
244

109
117

86
97

23
20

20.9
16.7

195
53
86

98
120
108

77
99
92

21
21
17

20.8
16.8
15.8

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

1,269

148

117

30

19.9

261
301
262

158
159
132

113
132
104

45
27
28

27.2
16.4
20.9

131
97

140
140

117
114

23
26

16.4
17.8

112
105

125
169

104
136

21
33

16.6
18.7

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

2,206

136

112

25

18.1

222
162

122
108

102
89

20
19

17.0
17.4

481
247
130

161
160
128

127
132
106

33
28
22

21.5
17.6
17.6

379
187
254
52
92

141
115
116
94
147

117
96
96
75
122

24
20
20
19
25

16.3
16.8
17.0
20.9
17.4

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

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

1,521
79
18

124
125
75

104
105
65

20
20
11

16.1
15.7
13.9

227
210
114
133
0
162
139
174
80
3
76

129
116
109
100
-145
118
152
118
107
122

110
97
92
83
-120
96
125
98
86
102

18
19
17
17
-25
22
26
20
21
20

14.1
16.7
15.3
16.0
-17.5
18.3
17.2
16.7
19.9
16.6

26
80

136
115

115
99

21
16

15.3
13.1

882
89
343
55

137
96
152
109

113
78
126
90

24
18
26
19

17.1
19.0
17.1
17.1

49
72
66
105
103

111
164
152
128
128

93
135
127
107
106

18
29
25
21
23

16.9
17.1
15.9
15.9
17.9

2,031

151

125

27

17.6

34
67
242

123
164
169

102
136
138

21
28
31

16.7
16.2
18.0

288
274
603

122
203
151

100
167
126

23
35
25

17.9
17.1
16.5

157
166
200

107
154
138

83
126
114

24
27
24

23.1
17.3
17.3

Average Decrease
in Months From
Current Sentence

Average Percent
Decrease From
Current Sentence

Of the 23,022 cases reported to the Commission, 53 cases were excluded from this analysis because the case cannot be matched with an original case
in the Commission's records and 5,880 cases were excluded from this analysis because the court denied the motion for a sentence reduction. Of the
remaining 17,089 cases, 536 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

318
260
58

5.0
4.1
0.9

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
Already received Amendment 782 reduction
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

3,698
1,382
1,213
617
256
132
50
48
1

58.3
21.8
19.1
9.7
4.0
2.1
0.8
0.8
0.0

Denied on the merits

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

1,355
715
211
194
158
77

21.4
11.3
3.3
3.1
2.5
1.2

966
726
240

15.3
11.5
3.8

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, 6,338 reasons were cited in the 5,894 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.