U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Justice Programs
Bureau of Justice Statistics

December 2020, NCJ 251771

Mark Motivans, Ph.D., BJS Statistician

T

his report describes criminal caseprocessing in the federal justice system
in 2015, including arrest and booking
through sentencing and corrections.1 These
statistical tables present the number of suspects
arrested and booked by the U.S. Marshals
Service (USMS), suspects in matters investigated
and prosecuted by U.S. attorneys, defendants
adjudicated and sentenced in U.S. district courts,
and characteristics of federal prisoners and
offenders under federal supervision.
Data are from the Federal Justice Statistics
Program (FJSP), which is managed by the Bureau
of Justice Statistics (BJS). The FJSP collects
comprehensive information about suspects and
defendants processed in the federal criminal
justice system and annual data on workload,
activities, and outcomes associated with federal
criminal cases. Data presented in these tables
were collected from the USMS, the Drug
Enforcement Administration, the Executive Office
for U.S. Attorneys, the Administrative Office of
the U.S. Courts, the U.S. Sentencing Commission,
and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Organization of the statistical tables
The statistical tables are organized into three
sections. Each section describes a major stage in
processing criminal suspects and defendants:
1. federal law enforcement and prosecution
2. federal pre-trial, adjudication, sentencing,
and appeals
3. federal corrections and supervision.
1In this report, data are for the fiscal year, which is from

October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2015.

These tables are part of the Federal Justice
Statistics series. See Federal Justice Statistics,
2015-2016 (NCJ 251770, BJS, January 2019) for
additional information and analyses.
Section 1 of this report provides data on federal
law enforcement and prosecution, which
includes arrests made by federal law enforcement
agencies for violations of federal law and
characteristics of arrestees. It also includes data
on warrants cleared by the USMS and describes
suspects investigated by U.S. attorneys. (See
Terms and definitions.) This section covers
decisions made by federal prosecutors in
screening criminal matters and the type of
offense for which suspects were prosecuted or
declined for prosecution.
Section 2 provides data on federal arrests,
adjudication, sentencing, and appeals. It
presents pre-trial release and detention practices
of the federal judicial system, including the
characteristics of defendants detained or released
pending trial. It also covers actions taken by the
federal judiciary in adjudicating defendants in
cases filed by U.S. attorneys and the sentences
imposed by the federal judiciary on convicted
defendants. This section provides data on appeals
of criminal convictions and sentences imposed
in the federal courts, including the original
offense charged.
Section 3 covers offenders under federal
correctional supervision. This section includes
the outcome of the supervision of those under
probation, parole, or other supervision (i.e.,
the offender either completed the term of
supervision or was returned to prison or jail
for violating the conditions of supervision).
For offenders in federal prisons, this section
provides data on the offense at commitment and
the demographic characteristics of the offender.

Bureau of Justice Statistics · Statistical Tables

Federal Justice Statistics,
2015 – Statistical Tables

YEARS OF STATISTICS

Section 1: Federal law enforcement and prosecution
Federal arrests
TABLE 1.1 Federal arrests, by most serious offense, FY 2015
TABLE 1.2 Federal arrests, by arresting agency, FY 2015
TABLE 1.3 Demographic characteristics of federal arrestees, FY 2015
TABLE 1.4 Demographic characteristics of suspects arrested by Drug Enforcement Administration
agents, by type of drug, FY 2015
MAP 1.1 Number of federal arrests for a drug offense, by federal judicial district, FY 2015
TABLE 1.5 Warrants cleared and median days from initiation to clearance, by warrant type, FY 2015
TABLE 1.6 Warrants cleared and median days from initiation to clearance, by warrant characteristic,
FY 2015

Federal investigations and prosecutions
TABLE 2.1 Suspects in matters opened by U.S. attorneys, by offense, FY 2015
MAP 2.1 Percent of suspects in drug matters referred to U.S. attorneys by the Drug Enforcement
Administration, by federal judicial district of investigation, FY 2015
TABLE 2.2 Disposition of suspects in criminal matters concluded, by offense, FY 2015
TABLE 2.3 Reasons U.S. attorneys declined to prosecute suspects in criminal matters, FY 2015

Section 2: Federal pre-trial, adjudication, sentencing,
and appeals
Federal pre-trial
TABLE 3.1 Defendants released at initial hearing or detention hearing, by offense, FY 2015
TABLE 3.2 Defendants released prior to case disposition, by defendant characteristics, FY 2015
MAP 3.1 Percent of drug defendants with one or more prior felony convictions at case disposition, by
federal judicial district of disposition, FY 2015
TABLE 3.3 Behavior of federal defendants released to the community pending trial, by offense, FY 2015

Federal case filings and adjudication
TABLE 4.1 Defendants in criminal cases filed, by offense, FY 2015
TABLE 4.2 Disposition of criminal cases terminated in U.S. district court, by offense, FY 2015
MAP 4.1 Percent of adjudicated defendants receiving a bench or jury trial, by federal judicial district of
adjudication, FY 2015
TABLE 4.3 Criminal cases disposed of by U.S. magistrates, by offense, FY 2015
TABLE 4.4 Characteristics of convicted offenders, FY 2015

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

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Federal sentencing
TABLE 5.1 Offenders sentenced in criminal cases terminated, by offense, FY 2015
TABLE 5.2 Type and length of sentence imposed for convicted offenders, by offense, FY 2015
TABLE 5.3 Characteristics of convicted offenders sentenced to incarceration, FY 2015
TABLE 5.4 Average incarceration sentence length, by offense and offender characteristics, FY 2015
MAP 5.1 Percent of convicted drug defendants receiving a non-prison sentence, by federal judicial
district of conviction, FY 2015

Federal appeals
TABLE 6.1 Criminal appeals terminated, by type of criminal case and offense, FY 2015
TABLE 6.2 Disposition of criminal appeals terminated, by offense, FY 2015

Section 3: Federal corrections and supervision
Federal supervision, probation, and parole
TABLE 7.1 Offenders under federal supervision, by offense and type of supervision, FY 2015
MAP 7.1 Percent of total drug offenders in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, by federal judicial district of
adjudication, FY 2015
TABLE 7.2 Demographic characteristics of offenders under federal supervision, FY 2015
TABLE 7.3 Outcomes of offenders terminating probation supervision, by offense, FY 2015
TABLE 7.4 Outcomes of offenders terminating probation supervision, by offender demographic
characteristics, FY 2015
TABLE 7.5 Outcomes of offenders terminating supervised release, by offense, FY 2015
TABLE 7.6 Outcomes of offenders terminating supervised release, by offender demographic
characteristics, FY 2015
TABLE 7.7 Outcomes of offenders terminating parole, by offense, FY 2015
TABLE 7.8 Outcomes of offenders terminating parole, by offender demographic characteristics,
FY 2015

Federal imprisonment
TABLE 8.1 Admissions and releases of federal prisoners, by offense, FY 2015
TABLE 8.2 Demographic characteristics of offenders in the federal prison population, FY 2015
TABLE 8.3 Average time to first release and percent of sentence served for federal prisoners released by
standard methods, FY 2015
TABLE 8.4 Demographic characteristics of offenders first released from prison, by offense, FY 2015

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

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Section 1: Federal law enforcement and prosecution
Federal arrests
TABLE 1.1
Federal arrests, by most serious offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense at arrest
Total arrests
Violent offenses
Murder
Assault
Robbery
Sexual abuse
Kidnapping
Threatening communication
Other violent offenses
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Embezzlement
Fraud
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Other
Burglary
Larceny
Motor-vehicle theft
Arson/explosives
Transportation of stolen property
Other property offenses
Drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Antitrust
Food/drug
Civil rights
Other regulatory offenses
Other
Tax-law violations
Bribery
Perjury/contempt/intimidation
National defense
Escape
Racketeering/extortion
Gambling
Child-support recovery
Other sex offensesa
Obstruction of justice
Traffic
Conspiracy/aiding and abetting/jurisdictional offenses
Wildlife
Environmental
All other offenses
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses
Supervision violations
Material witnessb

Number
153,478
3,437
243
808
1,626
462
92
123
83
12,207
10,372
271
9,472
89
540
1,835
66
1,405
49
57
179
79
23,655
7,894
288
3
125
55
105
7,606
872
219
160
20
552
150
57
97
3,114
505
1,278
15
104
108
355
7,420
71,119
22,715
4,894

Percent
100%
2.2%
0.2
0.5
1.1
0.3
0.1
0.1
0.1
8.0%
6.8
0.2
6.2
0.1
0.4
1.2
<0.1
0.9
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
0.1
15.4%
5.1%
0.2
<0.1
0.1
<0.1
0.1
5.0
0.6
0.1
0.1
<0.1
0.4
0.1
<0.1
0.1
2.0
0.3
0.8
<0.1
0.1
0.1
0.2
4.8%
46.4%
14.8%
3.2%

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sexual offenses; fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of
stolen property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law violations includes tax
fraud; and all other offenses includes unclassifiable offenses. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding. Total includes 137 records where offense type was missing.
aExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
bSee Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the U.S. Marshals Service, Justice Detainee Information System, fiscal year 2015.

TABLE 1.2
Federal arrests, by arresting agency, FY 2015
Arresting agency
All agencies
Department of Agriculture
Department of Defense
Department of Homeland Security
Customs and Border Protection
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Secret Service
Other
Department of the Interior
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Park Police
Other
Department of Justice
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms,
and Explosives
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Marshals Service
Other
Department of State
Department of the Treasury
Federal Judiciary
U.S. Postal Service
State/local law enforcement
Other

TABLE 1.3
Demographic characteristics of federal arrestees, FY 2015

Number
153,478
355
239
86,565
55,778
28,187
1,289
1,311
1,220
189
832
199
58,066

Percent
100%
0.2%
0.2%
56.8%
36.6
18.5
0.8
0.9
0.8%
0.1
0.5
0.1
38.1%

4,857
8,642
10,247
34,075
245
273
1,155
1,110
1,241
1,280
957

3.2
5.7
6.7
22.3
0.2
0.2%
0.8%
0.7%
0.8%
0.8%
0.6%

Note: The Homeland Security Act of 2002 took effect in March 2003, establishing
the Department of Homeland Security and reorganizing several federal agencies
into new or different departments. As a result, counts of arrests and bookings by
the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and Department
of the Treasury are not comparable to counts found in 2003 and prior compendia.
Details may not sum to totals due to rounding. Total includes 1,017 records
where arresting agency was missing. The arresting agency may differ from the
federal agency that initiated the investigation involving the arrestee.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the U.S. Marshals Service,
Justice Detainee Information System, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

Arrestee characteristic
All arrestees
Sex
Male
Female
Race
White
Black/African American
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific
Islander
Age
17 or younger
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65 or older
Citizenship
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S. citizen

Number
153,478

Percent
100%

134,535
18,895

87.7%
12.3

123,552
24,894
2,943

80.8%
16.3
1.9

1,576

1.0

165
6,029
24,327
28,280
28,531
23,764
17,207
10,688
6,984
3,937
1,993
1,533

0.1%
3.9
15.9
18.4
18.6
15.5
11.2
7.0
4.6
2.6
1.3
1.0

57,351
78,538

42.2%
57.8

Note: Details may not sum to totals due to missing data. Data were missing for
the following: sex (48), race (513), age (40), and citizenship (17,589).
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the U.S. Marshals Service,
Justice Detainee Information System, fiscal year 2015.

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TABLE 1.4
Demographic characteristics of suspects arrested by Drug Enforcement Administration agents, by type of drug, FY 2015
Arrestee characteristic
All arrestees
Sex
Male
Female
Race
White
Black/African American
American Indian/Alaska
Native
Asian/Native Hawaiian/
Other Pacific Islander
Ethnicity
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic
Age
17 or younger
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65 or older

Number Percent
arrested arrested
31,593 100.0%

Powder cocaine
Number Percent
6,017 100.0%

Crack cocaine
Number Percent
1,567 100.0%

Marijuana
Number Percent
4,741 100.0%

Drug type
Methamphetamine
Number Percent
8,023 100.0%

Heroina
Number Percent
6,340 100.0%

Other opioidsb
Number Percent
1,918 100.0%

Other/non-drugc
Number Percent
2,932 100.0%

24,649
5,791

81.0%
19.0

5,133
675

88.4%
11.6

1,302
214

85.9%
14.1

3,936
627

86.3%
13.7

5,936
1,797

76.8%
23.2

4,964
1,133

81.4%
18.6

1,182
669

63.9%
36.1

2,155
667

76.4%
23.6

21,096
8,517

69.6%
28.1

3,509
2,226

60.6%
38.5

346
1,165

22.8%
76.8

3,366
1,044

73.3%
22.7

6,956
517

90.2%
6.7

3,810
2,139

63.3%
35.5

1,221
596

65.6%
32.0

1,852
817

66.5%
29.4

220

0.7

19

0.3

2

0.1

26

0.6

91

1.2

53

0.9

11

0.6

16

0.6

498

1.6

34

0.6

4

0.3

157

3.4

152

2.0

18

0.3

34

1.8

98

3.5

12,321
15,580

44.2%
55.8

3,126
2,252

58.1%
41.9

235
1,121

17.3%
82.7

2,160
2,092

50.8%
49.2

3,483
3,660

48.8%
51.2

2,413
3,121

43.6%
56.4

182
1,503

10.8%
89.2

706
1,822

27.9%
72.1

66
580
4,276
5,849
5,771
5,075
3,675
2,436
1,716
992
528
391

0.2%
1.8
13.6
18.7
18.4
16.2
11.7
7.8
5.5
3.2
1.7
1.2

8
68
582
979
1,126
1,137
879
508
328
188
98
67

0.1%
1.1
9.8
16.4
18.9
19.1
14.7
8.5
5.5
3.2
1.6
1.1

7
23
209
315
323
244
172
99
68
54
28
13

0.5%
1.5
13.4
20.3
20.8
15.7
11.1
6.4
4.4
3.5
1.8
0.8

19
214
986
932
750
650
432
283
198
124
65
52

0.4%
4.5
21.0
19.8
15.9
13.8
9.2
6.0
4.2
2.6
1.4
1.1

17
117
916
1,425
1,532
1,353
996
722
478
254
112
48

0.2%
1.5
11.5
17.9
19.2
17.0
12.5
9.1
6.0
3.2
1.4
0.6

10
95
995
1,326
1,199
967
670
420
290
160
86
67

0.2%
1.5
15.8
21.1
19.1
15.4
10.7
6.7
4.6
2.5
1.4
1.1

2
10
180
318
322
280
193
174
171
111
74
73

0.1%
0.5
9.4
16.7
16.9
14.7
10.1
9.1
9.0
5.8
3.9
3.8

3
51
401
547
504
435
326
229
180
98
64
71

0.1%
1.8
13.8
18.8
17.3
15.0
11.2
7.9
6.2
3.4
2.2
2.4

Note: Details may not sum to totals due to missing data. The unit of count is an arrest by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Each arrest for an individual is counted separately. Includes state and federal arrests made by the DEA. Data were missing
for the following: sex (678), race (1,274), ethnicity (2,554), and age (164).
aIncludes heroin, morphine, and opium base.
bOpioids refer to synthetic compounds that emulate the effects of natural compounds found in the opium poppy. Synthetic opioids are commonly available by prescription but can also be manufactured in labs.
cIncludes non-opioid pharmaceutical controlled substances, other depressants, sedatives, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, hallucinogens, synthetic cannabinoids, other steroids, equipment to manufacture controlled substances, and drug-use
paraphernalia.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Defendant Statistical System, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

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MAP 1.1
Number of federal arrests for a drug offense, by federal judicial district, FY 2015

Number of suspects arrested
for a federal drug offense
601-1,700
□ 149 or fewer
150-300
□
■ 1,701 or more
301-600
Note: There were a total of 23,655 suspects arrested for a federal drug offense during fiscal year 2015. Not shown: Guam (149 or fewer), Puerto Rico (301-600), District of
Columbia (149 or fewer), and U.S. Virgin Islands (149 or fewer).
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the U.S. Marshals Service, Justice Detainee Information System, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

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TABLE 1.5
Warrants cleared and median days from initiation to clearance, by warrant type, FY 2015
Warrant type
All warrants cleared
Federal
Felony
Escape
Bond violation
Parole violation
Probation violation
Drug Enforcement Administration-related
Federal agency without arrest power
Other federal agency with arrest power
Other
Non-felony
Traffic
Misdemeanor
State/local

Number
132,971
60,898
59,887
980
2,899
1,550
18,552
6,856
115
27,980
955
1,011
215
796
72,073

Percent
100%
45.8%
45.0
0.7
2.2
1.2
14.0
5.2
0.1
21.0
0.7
0.8
0.2
0.6
54.2%

Median days from
initiation to clearance
14 days
9 days
8
12
6
53
13
8
5
7
12
113
133
108
22 days

Note: Table includes all warrants handled by the U.S. Marshals Service and excludes those handled by the Drug Enforcement Administration or another federal agency
with arrest power. Analysis based on the group of all warrants cleared during fiscal year 2015. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the U.S. Marshals Service, Warrant Information Network, fiscal year 2015.

TABLE 1.6
Warrants cleared and median days from initiation to clearance, by warrant characteristic, FY 2015
Warrant characteristic
All warrants cleared
Warrant execution type
Warrants cleared by arrest
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
Customs and Border Protection
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Marshals Service
Self-surrender
Other federal
State/local
Warrants cleared by other means
Detainer
Dismissed
Other
Offense type
Violent offenses
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Other
Drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Other
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses
Supervision violations
Material witness*

Number
132,971

Percent
100%

Median days from
initiation to clearance
14 days

119,596
2,879
394
4,005
6,162
3,686
77,150
5,078
5,902
14,340
13,268
11,021
2,211
36

90.0%
2.2
0.3
3.0
4.6
2.8
58.1
3.8
4.4
10.8
10.0
8.3
1.7
<0.1

13 days
7
3
6
5
5
14
13
7
50
45
37
269
5

22,075
12,385
5,796
6,589
23,669
13,813
130
13,683
8,406
4,262
48,241
120

16.6%
9.3
4.4
5.0
17.8
10.4
0.1
10.3
6.3
3.2
36.3
0.1

13 days
14
9
21
10
13
22
13
11
4
24
4

Note: Analysis based on the group of all warrants cleared during fiscal year 2015. Details may not sum to totals due to missing data. Total includes 107 warrants cleared
with a missing arresting agency.
*See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the U.S. Marshals Service, Warrant Information Network, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

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Federal investigations and prosecutions
TABLE 2.1
Suspects in matters opened by U.S. attorneys, by offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense investigated
All offensesb
Violent offenses
Murder
Assault
Robbery
Sexual abuse
Kidnapping
Threats against the President
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Embezzlement
Fraud
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Other
Burglary
Larceny
Motor-vehicle theft
Arson/explosives
Transportation of stolen property
Other property offenses
Drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Agriculture
Antitrust
Food/drug
Transportation
Civil rights
Communications
Customs laws
Postal laws
Other regulatory offenses
Other
Tax-law violations
Bribery
Perjury/contempt/intimidation
National defense
Escape
Racketeering/extortion
Gambling
Other sex offensesc
Liquor offenses
Traffic
Wildlife
Environmental
Conspiracy/aiding and abetting/jurisdictional offenses
All other offenses
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses

Number
157,313
4,682
386
1,788
1,171
1,013
176
148
20,673
17,949
3,271
14,066
489
123
2,724
219
673
404
550
47
831
30,147
20,859
4,647
32
37
226
229
501
15
223
151
3,233
16,212
800
244
317
1,375
1,261
3,972
68
4,244
113
1,065
301
6
1,171
1,275
9,572
71,093

Percenta
100%
3.0%
0.2
1.1
0.7
0.6
0.1
0.1
13.2%
11.4
2.1
9.0
0.3
0.1
1.7
0.1
0.4
0.3
0.4
<0.1
0.5
19.2%
13.3%
3.0
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
0.1
0.3
<0.1
0.1
0.1
2.1
10.3
0.5
0.2
0.2
0.9
0.8
2.5
<0.1
2.7
0.1
0.7
0.2
<0.1
0.7
0.8
6.1%
45.3%

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses; fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of stolen
property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law violations includes tax fraud; and
all other offenses includes unclassifiable offenses. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.
aExcludes matters for which offense was unknown.
bIncludes 287 suspects for whom an offense category could not be determined.
cExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, National Legal Information Office Network System database, fiscal year 2015.

MAP 2.1
Percent of suspects in drug matters referred to U.S. attorneys by the Drug Enforcement Administration, by federal judicial district
of investigation, FY 2015

Percent of suspects referred to
U.S. attorneys by the DEA
□ Fewer than 1.0% ■ 3.0%-3.9%
□ 1.0%-1.9%
■ 4.0% or more
■ 2.0%-2.9%
Not shown: Guam (fewer than 1.0%), Puerto Rico (1.0-1.9%), District of Columbia (fewer than 1.0%), and U.S. Virgin Islands (fewer than 1.0%).
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, National Legal Information Office Network System database, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

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TABLE 2.2
Disposition of suspects in criminal matters concluded, by offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense investigated
All offensesa
Violent offenses
Murder
Assault
Robbery
Sexual abuse
Kidnapping
Threats against the President
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Embezzlement
Fraud
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Other
Burglary
Larceny
Motor-vehicle theft
Arson/explosives
Transportation of stolen property
Other property offenses
Drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Agriculture
Antitrust
Food/drug
Transportation
Civil rights
Communications
Customs laws
Postal laws
Other regulatory offenses
Other
Tax-law violations
Bribery
Perjury/contempt/intimidation
National defense
Escape
Racketeering/extortion
Gambling
Other sex offensesb
Liquor offenses
Traffic
Wildlife
Environmental
Conspiracy/aiding and abetting/
jurisdictional offenses
All other offenses
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses

Number
163,005
4,785
398
1,797
1,220
990
197
183
22,384
19,881
3,477
15,673
562
169
2,503
208
710
407
437
37
704
33,292
19,753
4,119
21
29
217
263
533
14
258
144
2,640
15,634
880
243
302
930
1,349
3,861
114
3,811
47
1,113
323
2
1,517
1,142
9,708
73,028

Percent of suspects in criminal matters concluded
Prosecuted in
Disposed of by
Declined to
U.S. district court
U.S. magistrates
prosecute
45.7%
37.9%
16.3%
56.1%
10.0%
33.9%
39.2
3.0
57.8
49.5
17.6
32.9
73.2
7.0
19.8
61.9
4.1
33.9
57.9
10.2
32.0
10.9
1.1
88.0
51.8%
9.0%
39.2%
52.0
7.3
40.7
46.4
14.8
38.8
52.7
5.7
41.6
63.3
5.2
31.5
60.4
3.6
36.1
50.3
22.7
27.1
80.8
2.4
16.8
56.9
11.7
31.4
57.0
4.2
38.8
34.6
24.0
41.4
59.5
8.1
32.4
39.9
50.3
9.8
69.7%
12.0%
18.3%
44.0%
18.4%
37.5%
35.3
15.2
49.5
71.4
4.8
23.8
44.8
...
55.2
59.9
5.1
35.0
54.8
12.5
32.7
11.8
0.2
88.0
28.6
...
71.4
46.9
7.8
45.3
67.4
18.8
13.9
32.9
20.2
47.0
46.3
19.3
34.4
59.5
1.1
39.3
42.0
2.1
56.0
39.1
4.6
56.3
22.2
12.3
65.6
53.7
27.0
19.3
52.6
3.7
43.7
41.2
5.3
53.5
66.7
4.8
28.5
42.6
44.7
12.8
31.2
63.4
5.4
43.7
20.1
36.2
^
...
...
15.2
18.4
73.2%
29.1%

82.3
11.8
3.8%
70.3%

2.6
69.8
23.0%
0.6%

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses; fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of stolen
property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law violations includes tax fraud; and
all other offenses includes unclassifiable offenses. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
^Too few cases to provide a reliable estimate.
aIncludes 55 suspects for whom an offense category could not be determined: 32 prosecuted in U.S. district court, 11 disposed of by U.S. magistrates, and 12
declined prosecutions.
bExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, National Legal Information Office Network System database, fiscal year 2015.

TABLE 2.3
Reasons U.S. attorneys declined to prosecute suspects in
criminal matters, FY 2015
Reason for declination
Total declinations
No bill
Rule 40 removal
Legally barred
Insufficient evidence
Defendant unavailable
Matter referred to another jurisdiction
Alternative to federal prosecution
Prioritization of federal interests
Opened in error

Number
26,624
19
1,161
607
16,626
429
2,674
1,747
2,737
624

Percent
100%
0.1
4.4
2.3
62.4
1.6
10.0
6.6
10.3
2.3

Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Executive Office for
U.S. Attorneys, National Legal Information Office Network System database, fiscal
year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

12

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Section 2: Federal pre-trial, adjudication, sentencing, and appeals
Federal pre-trial

TABLE 3.1
Defendants released at initial hearing or detention hearing, by offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense charged
All offensesb
Violent offenses
Murder
Assault
Robbery
Sexual abuse
Kidnapping
Threats against the President
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Embezzlement
Fraud
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Other
Burglary
Larceny
Motor-vehicle theft
Arson/explosives
Transportation of stolen property
Other property offenses
Drug offenses
Trafficking
Possession/other drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Agriculture
Antitrust
Food/drug
Transportation
Civil rights
Communications
Customs laws
Postal laws
Other regulatory offenses
Other
Tax-law violations
Bribery
Perjury/contempt/intimidation
National defense
Escape
Racketeering/extortion
Gambling
Liquor offenses
Other sex offensesc
Traffic

All defendants
88,597
2,901
248
809
781
958
89
16
11,557
9,384
444
8,464
13
463
2,173
41
1,748
129
104
93
58
24,033
18,102
5,931
7,393
1,176
1
13
97
248
49
15
132
116
505
6,217
456
111
164
123
494
1,344
16
12
2,406
614

Number
26,032
709
46
337
111
204
11
0
8,374
6,785
430
6,061
8
286
1,589
14
1,390
14
56
73
42
7,384
5,300
2,084
3,706
760
1
13
90
132
45
14
83
102
280
2,946
436
103
94
44
53
329
16
11
970
584

Released defendantsa
Percent
29.4%
24.4%
18.5
41.7
14.2
21.3
12.4
^
72.5%
72.3
96.8
71.6
61.5
61.8
73.1
34.1
79.5
10.9
53.8
78.5
72.4
30.7%
29.3
35.1
50.1%
64.6
^
100
92.8
53.2
91.8
93.3
62.9
87.9
55.4
47.4
95.6
92.8
57.3
35.8
10.7
24.5
100
91.7
40.3
95.1

Continued on next page

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

13

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TABLE 3.1 (continued)
Defendants released at initial hearing or detention hearing, by offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense charged
Wildlife
Environmental
All other offenses
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses

All defendants
109
23
345
6,793
35,177

Number
105
23
178
1,553
3,974

Released defendantsa
Percent
96.3
100
51.6
22.9%
11.3%

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses; fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of stolen
property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law violations includes tax fraud; and
all other offenses includes unclassifiable offenses.
^Too few cases to provide a reliable estimate.
aIncludes defendants who were detained at some time prior to trial and defendants for whom release status data were unavailable.
bIncludes offenders for whom an offense category could not be determined: 743 for all admissions and 332 for releases.
cExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Probation and Pretrial Services Automated Case Tracking System,
fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

14

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TABLE 3.2
Defendants released prior to case disposition, by defendant characteristics, FY 2015
Defendant characteristic
All defendantsb
Sex
Male
Female
Race
White
Black/African American
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
Ethnicity
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic
Citizenship
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S. citizen
Legal alien
Illegal alien
Age
17 or younger
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65 or older
Education
Less than high-school graduate
High-school graduate
Some college
College graduate
Marital status
Never married
Divorced/separated
Married
Common law
Other
Employment status at arrest
Unemployed
Employed
Criminal record
No conviction or arrestc
Misdemeanor conviction only
Felony conviction
Non-violent
Violent

Released defendantsa

All defendants
90,736

Number
29,373

Percent
32.4%

78,017
12,177

21,343
7,764

27.4%
63.8

70,227
15,750
1,607
1,266

19,810
6,845
812
894

28.2%
43.5
50.5
70.6

54,005
34,705

9,421
18,842

17.4%
54.3

44,967
44,635
3,841
40,794

24,128
4,628
1,575
3,053

53.7%
10.4
41.0
7.5

65
2,202
12,282
16,086
16,346
14,100
10,820
7,246
4,967
2,908
1,686
1,495

18
508
3,344
4,332
4,253
3,996
3,488
2,848
2,408
1,645
1,134
1,131

27.7%
23.1
27.2
26.9
26.0
28.3
32.2
39.3
48.5
56.6
67.3
75.7

28,027
19,829
1,521
4,448

7,575
9,510
1,102
3,570

27.0%
48.0
72.5
80.3

27,823
10,041
17,882
8,423
25,580

10,237
5,004
9,016
2,991
1,696

36.8%
49.8
50.4
35.5
6.6

24,280
19,957

10,597
14,586

43.6%
73.1

39,030
16,507

15,443
5,582

39.6%
33.8

20,719
13,998

5,317
2,795

25.7
20.0

Continued on next page
Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

15

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TABLE 3.2 (continued)
Defendants released prior to case disposition, by defendant characteristics, FY 2015
Defendant characteristic
Number of prior convictions
1
2-4
5 or more
Court appearance history
No prior arrests
Failure to appear
None
1
2 or more
Drug abuse
No known abuse
Drug history

Released defendantsa

All defendants

Number

Percent

13,875
20,004
17,345

4,064
5,487
4,143

29.3%
27.4
23.9

28,202

11,498

40.8%

48,802
5,469
7,781

13,624
1,766
2,249

27.9
32.3
28.9

9,925
31,022

8,196
15,199

82.6%
49.0

aIncludes defendants who were detained at some time prior to trial, and defendants for whom release status data were unavailable.
bIncludes defendants for whom characteristics could not be determined. Data were missing for the following: sex (542), race (1,886), ethnicity (2,026), citizenship (1,134),

age (533), education (36,911), marital status (987), employment status at arrest (46,499), criminal record (482), number of prior convictions (39,512), court appearance
history (482), and drug abuse (49,789).
cIncludes only defendants whose Probation and Pretrial Services records explicitly show no prior arrest or conviction.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Probation and Pretrial Services Automated Case Tracking System,
fiscal year 2015.

MAP 3.1
Percent of drug defendants with one or more prior felony convictions at case disposition, by federal judicial district of
disposition, FY 2015

6

Percent of drug defendants with one or
more prior felony convictions at disposition
□ 30.0% or fewer ■ 50.1%-60.0%
□ 30.1%-40.0%
■ 60.1% or more
40.1%-50.0%
■

Note: The map contains data on defendants processed by federal pre-trial service agencies. The District of Columbia is excluded because defendants receive pre-trial
services through a local, federal agency. Not shown: Guam (30.0% or fewer), Puerto Rico (30.1-40.0%), and U.S. Virgin Islands (30.0% or fewer).
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the U.S. Office of Probation and Pretrial Services database, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

16

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TABLE 3.3
Behavior of federal defendants released to the community pending trial, by offense, FY 2015

Most serious offense charged
All offenses*
Violent offenses
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Other property
Drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Other public order
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses

Number of
released
defendants No violation
29,373
80.6%
873
72.6%
9,463
86.1%
7,747
86.5
1,716
84.1
9,084
70.9%
4,109
86.7%
830
88.3
3,279
86.3
1,684
65.7%
3,858
90.6%

Percent of released defendants who had—
New offense charged
Violations while on release
Technical
At least one Failed to
violations of
Release
violation
appear
Felony Misdemeanor bail conditions revoked
19.4%
1.6%
1.5%
1.8%
17.8%
11.1%
27.4%
1.8%
1.6%
3.8%
25.1%
18.8%
13.9%
1.2%
1.2%
1.5%
12.3%
7.1%
13.5
1.2
1.2
1.4
12.1
6.9
15.9
1.4
0.9
1.5
13.4
8.0
29.1%
2.3%
2.1%
2.4%
27.0%
16.9%
13.3%
0.9%
0.9%
1.1%
12.0%
6.7%
11.7
0.7
0.5
1.9
10.4
7.0
13.7
0.9
1.0
0.9
12.5
6.6
34.3%
2.1%
3.1%
3.4%
31.8%
21.8%
9.4%
1.2%
0.8%
0.6%
8.8%
6.0%

Note: Data describe defendants whose pre-trial services were terminated during fiscal year 2015. A defendant with more than one type of violation appears in more than
one column. A defendant with more than one of the same type of violation appears only once in that column. Therefore, the sums of individual violations exceed the
totals. Not all violations resulted in revocation.
*Includes 302 defendants for whom an offense category could not be determined.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Probation and Pretrial Services Automated Case Tracking System, fiscal
year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

17

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Federal case filings and adjudication
TABLE 4.1
Defendants in criminal cases filed, by offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense charged
All offenses
Felonies
Violent offenses
Murder
Assault
Robbery
Sexual abuse
Kidnapping
Threats against the President
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Embezzlement
Fraud
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Other
Burglary
Larceny
Motor-vehicle theft
Arson/explosives
Transportation of stolen property
Other property offenses
Drug offenses
Trafficking
Possession/other drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Agriculture
Antitrust
Food/drug
Transportation
Civil rights
Communications
Customs laws
Postal laws
Other regulatory offenses
Other
Tax-law violations
Bribery
Perjury/contempt/intimidation
National defense
Escape
Racketeering/extortion
Gambling
Liquor offenses
Other sex offenses*
Traffic
Wildlife
Environmental

Number
78,742
70,484
2,815
135
742
848
985
89
16
10,379
8,766
358
7,883
17
508
1,613
44
1,276
8
135
84
66
23,524
23,496
28
6,493
795
0
37
38
128
62
15
56
40
419
5,698
434
93
266
107
504
1,664
41
0
1,882
12
65
26

Percent
100%
89.5%
3.6
0.2
0.9
1.1
1.3
0.1
<0.1
13.2
11.1
0.5
10.0
<0.1
0.6
2.0
0.1
1.6
<0.1
0.2
0.1
0.1
29.9
29.8
<0.1
8.2
1.0
...
<0.1
<0.1
0.2
0.1
<0.1
0.1
0.1
0.5
7.2
0.6
0.1
0.3
0.1
0.6
2.1
0.1
...
2.4
<0.1
0.1
<0.1

Continued on next page
Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

18

■

TABLE 4.1 (continued)
Defendants in criminal cases filed, by offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense charged
Other offenses
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses
Misdemeanors
Fraudulent property offenses
Larceny
Drug possession
Immigration offenses
Traffic
Other misdemeanors

Number
604
6,691
20,582
8,258
504
898
2,574
72
2,556
1,654

Percent
0.8
8.5
26.1
10.5%
0.6
1.1
3.3
0.1
3.2
2.1

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses;
fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of stolen property; other property offenses
excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law
violations includes tax fraud; other felonies and other misdemeanors include unclassifiable offenses;
and drug possession includes other drug misdemeanors. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
*Excludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts,
Criminal Master File, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

19

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TABLE 4.2
Disposition of criminal cases terminated in U.S. district court, by offense, FY 2015

Most serious offense charged
All offenses
Felonies
Violent offenses
Murder
Assault
Robbery
Sexual abuse
Kidnapping
Threats against the President
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Embezzlement
Fraud
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Other
Burglary
Larceny
Motor-vehicle theft
Arson/explosives
Transportation of stolen
property
Other property offenses
Drug offenses
Trafficking
Possession/other drug
offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Agriculture
Antitrust
Food/drug
Transportation
Civil rights
Communications
Customs laws
Postal laws
Other regulatory offenses
Other
Tax-law violations
Bribery
Perjury/contempt/
intimidation
National defense
Escape
Racketeering/extortion
Gambling
Liquor offenses
Other sex offensesb

Percent
Total convicted
80,166
90.3%
71,126
93.8%
2,749
92.8
129
90.7
688
88.8
887
96.1
925
93.9
98
88.8
22
72.7
11,137
90.6
9,325
90.7
363
92.3
8,367
90.6
13
76.9
582
91.2
1,812
90.1
32
93.8
1,439
90.6
15
73.3
166
93.4

Number of defendants in criminal cases terminating during fiscal year 2015 who were—
Convicted
Not convicted
Guilty Nolo
Jury Bench
Jury
Bench
Total
plea contendere trial
trial
Total Dismissed triala trial
72,427
70,512
133
1,642
140
7,739
7,421
249
69
66,683
64,892
71
1,626
94
4,443
4,160
242
41
2,552
2,378
5
156
13
197
156
40
1
117
93
1
21
2
12
11
1
0
611
566
1
42
2
77
56
20
1
852
818
1
31
2
35
30
5
0
53
4
56
47
9
0
869
810
2
87
76
0
9
2
11
9
2
0
16
15
0
0
1
6
3
3
0
10,092
9,630
12
428
22
1,045
979
53
13
8,460
8,057
8
376
19
865
803
49
13
335
328
0
6
1
28
24
4
0
7,584
7,205
7
355
17
783
725
45
13
10
9
0
1
0
3
3
0
0
531
515
1
14
1
51
51
0
0
1,632
1,573
4
52
3
180
176
4
0
30
29
0
1
0
2
2
0
0
1,304
1,267
2
32
3
135
132
3
0
11
11
0
0
0
4
4
0
0
155
142
1
12
0
11
10
1
0

106
54
24,204
24,169

84.9
77.8
93.0
93.0

90
42
22,506
22,475

83
41
21,975
21,944

1
0
19
19

6
1
494
494

0
0
18
18

16
12
1,698
1,694

16
12
1,626
1,623

0
0
62
62

0
0
10
9

35
6,471
836
1
25
43
146
64
28
67
28
434
5,635
435
123

88.6
91.2
86.8
^
92.0
90.7
89.0
79.7
82.1
92.5
78.6
86.4
91.8
95.6
95.1

31
5,899
726
1
23
39
130
51
23
62
22
375
5,173
416
117

31
5,625
687
1
23
39
123
41
23
60
22
355
4,938
394
111

0
5
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
4
0
0

0
258
37
0
0
0
7
9
0
2
0
19
221
21
6

0
11
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
10
1
0

4
572
110
0
2
4
16
13
5
5
6
59
462
19
6

3
514
97
0
1
4
14
5
5
5
5
58
417
14
4

0
50
13
0
1
0
2
8
0
0
1
1
37
5
2

1
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
8
0
0

294
75
537
1,598
93
2
1,765

84.7
90.7
90.9
90.4
76.3
^
94.8

249
68
488
1,445
71
2
1,674

219
60
484
1,344
71
1
1,624

0
0
0
2
0
0
0

29
8
3
97
0
1
45

1
0
1
2
0
0
5

45
7
49
153
22
0
91

32
7
47
138
20
0
89

11
0
1
11
2
0
2

2
0
1
4
0
0
0

Continued on next page

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

20

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TABLE 4.2 (continued)
Disposition of criminal cases terminated in U.S. district court, by offense, FY 2015

Most serious offense charged
Traffic
Wildlife
Environmental
Other offenses
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses
Misdemeanors
Fraudulent property offenses
Larceny
Drug possession
Immigration offenses
Traffic
Other misdemeanors

Percent
Total convicted
12
83.3
79
84.8
27
85.2
595
91.3
6,146
93.0
20,419
97.6
9,040
63.5%
508
90.6
998
39.3
2,600
80.5
62
74.2
3,196
55.2
1,676
58.9

Number of defendants in criminal cases terminating during fiscal year 2015 who were—
Convicted
Not convicted
Guilty Nolo
Jury Bench
Jury
Bench
Total
plea contendere trial
trial
Total Dismissed triala trial
10
10
0
0
0
2
2
0
0
67
64
0
3
0
12
12
0
0
23
22
0
1
0
4
3
1
0
543
534
2
7
0
52
49
2
1
5,713
5,456
6
236
15
433
400
29
4
19,921
19,828
24
54
15
498
485
8
5
5,744
5,620
62
16
46
3,296
3,261
7
28
460
459
0
0
1
48
46
2
0
392
377
10
3
2
606
601
0
5
2,093
2,086
4
2
1
507
506
0
1
46
46
0
0
0
16
16
0
0
1,765
1,707
30
5
23
1,431
1,418
1
12
988
945
18
6
19
688
674
4
10

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses; fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transporting stolen property;
other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law violations includes tax fraud; other felonies and
other misdemeanors include unclassifiable offenses; and drug possession includes other drug misdemeanors.
^Too few cases to provide a reliable estimate.
aIncludes mistrials.
bExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Criminal Master File, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

21

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MAP 4.1
Percent of adjudicated defendants receiving a bench or jury trial, by federal judicial district of adjudication, FY 2015

Percent of adjudicated defendants
receiving a bench or jury trial
□ 1.0% or fewer
■ 5.1%-7.0%
1.1%-3.0%
□
■ 7.1% or more
3.1%-5.0%
■
Not shown: Guam (3.1-5.0%), Puerto Rico (1.1-3.0%), District of Columbia (5.1-7.0%), and U.S. Virgin Islands (7.1% or more).
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

22

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TABLE 4.3
Criminal cases disposed of by U.S. magistrates, by offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense charged
All offenses
Violent offenses
Murder
Assault
Robbery
Sexual abuse
Kidnapping
Threats against the President
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Embezzlement
Fraud
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Other
Burglary
Larceny
Motor-vehicle theft
Arson/explosives
Transportation of stolen property
Other property offenses
Drug offenses
Trafficking
Possession/other drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Agriculture
Antitrust
Food/drug
Transportation
Civil rights
Communications
Customs laws
Postal laws
Other regulatory offenses
Other
Tax-law violations
Bribery
Perjury/contempt/intimidation
National defense
Escape
Racketeering/extortion
Gambling
Liquor offenses
Other sex offensesa
Traffic
Wildlife
Environmental
Other offenses
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses

Total
9,138
462
1
455
0
6
0
0
1,664
546
29
507
6
4
1,118
2
987
0
4
0
125
2,721
209
2,512
3,816
210
0
0
47
26
4
6
6
44
77
3,606
19
3
4
23
32
6
0
11
4
3,079
162
7
256
113
362

Convicted
5,928
232
1
225
0
6
0
0
964
500
28
467
3
2
464
2
384
0
4
0
74
2,212
166
2,046
2,130
175
0
0
45
23
3
5
6
43
50
1,955
19
3
4
11
20
5
0
11
3
1,668
87
7
117
43
347

Not convicted
3,210
230
0
230
0
0
0
0
700
46
1
40
3
2
654
0
603
0
0
0
51
509
43
466
1,686
35
0
0
2
3
1
1
0
1
27
1,651
0
0
0
12
12
1
0
0
1
1,411
75
0
139
70
15

Percent convicted
64.9%
50.2%
^
49.5
...
^
...
...
57.9%
91.6
96.6
92.1
^
^
41.5
^
38.9
...
^
...
59.2
81.3%
79.4
81.4
55.8%
83.3
...
...
95.7
88.5
^
^
^
97.7
64.9
54.2
100
^
^
47.8
62.5
^
...
100
^
54.2
53.7
^
45.7
38.1%
95.9%

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses; fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of stolen
property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law violations includes tax fraud; and
other offenses includes unclassifiable offenses.
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
^Too few cases to provide a reliable estimate.
aExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Criminal Master File, fiscal year 2015.

TABLE 4.4
Characteristics of convicted offenders, FY 2015
Offender characteristic
All offenders
Sex
Male
Female
Race
White
Black/African American
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
Two or more races
Ethnicity
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic
Age
17 or younger
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65 or older
Citizenship
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S. citizen
Education
Less than high-school graduate
High-school graduate
Some college
College graduate
Criminal record
No convictions
Prior adult convictions

Number
72,427

Percent
100%

58,561
9,181

86.4%
13.6

49,734
13,919
1,263
1,255
431

74.7%
20.9
1.9
1.9
0.6

36,629
30,503

54.6%
45.4

13
1,083
8,274
11,815
12,466
10,886
8,452
5,716
4,110
2,433
1,413
1,216

<0.1%
1.6
12.2
17.4
18.4
16.0
12.5
8.4
6.1
3.6
2.1
1.8

38,532
28,595

57.4%
42.6

28,757
19,226
10,153
3,895

46.4%
31.0
16.4
6.3

22,968
45,001

33.8%
66.2

Note: Details may not sum to totals due to rounding. Data were missing for the
following: sex (4,685), race (5,825), age (4,550), citizenship (5,300), education
(10,396), and prior convictions (4,458).
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office
of the U.S. Courts, Criminal Master File; U.S. Sentencing Commission, individual
offender data file; and Probation and Pretrial Services Automated Case Tracking
System, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

24

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Federal sentencing
TABLE 5.1
Offenders sentenced in criminal cases terminated, by offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense of conviction
All offensesd
Felonies
Violent offenses
Murder
Assault
Robbery
Sexual abuse
Kidnapping
Threats against the President
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Embezzlement
Fraud
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Other
Burglary
Larceny
Motor-vehicle theft
Arson/explosives
Transportation of stolen property
Other property offenses
Drug offenses
Trafficking
Possession/other drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Agriculture
Antitrust
Food/drug
Transportation
Civil rights
Communications
Customs laws
Postal laws
Other regulatory offenses
Other
Tax-law violations
Bribery
Perjury/contempt/intimidation
National defense
Escape
Racketeering/extortion
Gambling
Liquor offenses
Other sex offensese
Traffic
Wildlife

Total offenders
sentenceda
72,427
65,628
2,255
105
562
846
667
59
16
10,017
8,586
313
7,809
8
456
1,431
30
1,144
16
125
74
42
21,148
21,089
59
6,509
725
1
23
64
113
42
19
78
24
361
5,784
456
137
197
71
759
1,660
52
3
1,839
10
47

Percent of offenders convicted and sentenced to—
Incarcerationb
Probationc
Fine only
77.3%
10.6%
2.6%
81.4%
8.5%
0.5%
92.9
3.5
0.1
96.2
1.9
...
84.9
7.7
0.4
95.4
2.0
...
96.4
2.1
...
89.8
5.1
...
87.5
...
...
63.1
24.6
0.9
65.5
21.4
1.0
50.5
42.2
0.6
66.2
20.4
1.0
^
^
...
64.9
22.6
1.3
48.6
44.3
0.4
76.7
13.3
...
41.9
51.0
0.4
75.0
18.8
...
86.4
7.2
...
71.6
25.7
1.4
47.6
38.1
...
89.0
4.9
0.4
89.1
4.8
0.4
55.9
22.0
6.8
77.0
15.9
0.9
53.0
32.6
4.0
^
...
...
34.8
8.7
56.5
32.8
53.1
7.8
40.7
44.2
0.9
83.3
11.9
2.4
57.9
31.6
5.3
59.0
26.9
...
16.7
66.7
4.2
58.7
28.3
1.9
80.0
13.8
0.5
64.0
34.6
0.4
68.6
24.8
0.7
72.6
21.3
1.0
73.2
19.7
2.8
60.1
26.4
0.8
82.8
10.4
0.5
30.8
59.6
1.9
^
...
...
95.5
1.7
0.3
^
^
...
36.2
53.2
...

Continued on next page
Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

25

■

TABLE 5.1 (continued)
Offenders sentenced in criminal cases terminated, by offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense of conviction
Environmental
Other offenses
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses
Misdemeanors
Fraudulent property offenses
Larceny
Drug possession
Immigration offenses
Traffic
Other misdemeanors

Total offenders
sentenceda
22
531
6,031
19,668
6,799
568
460
2,226
461
1,813
1,271

Percent of offenders convicted and sentenced to—
Probationc
Fine only
Incarcerationb
40.9
59.1
...
76.8
13.7
0.2
91.4
4.8
0.2
79.6
3.3
0.3
38.4%
30.9%
23.0%
39.3
26.6
2.3
7.0
68.7
20.7
78.9
14.4
3.8
54.0
5.9
3.3
3.6
37.8
58.0
22.5
47.3
24.0

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses; fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transporting
stolen property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offense and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law violations
includes tax fraud; other felonies and other misdemeanors include unclassifiable offenses; and drug possession includes other drug misdemeanors.
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
^Too few cases to provide a reliable estimate.
aIncludes offenders receiving incarceration, probation, split or mixed sentences, and fines. Offenders receiving deportation, suspended sentences, sealed
sentences, imprisonment of 4 days or less, and no sentences are not represented in the percentage columns but are included in the totals.
bAll sentences to incarceration, including split, mixed, life, and indeterminate.
cIncludes offenders with split and mixed sentences.
dTotal includes offenders whose sentence could not be determined.
eExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Criminal Master File, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

26

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TABLE 5.2
Type and length of sentence imposed for convicted offenders, by offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense of conviction
All offensese
Felonies
Violent offenses
Murder
Assault
Robbery
Sexual abuse
Kidnapping
Threats against the President
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Embezzlement
Fraud
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Other
Burglary
Larceny
Motor-vehicle theft
Arson/explosives
Transportation of stolen property
Other property offenses
Drug offenses
Trafficking
Possession/other drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Agriculture
Antitrust
Food/drug
Transportation
Civil rights
Communications
Customs laws
Postal laws
Other regulatory offenses
Other
Tax-law violations
Bribery
Perjury/contempt/intimidation
National defense
Escape
Racketeering/extortion
Gambling
Liquor offenses
Other sex offensesf
Traffic
Wildlife
Environmental
Other offenses

Totala
72,427
65,628
2,255
105
562
846
667
59
16
10,017
8,586
313
7,809
8
456
1,431
30
1,144
16
125
74
42
21,148
21,089
59
6,509
725
1
23
64
113
42
19
78
24
361
5,784
456
137
197
71
759
1,660
52
3
1,839
10
47
22
531

Type of sentence
Incarcerationb
Probationc
56,018
7,652
53,405
5,550
2,095
79
101
2
477
43
807
17
643
14
53
3
14
0
6,322
2,468
5,627
1,834
158
132
5,170
1,595
3
4
296
103
695
634
23
4
479
583
12
3
108
9
53
19
20
16
18,813
1,031
18,780
1,018
33
13
5,011
1,033
384
236
1
0
8
2
21
34
46
50
35
5
11
6
46
21
4
16
212
102
4,627
797
292
158
94
34
143
42
52
14
456
200
1,374
173
16
31
3
0
1,757
31
6
3
17
25
9
13
408
73

Fine only
1,866
301
2
0
2
0
0
0
0
92
86
2
78
0
6
6
0
5
0
0
1
0
79
75
4
58
29
0
13
5
1
1
1
0
1
7
29
2
1
2
2
6
8
1
0
6
0
0
0
1

Average sentence length
Incarcerationd
Probation
54.0 mos.
35.4 mos.
56.3 mos.
41.6 mos.
146.5
41.2
171.3
^
51.8
34.3
105.4
52.0
264.7
48.4
210.4
^
32.8
...
36.9
39.1
36.6
38.4
24.0
35.2
37.7
38.7
^
^
23.5
37.2
39.2
41.1
37.0
^
28.0
41.1
39.4
^
82.7
^
63.5
43.7
15.0
36.8
75.6
43.3
75.7
43.5
37.3
30.5
69.7
39.2
43.8
35.7
^
...
^
^
18.5
31.8
20.6
34.6
71.9
^
23.3
^
44.9
42.6
^
33.8
49.2
35.8
71.9
40.2
28.4
44.7
45.0
31.5
41.4
40.4
115.2
48.0
17.1
34.1
77.2
39.0
13.9
32.2
^
...
103.9
57.3
^
^
12.2
35.3
^
33.2
27.0
51.1

Continued on next page

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

27

■

TABLE 5.2 (continued)
Type and length of sentence imposed for convicted offenders, by offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense of conviction
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses
Misdemeanors
Fraudulent property offenses
Larceny
Drug possession
Immigration offenses
Traffic
Other misdemeanors

Totala
6,031
19,668
6,799
568
460
2,226
461
1,813
1,271

Type of sentence
Incarcerationb
Probationc
5,511
288
15,653
651
2,613
2,102
223
151
32
316
1,757
321
249
27
66
686
286
601

Fine only
15
55
1,565
13
95
85
15
1,052
305

Average sentence length
Incarcerationd
Probation
75.4
64.5
18.2
42.1
5.9 mos.
19.0 mos.
4.0
23.0
6.5
23.7
6.5
16.7
4.5
17.2
1.8
13.5
6.4
22.9

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses; fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of stolen
property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law violations includes tax fraud;
other felonies and other misdemeanors include unclassifiable offenses; and drug possession includes other drug misdemeanors.
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
^Too few cases to provide a reliable estimate.
aTotals may not equal the sums of individual sanctions. The sums may exceed the totals because split and mixed sentences are counted in incarceration and probation.
Alternatively, the totals may exceed the sums as the totals include offenders receiving deportation, suspended sentences, sealed sentences, imprisonment of 4 days or
less, and no sentences.
bAll sentences to incarceration, including split, mixed, life, and indeterminate sentences.
cIncludes offenders with split and mixed sentences.
dExcludes sentences of life, death, and indeterminate sentences.
eTotal includes offenders whose sentence could not be determined.
fExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Criminal Master File, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

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TABLE 5.3
Characteristics of convicted offenders sentenced to incarceration, FY 2015
Offender characteristic
All offenders
Sex
Male
Female
Race
White
Black/African American
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
Two or more races
Ethnicity
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic
Age
17 or younger
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65 or older
Citizenship
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S. citizen
Education
Less than high-school graduate
High-school graduate
Some college
College graduate
Criminal record
No convictions
Prior adult convictions

Number
convicted
72,427

Number
Percent
sentenced to sentenced to
incarceration incarceration
56,018
77.3%

58,561
9,181

48,052
5,518

82.0%
60.1

49,734
13,919
1,263
1,255
431

39,754
11,406
991
805
252

79.9%
81.9
78.4
64.1
58.4

36,629
30,503

30,215
23,144

82.4%
75.8

13
1,083
8,274
11,815
12,466
10,886
8,452
5,716
4,110
2,433
1,413
1,216

8
842
6,411
9,421
10,120
8,932
6,830
4,532
3,099
1,759
947
714

61.5%
77.7
77.4
79.7
81.1
82.0
80.8
79.2
75.4
72.2
67.0
58.7

38,532
28,595

30,164
23,283

78.2%
81.4

28,757
19,226
10,153
3,895

24,848
15,592
7,562
2,599

86.4%
81.0
74.4
66.7

22,968
45,001

16,155
37,455

70.3%
83.2

Note: By definition, corporations are excluded from the offender characteristics reported. Offenders serving life
sentences and indeterminate sentences are included. Offenders are classified by the most serious offense of
conviction. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding. Data were missing for the following: sex (4,685), race
(5,825), ethnicity (5,295), age (4,550), citizenship (5,300), education (10,396), and criminal record (4,458).
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Criminal
Master File; U.S. Sentencing Commission individual offender data file; and Probation and Pretrial Services
Automated Case Tracking System, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

29

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TABLE 5.4
Average incarceration sentence length, by offense and offender characteristics, FY 2015
Offender characteristic
All offenders
Sex
Male
Female
Race
White
Black/African American
American Indian/Alaska
Native
Asian/Native Hawaiian/
Other Pacific Islander
Two or more races
Ethnicity
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic
Age
17 or younger
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-94
60-64
65 or older
Citizenship
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S. citizen
Education
Less than high-school
graduate
High-school graduate
Some college
College graduate
Criminal history
No convictions
Prior adult convictions

Property offenses
Public-order offenses Weapons Immigration
All
Violent
Drug
offenses offenses Fraudulent Other
offenses Regulatory Other offenses offenses
Misdemeanors
54.0 mos. 146.5 mos. 36.6 mos. 39.2 mos. 75.6 mos. 43.8 mos. 71.9 mos. 75.4 mos. 18.2 mos.
5.9 mos.
54.8 mos. 151.4 mos. 38.2 mos. 42.3 mos. 78.3 mos.
36.7
105.3
30.7
28.9
49.1

47.2 mos.
26.3

76.1 mos. 76.4 mos.
33.1
47.7

18.5 mos.
12.4

6.1 mos.
3.8

45.7 mos. 186.9 mos. 34.3 mos. 37.6 mos. 69.1 mos.
78.1
138.8
40.6
41.2
89.0

37.5 mos.
82.2

76.4 mos. 64.3 mos.
64.9
86.8

18.1 mos.
24.0

5.8 mos.
8.1

53.5

74.5

26.7

18.0

52.7

^

32.1

54.0

14.0

4.5

57.5
54.9

173.1
78.2

37.7
30.6

43.2
^

73.1
84.2

21.5
^

52.0
60.4

62.4
51.9

11.6
17.1

^
^

36.8 mos. 133.6 mos. 27.8 mos. 34.7 mos. 68.5 mos.
73.8
150.1
38.8
39.4
81.0

37.4 mos.
48.8

66.5 mos. 61.0 mos.
73.1
80.1

18.1 mos.
19.9

5.7 mos.
7.0

^
23.4 mos.
42.6
51.1
56.2
56.1
57.5
54.8
52.8
57.2
53.1
54.5

^
25.9 mos.
51.2
69.3
79.8
83.5
88.7
80.9
72.3
75.5
69.5
60.2

...
^
47.8 mos.
43.1
50.5
36.5
33.3
74.9
30.3
34.6
21.4
38.3

^
54.7 mos.
71.6
76.1
74.3
76.5
71.3
68.0
69.5
74.8
61.8
66.5

^
70.5 mos.
67.6
73.8
75.3
82.4
77.4
92.8
77.5
73.8
84.2
46.0

^
7.0 mos.
11.5
15.7
18.4
18.9
20.2
22.4
22.4
23.4
20.4
20.3

...
5.1 mos.
5.3
5.8
6.7
5.6
7.2
5.5
6.8
4.7
4.5
9.1

71.9 mos. 147.9 mos. 38.6 mos. 37.5 mos. 78.9 mos.
28.4
141.4
27.4
51.3
62.8

49.8 mos.
26.8

72.4 mos. 76.9 mos.
64.3
55.8

17.9 mos.
18.2

6.7 mos.
5.7

42.9 mos.
69.3
67.0
55.5

71.1 mos.
81.5
69.6
58.2

42.2 mos.
57.2
36.8
29.4

65.7 mos.
72.0
81.3
64.9

75.0 mos.
75.3
78.5
71.9

17.8 mos.
20.6
19.1
19.4

7.2 mos.
5.4
7.8
13.3

49.7 mos. 176.6 mos. 36.5 mos. 32.8 mos. 55.9 mos.
54.3
133.0
36.1
43.4
85.7

29.6 mos.
64.4

69.8 mos. 66.2 mos.
74.4
76.7

6.9 mos.
20.7

6.6 mos.
5.8

^
114.6 mos.
107.8
129.5
178.7
160.0
201.5
142.2
116.2
148.8
143.0
137.8

115.6 mos.
148.9
178.2
194.4

...
30.5 mos.
25.5
28.0
34.8
36.5
35.3
38.4
43.0
41.5
40.3
47.8

31.1 mos.
36.2
37.1
43.5

...
^
30.7 mos.
34.6
40.0
41.4
51.5
39.6
36.8
47.0
20.5
29.5

37.4 mos.
46.4
32.3
34.9

Note: Excludes life sentences and indeterminate sentences. Includes prison portion of split or mixed sentences.
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
^Too few cases to provide a reliable estimate.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Criminal Master File; U.S. Sentencing Commission, individual offender data file;
and Probation and Pretrial Services Automated Case Tracking System, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

30

■

MAP 5.1
Percent of convicted drug defendants receiving a non-prison sentence, by federal judicial district of conviction, FY 2015

w

Percent of convicted drug defendants
receiving a non-prison sentence
□ 5.0% or fewer
■ 15.1%-20.0%
□ 5.1%-10.0%
■ 20.1% or more
■ 10.1%-15.0%

Note: Includes defendants convicted of a drug offense and receiving either a term of probation, a fine, or a suspended sentence.
Not shown: Guam (20.1% or more), Puerto Rico (5.0% or fewer), District of Columbia (20.1% or more), and U.S. Virgin Islands (5.1-10.0%).
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Criminal Master File, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

31

■

Federal appeals
TABLE 6.1
Criminal appeals terminated, by type of criminal case and offense, FY 2015
Offense of conviction
All offenses
Violent offenses
Murder
Assault
Robbery
Sexual abuse
Kidnapping
Threats against the President
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Embezzlement
Fraud
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Other
Burglary
Larceny
Motor-vehicle theft
Arson/explosives
Transportation of stolen property
Other property offenses
Drug offenses
Trafficking
Possession/other drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Agriculture
Antitrust
Food/drug
Transportation
Civil rights
Communications
Customs laws
Postal laws
Other regulatory offenses
Other
Tax-law violations
Bribery
Perjury/contempt/intimidation
National defense
Escape
Racketeering/extortion
Gambling
Liquor offenses
Other sex offensesb
Traffic
Wildlife
Environmental
Other offenses
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses

Total
11,214
688
37
91
203
306
46
5
1,547
1,356
34
1,241
6
75
191
5
104
3
47
27
5
3,793
3,787
6
1,289
119
0
1
1
14
22
6
11
0
64
1,170
58
11
118
21
46
360
2
0
411
2
10
5
126
1,566
1,588

Number of criminal appeals terminated
Direct criminal
Interlocutory Post-conviction
8,701
260
1,878
546
27
82
22
4
7
72
8
4
166
1
34
249
14
32
33
0
5
4
0
0
1,270
43
175
1,119
34
152
27
1
5
1,026
33
133
4
0
2
62
0
12
151
10
23
4
0
1
88
3
12
2
0
0
34
6
5
19
0
5
4
1
0
2,677
66
937
2,671
66
937
6
0
0
1,000
48
158
93
5
9
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
14
0
0
12
0
2
4
0
0
8
1
1
0
0
0
53
4
6
907
43
149
47
1
5
7
3
0
82
7
18
18
2
1
41
0
5
263
20
47
2
0
0
0
0
0
330
8
51
2
0
0
7
1
2
2
0
2
106
1
18
1,233
43
249
1,506
11
64

Othera
375
33
4
7
2
11
8
1
58
51
1
49
0
1
7
0
1
1
2
3
0
113
113
0
83
12
0
0
0
0
8
2
1
0
1
71
5
1
11
0
0
30
0
0
22
0
0
1
1
41
7

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses; fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of stolen
property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law violations includes tax fraud; and
other offenses includes unclassifiable offenses. Total includes 743 terminated for which an offense category could not be determined.
aIncludes federal guidelines cases where the sentence only is appealed or where the sentence and conviction are appealed. Includes criminal cases other than
guideline cases.
bExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Court of Appeals, fiscal year 2015.

TABLE 6.2
Disposition of criminal appeals terminated, by offense, FY 2015
Total criminal
Offense of conviction
appeals terminated
All offenses
11,214
Violent offenses
688
Murder
37
Assault
91
Robbery
203
Sexual abuse
306
Kidnapping
46
Threats against the President
5
Property offenses
1,547
Fraudulent
1,356
Embezzlement
34
Fraud
1,241
Forgery
6
Counterfeiting
75
Other
191
Burglary
5
Larceny
104
Motor-vehicle theft
3
Arson/explosives
47
Transportation of stolen property
27
Other property offenses
5
Drug offenses
3,793
Trafficking
3,787
Possession/other drug offenses
6
Public-order offenses
1,289
Regulatory
119
Agriculture
0
Antitrust
1
Food/drug
1
Transportation
14
Civil rights
22
Communications
6
Customs laws
11
Postal laws
0
Other regulatory offenses
64
Other
1,170
Tax-law violations
58
Bribery
11
Perjury/contempt/intimidation
118
National defense
21
Escape
46
Racketeering/extortion
360
Gambling
2
Liquor offenses
0
Other sex offenses*
411
Traffic
2
Wildlife
126
Environmental
5
Other offenses
126
Weapons offenses
1,566
Immigration offenses
1,588

Total
8,642
550
32
76
163
237
39
3
1,169
1,026
25
942
4
55
143
5
75
3
35
20
5
2,772
2,767
5
1,004
85
0
1
1
12
17
4
8
0
42
919
47
9
101
17
36
284
2
0
307
1
8
2
105
1,264
1,320

Percent
77.1%
79.9%
86.5
83.5
80.3
77.5
84.8
^
75.6%
75.7
73.5
75.9
^
73.3
74.9
^
72.1
^
74.5
74.1
^
73.1%
73.1
^
77.9%
71.4
...
^
^
85.7
77.3
^
72.7
...
65.6
78.5
81.0
81.8
85.6
81.0
78.3
78.9
^
...
74.7
^
^
^
83.3
80.7%
83.1%

Criminal appeals terminated on the merits
Remanded Partially
Procedural
Affirmed or reversed affirmed Dismissed Other terminations
6,064
718
393
1,455
12
2,572
412
40
28
69
1
138
24
2
1
5
0
5
61
6
1
8
0
15
116
15
5
27
0
40
176
14
20
26
1
69
32
3
1
3
0
7
3
0
0
0
0
2
825
109
106
127
2
378
719
99
96
111
1
330
19
4
0
2
0
9
659
90
94
98
1
299
2
0
0
2
0
2
39
5
2
9
0
20
106
10
10
16
0
48
2
0
3
0
0
0
54
5
5
11
0
29
3
0
0
0
0
0
28
2
1
4
0
12
16
3
0
1
0
7
3
0
1
0
1
0
1,974
195
76
523
4
1,021
1,970
194
76
523
4
1,020
4
1
0
0
0
1
711
86
95
110
2
285
68
5
7
5
0
34
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
10
2
0
0
0
2
15
0
2
0
0
5
3
0
1
0
0
2
6
1
0
1
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
32
2
4
4
0
22
643
81
88
105
2
251
30
8
4
5
0
11
3
2
0
4
0
2
71
5
17
8
0
17
6
1
6
4
0
4
26
0
2
8
0
10
195
17
32
39
1
76
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
231
34
13
28
1
104
1
0
0
0
0
1
3
2
2
1
0
2
2
0
0
0
0
3
75
10
12
8
0
21
960
129
38
136
1
302
776
90
23
430
1
268

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses; fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of stolen
property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law violations includes tax fraud; and other
offenses includes unclassifiable offenses. Total includes 743 appeals terminated for which an offense category could not be determined.
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
^Too few cases to provide a reliable estimate.
*Excludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Court of Appeals, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

33

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Section 3: Federal corrections and supervision
Federal supervision, probation, and parole

TABLE 7.1
Offenders under federal supervision, by offense and type of supervision, FY 2015
Most serious offense
All offensesa
Feloniesb
Violent offenses
Murder
Assault
Robbery
Sexual abuse
Kidnapping
Threats against the President
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Embezzlement
Fraud
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Other
Burglary
Larceny
Motor-vehicle theft
Arson/explosives
Transportation of stolen property
Other property offenses
Drug offenses
Trafficking
Possession/other drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Agriculture
Antitrust
Food/drug
Transportation
Civil rights
Communications
Customs laws
Postal laws
Other regulatory offenses
Other
Tax-law violations
Bribery
Perjury/contempt/intimidation
National defense
Escape
Racketeering/extortion
Gambling
Other sex offensesc

Total offenders
under supervision
Number Percent
132,917
100%
128,231
96.6%
6,279
4.7
789
0.6
963
0.7
3,064
2.3
1,269
1.0
149
0.1
45
<0.1
25,986
19.6
21,951
16.5
1,268
1.0
19,121
14.4
48
<0.1
1,514
1.1
4,035
3.0
117
0.1
3,000
2.3
247
0.2
353
0.3
255
0.2
63
<0.1
63,439
47.8
47,465
35.8
15,974
12.0
13,191
9.9
1,829
1.4
3
<0.1
20
<0.1
90
0.1
172
0.1
102
0.1
45
<0.1
196
0.1
54
<0.1
1,147
0.9
11,362
8.6
1,027
0.8
284
0.2
291
0.2
192
0.1
242
0.2
2,060
1.6
44
<0.1
6,761
5.1

Probation
Number Percent
19,121
100%
14,927
78.3%
322
1.7
39
0.2
117
0.6
78
0.4
67
0.4
9
<0.1
12
0.1
7,558
39.7
5,767
30.3
468
2.5
4,899
25.7
21
0.1
379
2.0
1,791
9.4
14
0.1
1,635
8.6
14
0.1
40
0.2
64
0.3
24
0.1
3,041
16.0
2,347
12.3
694
3.6
2,361
12.4
887
4.7
2
<0.1
11
0.1
57
0.3
95
0.5
16
0.1
20
0.1
53
0.3
40
0.2
593
3.1
1,474
7.7
473
2.5
95
0.5
74
0.4
51
0.3
22
0.1
317
1.7
33
0.2
166
0.9

Type of supervision
Supervised release
Number
Percent
112,567
100%
112,077
99.6%
5,206
4.6
429
0.4
776
0.7
2,804
2.5
1,060
0.9
104
0.1
33
<0.1
18,351
16.3
16,160
14.4
800
0.7
14,204
12.6
25
<0.1
1,131
1.0
2,191
1.9
85
0.1
1,341
1.2
226
0.2
0.3
309
191
0.2
39
<0.1
60,197
53.5
44,957
40.0
15,240
13.5
10,714
9.5
932
0.8
1
<0.1
9
<0.1
33
<0.1
76
0.1
80
0.1
25
<0.1
143
0.1
14
<0.1
551
0.5
9,782
8.7
553
0.5
188
0.2
216
0.2
136
0.1
217
0.2
1,721
1.5
11
<0.1
6,526
5.8

Parole
Number Percent
1,229
100%
1,227
100%
751
61.2
321
26.2
70
5.7
182
14.8
142
11.6
36
2.9
0
...
77
6.3
24
2.0
0
...
18
1.5
2
<0.1
4
<0.1
53
4.3
18
1.5
24
2.0
7
<0.1
4
<0.1
0
...
0
...
201
16.4
161
13.1
40
3.3
116
9.5
10
<0.1
0
...
0
...
0
...
1
<0.1
6
<0.1
0
...
0
...
0
...
3
<0.1
106
8.6
1
<0.1
1
<0.1
1
<0.1
5
<0.1
3
<0.1
22
1.8
0
...
69
5.6

Continued on next page

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

34

■

TABLE 7.1 (continued)
Offenders under federal supervision, by offense and type of supervision, FY 2015
Most serious offense
Wildlife
Environmental
All other felonies
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses
Misdemeanors
Fraudulent property offenses
Larceny
Drug possession
Immigration misdemeanors
Traffic
Other misdemeanors

Total offenders
under supervision
Number Percent
61
<0.1
55
<0.1
345
0.3
15,759
11.9
3,577
2.7
4,532
3.4%
328
0.2
585
0.4
664
0.5
137
0.1
1,462
1.1
1,356
1.0

Probation
Number Percent
43
0.2
32
0.2
168
0.9
920
4.8
725
3.8
4,128
21.7%
292
1.5
551
2.9
584
3.1
137
0.7
1,416
7.4
1,148
6.0

Type of supervision
Supervised release
Number
Percent
17
<0.1
23
<0.1
174
0.2
14,761
13.1
2,848
2.5
404
0.4%
36
<0.1
34
<0.1
80
0.1
0
...
46
<0.1
208
0.2

Parole
Number Percent
1
<0.1
0
...
3
<0.1
78
6.4
4
<0.1
0
...
0
...
0
...
0
...
0
...
0
...
0
...

Note: Federal offender populations are shown as of September 30, 2015. Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses;
fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of stolen property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of
property and trespassing; tax-law violations includes tax fraud; other felonies and other misdemeanors include unclassifiable offenses; and drug possession includes
other drug misdemeanors.
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
aTotal includes offenders whose offense category could not be determined.
bAn offense category could not be determined for 154 felony offenders, including 66 offenders under probation, 86 under supervised release, and 2 under parole.
cExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Probation and Pretrial Services Automated Case Tracking System,
fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

35

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MAP 7.1
Percent of total drug offenders in the Federal Bureau of Prisons, by federal judicial district of adjudication, FY 2015

Percent of federal drug offenders in
the BOP, by district of adjudication
□ Fewer than 0.5% ■ 2.1%-4.0%
□ 0.5%-1.0%
■ 4.1% or more
1.1%-2.0%
■
Note: Federal offender populations are shown as of September 30, 2015.
Not shown: Guam (fewer than 0.5%), Puerto Rico (2.1-4.0%), District of Columbia (fewer than 0.5%), and U.S. Virgin Islands (fewer than 0.5%).
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, SENTRY database, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

36

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TABLE 7.2
Demographic characteristics of offenders under federal supervision, FY 2015
Offender characteristic
All offenders*
Sex
Male
Female
Race
White
Black/African American
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
Two or more races
Ethnicity
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic
Age
17 or younger
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65 or older

Total offenders
under supervision
Number Percent
132,917
100%

Probation
Number Percent
19,121
100%

Supervised release
Number Percent
112,567
100%

Parole
Number Percent
1,229
100%

108,912
23,708

82.1%
17.9

11,865
6,961

63.0%
37.0

95,847
16,718

85.1%
14.9

1,200
29

97.6%
2.4

76,239
48,414
3,322
3,166
652

57.8%
36.7
2.5
2.4
0.5

12,115
5,028
543
701
202

65.2%
27.0
2.9
3.8
1.1

63,651
42,687
2,753
2,456
447

56.8%
38.1
2.5
2.2
0.4

473
699
26
9
3

39.1%
57.8
2.1
<0.1
<0.1

30,934
99,593

23.7%
76.3

3,553
14,826

19.3%
80.7

27,258
83,703

24.6%
75.4

123
1,064

10.4%
89.6

84
495
8,258
16,720
22,898
22,674
19,043
14,389
11,261
7,660
4,738
4,408

0.1%
0.4
6.2
12.6
17.3
17.1
14.4
10.8
8.5
5.8
3.6
3.3

78
284
1,963
2,454
2,524
2,314
2,297
1,977
1,735
1,283
950
975

0.4%
1.5
10.4
13.0
13.4
12.3
12.2
10.5
9.2
6.8
5.0
5.2

5
211
6,260
14,195
20,276
20,217
16,555
12,247
9,354
6,238
3,687
3,322

<0.1%
0.2
5.6
12.6
18.0
18.0
14.7
10.9
8.3
5.5
3.3
3.0

1
0
35
71
98
143
191
165
172
139
101
111

<0.1%
...
2.9
5.8
8.0
11.7
15.6
13.4
14.0
11.3
8.2
9.0

Note: Federal offender populations are shown as of September 30, 2015.
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
*Total includes offenders whose offense characteristics could not be determined. Data were missing for the following: sex (297), race (1,124), ethnicity (2,390), and
age (289).
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Probation and Pretrial Services Automated Case Tracking System,
fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

37

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TABLE 7.3
Outcomes of offenders terminating probation supervision, by offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense
All offenses
Felonies
Violent offenses
Murder
Assault
Robbery
Sexual abuse
Kidnapping
Threats against the President
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Embezzlement
Fraud
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Other
Burglary
Larceny
Motor-vehicle theft
Arson/explosives
Transportation of stolen property
Other property offenses
Drug offenses
Trafficking
Possession/other drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Agriculture
Antitrust
Food/drug
Transportation
Civil rights
Communications
Customs laws
Postal laws
Other regulatory offenses
Other
Tax-law violations
Bribery
Perjury/contempt/intimidation
National defense
Escape
Racketeering/extortion
Gambling
Other sex offensesc
Wildlife
Environmental
All other felonies
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses

Number of
probation
terminations
10,263
6,637
173
19
60
42
44
3
5
3,098
2,459
254
1,989
13
203
639
19
549
10
20
31
10
1,473
1,147
326
1,024
411
1
4
22
35
8
13
17
13
298
613
212
33
48
17
16
116
17
61
28
19
46
502
367

Percent of probation supervisions terminating with—
Technical violationsa
Administrative
No violation Drug use Fugitive status Other New crimeb case closures
90.2%
0.1%
<0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
9.5%
88.2%
0.1%
<0.1%
0.1%
<0.1%
11.5%
71.9
0.7
...
...
0.7%
26.6
50.0
...
...
...
7.1
42.9
76.5
...
...
...
...
23.5
59.5
...
...
...
...
40.5
86.2
3.4
...
...
...
10.3
^
...
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
^
91.6
<0.1
<0.1
0.1
0.1
8.2
91.8
...
<0.1
0.1
0.1
7.9
93.6
...
...
...
...
6.4
91.7
...
0.1%
0.2
0.1
8.0
91.7
...
...
...
...
8.3
91.1
...
...
...
0.6
8.4
90.5
0.2
...
...
...
9.4
71.4
...
...
...
...
28.6
91.3
0.2
...
...
...
8.5
^
...
...
...
...
^
82.4
...
...
...
...
17.6
93.3
...
...
...
...
6.7
^
...
...
...
...
^
80.7
0.1
...
...
...
19.2
80.1
...
...
...
...
19.9
82.9
0.3
...
...
...
16.7
92.9
...
...
0.1
...
7.0
97.0
...
...
...
...
3.0
^
...
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
...
95.5
...
...
...
...
4.5
97.1
...
...
...
...
2.9
^
...
...
...
...
^
100
...
...
...
...
...
100
...
...
...
...
...
100
...
...
...
...
...
96.8
...
...
...
...
3.2
90.2
...
...
0.2
...
9.7
93.6
...
...
...
...
6.4
93.9
...
...
...
...
6.1
85.4
...
...
...
...
14.6
93.3
...
...
...
...
6.7
93.3
...
...
...
...
6.7
86.7
...
...
0.9
...
12.4
100
...
...
...
...
...
81.5
...
...
...
...
18.5
100
...
...
...
...
...
100
...
...
...
...
...
78.4
...
...
...
...
21.6
80.3
...
0.2
0.2
...
19.2
93.5
0.6
...
...
...
5.9

Continued on next page

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

38

■

TABLE 7.3 (continued)
Outcomes of offenders terminating probation supervision, by offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense
Misdemeanors
Fraudulent property offenses
Larceny
Drug possession
Immigration misdemeanors
Traffic
Other misdemeanors

Number of
probation
terminations
3,579
146
360
550
94
1,572
857

Percent of probation supervisions terminating with—
Technical violationsa
Administrative
No violation Drug use Fugitive status Other New crimeb case closures
93.9%
0.1%
...
0.1%
0.2%
5.7%
95.8
...
...
...
...
4.2
93.6
...
...
0.9
0.3
5.2
92.3
0.4
...
...
0.2
7.1
92.0
...
...
...
1.1
6.9
94.9
0.1
...
...
...
5.0
92.9
...
...
0.1
0.3
6.7

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses; fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of stolen
property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law violations includes tax fraud;
other felonies and other misdemeanors include unclassifiable offenses; and drug possession includes other drug misdemeanors. Details may not sum to totals due to
rounding. Offenses for 47 offenders could not be classified.
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
^Too few cases to provide a reliable estimate.
aSupervision terminated with incarceration or removal to inactive status for violation of supervision conditions other than charges for new offenses.
bSupervision terminated with incarceration or removal to inactive status after arrest for a new major or minor offense.
cExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Probation and Pretrial Services Automated Case Tracking System,
fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

39

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TABLE 7.4
Outcomes of offenders terminating probation supervision, by offender demographic characteristics, FY 2015
Offender characteristic
All offendersb
Sex
Male
Female
Race
White
Black/African American
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Native Hawaiian/Other
Pacific Islander
Two or more races
Ethnicity
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic
Age
17 or younger
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65 or older

Number of
probation
terminations
10,263

Percent terminating probation with—
Technical violationsa
No violation Drug use Fugitive status Other New crime
90.2%
0.1%
<0.1%
0.1%
0.1%

Administrative
case closures
9.5%

6,820
3,325

88.7%
93.0

0.1%
0.1

...
0.1%

0.1%
0.1

0.1%
<0.1

11.0%
6.8

6,486
2,667
391

90.9%
88.5
80.9

0.1%
0.1
0.3

<0.1%
...
...

0.1%
0.1
0.9

<0.1%
0.1
0.6

8.9%
11.1
17.2

...
...

...
...

...
...

...
...

4.7
8.6

348
99

95.3
91.4

1,900
7,951

90.3%
89.9

0.1%
0.1

0.1%
<0.1

...
0.1%

0.1%
0.1

9.5%
9.8

17
102
918
1,388
1,324
1,206
1,102
995
843
702
529
586

100%
95.3
92.2
94.0
92.6
90.5
91.4
91.3
92.3
89.6
91.5
89.1

...
...
0.6%
...
...
0.3
0.1
...
...
...
...
...

...
...
...
0.1%
...
...
0.1
...
...
...
...
...

...
...
...
0.2%
0.2
0.3
...
...
0.1
...
0.2
...

...
...
0.6%
...
0.1
0.1
...
...
...
0.1
...
0.2

...
4.7%
6.7
5.7
7.2
8.9
8.4
8.7
7.6
10.2
8.3
10.7

Note: Details may not sum to totals due to rounding. Data were missing for the following: sex (272), race (272), ethnicity (412), and age (551).
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
a Violation of supervision conditions other than charges for new offenses.
bTotal includes offenders whose characteristics could not be determined.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Probation and Pretrial Services Automated Case Tracking
System, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

40

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TABLE 7.5
Outcomes of offenders terminating supervised release, by offense, FY 2015
Number of
Percent of supervised releases terminating with—
supervised
Technical violationsa
release
Administrative
Most serious offense
terminations No violation Drug use Fugitive status Other New crimeb case closures
All offenses
46,400
86.0%
0.2%
0.1%
0.2%
0.3%
13.2%
Felonies
45,839
86.0%
0.2%
0.1%
0.2%
0.3%
13.3%
Violent offenses
2,847
79.1
0.4
0.2
0.5
0.3
19.5
Murder
277
78.2
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
19.5
Assault
600
78.3
...
0.3
0.6
...
20.8
Robbery
1,528
78.7
0.6
0.1
0.3
0.4
20.0
Sexual abuse
383
82.4
...
0.4
1.2
0.4
15.5
Kidnapping
37
81.3
...
...
3.1
...
15.6
Threats against the President
22
76.9
...
...
...
...
23.1
Property offenses
8,019
90.5
0.1
<0.1
0.1
0.2
9.0
Fraudulent
6,916
91.1
0.1
<0.1
0.1
0.1
8.5
Embezzlement
335
93.7
...
...
...
0.3
6.0
Fraud
5,805
91.5
0.1
<0.1
0.1
0.1
8.2
Forgery
15
76.9
...
...
...
...
23.1
Counterfeiting
761
87.1
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
12.1
Other
1,103
86.0
0.4
0.1
0.4
0.4
12.8
Burglary
72
92.9
...
...
...
...
7.1
Larceny
686
85.6
0.4
0.2
...
0.4
13.4
Motor-vehicle theft
103
83.1
...
...
1.2
...
15.7
Arson/explosives
125
84.1
1.1
...
1.1
1.1
12.5
Transportation of stolen property
94
91.3
...
...
...
...
8.8
Other property offenses
23
81.3
...
...
6.3
...
12.5
Drug offenses
21,303
87.0
0.2
0.1
0.2
0.2
12.3
Trafficking
16,405
86.8
0.3
0.1
0.2
0.2
12.4
Possession/other drug offenses
4,898
87.5
0.2
...
0.2
0.3
11.9
Public-order offenses
3,488
85.0
0.2
<0.1
0.6
0.3
13.8
Regulatory
551
93.8
...
...
...
...
6.2
Agriculture
0
...
...
...
...
...
...
Antitrust
2
^
...
...
...
...
...
Food/drug
7
^
...
...
...
...
...
Transportation
44
95.0
...
...
...
...
5.0
Civil rights
49
94.4
...
...
...
...
5.6
Communications
11
90.0
...
...
...
...
10.0
Customs laws
74
90.2
...
...
...
...
9.8
Postal laws
10
^
...
...
...
...
^
Other regulatory offenses
354
94.4
...
...
...
...
5.6
Other
2,937
83.1
0.2
<0.1
0.8
0.3
15.6
Tax-law violations
295
93.8
...
...
...
...
6.3
Bribery
109
94.3
...
...
...
...
5.7
Perjury/contempt/intimidation
129
91.4
...
...
...
...
8.6
National defense
65
90.2
...
...
...
2.0
7.8
Escape
195
80.9
...
...
...
...
19.1
Racketeering/extortion
763
88.0
0.2
...
0.5
0.3
11.1
Gambling
3
^
...
...
...
...
...
Other sex offensesc
1,235
70.4
0.5
0.1
1.8
0.5
26.6
Wildlife
13
90.9
...
...
...
...
9.1
Environmental
15
91.7
...
...
...
...
8.3
All other felonies
115
91.8
...
...
1.2
...
7.1
Weapons offenses
7,951
81.0
0.3
0.1
0.3
0.4
18.0
Immigration offenses
2,231
83.0
...
0.1
0.1
0.2
16.7

Continued on next page

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

41

■

TABLE 7.5 (continued)
Outcomes of offenders terminating supervised release, by offense, FY 2015

Most serious offense
Misdemeanors
Fraudulent property offenses
Larceny
Drug possession
Immigration misdemeanors
Traffic
Other misdemeanors

Number of
Percent of supervised releases terminating with—
supervised
Technical violationsa
release
Administrative
terminations No violation Drug use Fugitive status Other New crimeb case closures
500
90.9%
0.2%
...
0.2%
...
8.6%
44
97.6
...
...
...
...
2.4
62
93.2
...
...
...
...
6.8
120
88.5
...
...
...
...
11.5
9
^
...
...
...
...
...
73
88.1
...
...
...
...
11.9
192
90.5
0.6
...
0.6
...
8.3

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses; fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of
stolen property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law violations includes
tax fraud; other felonies and other misdemeanors include other unclassifiable offenses; and drug possession includes other drug misdemeanors. Details may not
sum to totals due to rounding. Offenses for 61 offenders could not be classified.
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
^Too few cases to provide a reliable estimate.
aSupervision terminated with incarceration or removal to inactive status for violation of supervision conditions other than charges for new offenses.
bSupervision terminated with incarceration or removal to inactive status after arrest for a new major or minor offense.
cExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Probation and Pretrial Services Automated Case Tracking
System, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

42

■

TABLE 7.6
Outcomes of offenders terminating supervised release, by offender demographic characteristics, FY 2015
Offender characteristic
All offendersc
Sex
Male
Female
Race
White
Black/African American
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Native Hawaiian/Other
Pacific Islander
Two or more races
Ethnicity
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic
Age
17 or younger
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65 or older

Percent terminating supervised release with—
Technical violationsa
Administrative
No violation Drug use Fugitive status Other New crimeb case closures
86.0%
0.2%
0.1%
0.2%
0.3%
13.2%

Number of
released
terminations
46,400

Total
100%

39,411
6,989

100%
100%

85.0%
91.0

0.2%
0.2

0.1%
0.1

0.3%
0.2

0.3%
0.1

14.2%
8.4

25,995
17,018
1,989

100%
100%
100%

86.7%
85.0
79.4

0.2%
0.3
0.1

<0.1%
0.1
0.4

0.2%
0.2
0.9

0.2%
0.4
0.3

12.6%
14.2
18.8

1,010
163

100%
100%

92.9
89.9

0.2
0.7

...
...

...
...

...
...

6.8
9.4

11,273
34,486

100%
100%

85.7%
86.1

0.1%
0.2

<0.1%
0.1

0.1%
0.3

0.2%
0.3

13.8%
13.0

2
17
1,545
4,718
6,862
7,249
6,117
4,564
3,660
2,380
1,457
1,577

100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%

^
18.2%
74.3
83.9
86.5
89.2
91.3
91.5
91.4
92.2
90.7
88.0

...
9.1%
0.4
0.7
0.3
0.2
0.3
0.3
0.1
<0.1
0.2
...

...
9.1%
...
0.1
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
<0.1
...
...
...

...
...
0.6%
0.6
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.2

...
...
0.2%
0.8
0.5
0.4
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
...

...
63.6%
24.5
14.0
12.1
9.9
8.0
7.8
8.1
7.3
9.0
11.8

Note: Details may not sum to totals due to rounding. Data were missing for the following: race (225), ethnicity (641), and age (6,252).
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
^Too few cases to provide a reliable estimate.
aSupervision terminated with incarceration or removal to inactive status for violation of supervision conditions other than charges for new offenses.
bSupervision terminated with incarceration or removal to inactive status after arrest for a new major or minor offense.
cTotal includes offenders whose characteristics could not be determined.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Probation and Pretrial Services Automated Case Tracking System,
fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

43

■

TABLE 7.7
Outcomes of offenders terminating parole, by offense, FY 2015
Number
of parole
Most serious offense
terminations
All offenses
509
Felonies
504
Violent offenses
263
Murder
82
Assault
28
Robbery
74
Sexual abuse
68
Kidnapping
11
Threats against the President
0
Property offenses
46
Fraudulent
10
Embezzlement
0
Fraud
8
Forgery
0
Counterfeiting
2
Other
36
Burglary
10
Larceny
16
Motor-vehicle theft
2
Arson/explosives
2
Transportation of stolen property
5
Other property offenses
1
Drug offenses
90
Trafficking
67
Possession/other drug offenses
23
Public-order offenses
75
Regulatory
5
Agriculture
0
Antitrust
0
Food/drug
1
Transportation
0
Civil rights
2
Communications
0
Customs laws
0
Postal laws
0
Other regulatory offenses
2
Other
70
Tax-law violations
1
Bribery
0
Perjury/contempt/intimidation
2
National defense
4
Escape
4
Racketeering/extortion
15
Gambling
0
Other sex offensesc
44
Wildlife
0
Environmental
0
All other felonies
0
Weapons offenses
29
Immigration offenses
1

Total
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%

Percent of parolees terminating with—
Technical violationsa
Administrative
No violation Drug use Fugitive status
Other New crimeb case closures
83.3%
0.2%
...
0.2%
...
16.3%
83.1%
0.2%
...
0.2%
...
16.5%
82.7
...
...
...
...
17.3
78.9
...
...
...
...
21.1
80.8
...
...
...
...
19.2
79.4
...
...
...
...
20.6
90.8
...
...
...
...
9.2
87.5
...
...
...
...
12.5
...
...
...
...
...
...
81.8
...
...
...
...
18.2
...
^
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
...
76.5
...
...
...
...
23.5
^
...
...
...
...
^
86.7
...
...
...
...
13.3
^
...
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
^
^
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
...
^
83.1
1.2
...
1.2
...
14.5
80.6
...
...
1.6
...
17.7
90.5
4.8
...
...
...
4.8
85.9
...
...
...
...
14.1
^
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
...
86.4
...
...
...
...
13.6
^
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
^
71.4
...
...
...
...
28.6
...
...
...
...
...
...
90.2
...
...
...
...
9.8
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
80.0
...
...
...
...
20.0
^
...
...
...
...
...

Continued on next page
Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

44

■

TABLE 7.7 (continued)
Outcomes of offenders terminating parole, by offense, FY 2015
Most serious offense
Misdemeanors
Fraudulent property offenses
Larceny
Drug possession
Immigration misdemeanors
Traffic
Other misdemeanors

Number
of parole
terminations
5
0
1
1
0
0
3

Total
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%

Percent of parolees terminating with—
Technical violationsa
Administrative
No violation Drug use Fugitive status
Other New crimeb case closures
^
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
^
...
...
...
...
...

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses; fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of stolen
property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law violations includes tax fraud; other
felonies and other misdemeanors include unclassifiable offenses; and drug possession includes other drug misdemeanors. Details may not sum to totals due to rounding.
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
^Too few cases to provide a reliable estimate.
aSupervision terminated with incarceration or removal to inactive status for violation of supervision conditions other than charges for new offenses.
bSupervision terminated with incarceration or removal to inactive status after arrest for a new major or minor offense.
cExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Probation and Pretrial Services Automated Case Tracking System,
fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

45

■

TABLE 7.8
Outcomes of offenders terminating parole, by offender demographic characteristics, FY 2015
Offender characteristic
All offendersc
Sex
Male
Female
Race
White
Black/African American
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Native Hawaiian/Other
Pacific Islander
Two or more races
Ethnicity
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic
Age
17 or younger
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65 or older

Number
of parole
terminations
509

Total No violation
100%
83.3%

Percent terminating parole with—
Technical violationsa
Administrative
Drug use Fugitive status Other New crimeb case closures
0.2%
...
0.2%
...
16.3%

497
12

100%
100%

83.3%
83.3

0.2%
...

...
...

0.2%
...

...
...

16.3%
16.7

203
286
11

100%
100%
100%

86.0%
80.4
90.0

...
0.4%
...

...
...
...

...
0.4%
...

...
...
...

14.0%
18.8
10.0

2
1

100%
100%

^
^

...
...

...
...

...
...

...
...

...
...

49
440

100%
100%

80.9%
83.0

...
0.2%

...
...

...
0.2%

...
...

19.1%
16.5

0
0
20
59
25
39
43
34
51
51
55
72

100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%

...
...
88.9%
96.4
92.0
91.2
95.2
80.6
82.2
77.8
78.0
76.1

...
...
...
...
...
...
...
3.2%
...
...
...
...

...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...

...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
2.2%
...
...

...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...

...
...
11.1%
3.6
8.0
8.8
4.8
16.1
17.8
20.0
22.0
23.9

Note: Details may not sum to totals due to rounding. Data were missing for the following: race (6), ethnicity (20), and age (60).
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
^Too few cases to provide a reliable estimate.
aViolation of supervision conditions other than charges for new offenses.
bSupervision terminated with incarceration or removal to inactive status after arrest for a new major or minor offense.
cTotal includes offenders whose characteristics could not be determined.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, Probation and Pretrial Services Automated Case Tracking System,
fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

46

■

Federal imprisonment
TABLE 8.1
Admissions and releases of federal prisoners, by offense, FY 2015

Most serious offense
All prisoners
Violent offenses
Murder/manslaughter
Assault
Robbery
Sexual abuse
Kidnapping
Threats against the President
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Embezzlement
Fraud
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Other
Burglary
Larceny
Motor-vehicle theft
Arson/explosives
Transportation of stolen
property
Other property offenses
Drug offenses
Trafficking
Possession/other drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Other
Tax-law violations
Bribery
Perjury/contempt/
intimidation
National defense
Escape
Racketeering/extortion
Gambling
Liquor
Other sex offensesb
Traffic
Wildlife
Environmental
All other offenses
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses

Population
at start
of year
196,779
11,304
1,379
1,272
6,660
1,174
780
39
12,394
10,579
179
9,811
104
485
1,815
158
739
97
177

Prisoners admitted
to district court
1 year More than
or less 1 year
All othera
12,579
42,298
10,171
106
1,428
996
2
102
88
85
383
260
10
731
510
6
143
118
0
57
14
3
12
6
977
4,308
1,284
775
3,716
940
24
52
7
709
3,461
721
2
24
34
40
179
178
202
592
344
8
49
40
153
334
181
16
15
26
1
33
15

First release
Population Net
1 year More than
at end
population
or less 1 year
All othera of year
change
14,235
47,996
11,383
188,213
-8,566
130
1,657
1,108
10,939
-365
4
84
116
1,367
-12
99
382
292
1,227
-45
14
1,000
540
6,357
-303
11
144
136
1,150
-24
0
36
16
799
19
2
11
8
39
0
1,202
4,571
1,481
11,709
-685
981
3,963
1,069
9,997
-582
28
86
13
135
-44
890
3,603
839
9,370
-441
7
52
41
64
-40
56
222
176
428
-57
221
608
412
1,712
-103
4
51
45
155
-3
167
286
206
748
9
20
20
36
78
-19
3
44
18
161
-16

107
537
98,022
97,392
630
21,971
2,945
19,026
478
76

10
14
2,097
529
1,568
546
180
366
90
2

31
130
16,750
16,738
12
5,506
1,077
4,429
223
34

8
74
3,918
3,888
30
1,011
144
867
19
0

9
18
2,280
623
1,657
603
192
411
79
8

46
161
20,599
20,595
4
4,405
997
3,408
239
30

11
96
4,415
4,377
38
1,025
150
875
10
0

90
480
93,493
92,952
541
23,001
3,007
19,994
482
74

-17
-57
-4,529
-4,440
-89
1,030
62
968
4
-2

82
206
74
6,196
0
2
11,165
63
4
17
663
31,120
20,957

19
1
53
66
0
0
22
71
5
7
30
144
8,586

39
46
291
1,309
0
0
2,161
5
2
0
319
5,567
8,434

12
8
131
148
0
0
272
43
2
1
231
2,108
766

22
2
56
86
0
0
17
94
3
7
37
187
9,694

39
32
88
1,069
0
0
1,515
10
4
8
374
5,977
10,561

14
10
138
167
0
0
264
48
0
2
222
2,269
982

77
217
267
6,397
0
2
11,824
30
6
8
610
30,506
17,506

-5
11
193
201
0
0
659
-33
2
-9
-53
-614
-3,451

Note: An offense category could not be determined for 516 prisoners admitted in fiscal year 2015, 468 prisoners released in fiscal year 2015, 1,011 prisoners at the start
of fiscal year 2015, and 1,059 prisoners at the end of fiscal year 2015. Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses; fraud
excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of stolen property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property
and trespassing; tax-law violations includes tax fraud; and all other offenses includes unclassifiable offenses.
aIncludes individuals who had a missing sentence or an admission code of other than U.S. district court commitment.
bExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, SENTRY database, fiscal year 2015.

TABLE 8.2
Demographic characteristics of offenders in the federal prison
population, FY 2015
Offender characteristic
All prisoners
Sex
Male
Female
Race
White
Black/African American
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
Ethnicity
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic
Age
17 or younger
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65 or older
Citizenship
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S. citizen

Number
188,213

Percent
100%

175,449
12,764

93.2%
6.8

113,010
68,894
3,599
2,710

60.0%
36.6
1.9
1.4

64,259
123,954

34.1%
65.9

9
235
7,674
21,502
32,572
36,012
30,276
22,408
16,102
10,272
5,903
5,248

<0.1%
0.1
4.1
11.4
17.3
19.1
16.1
11.9
8.6
5.5
3.1
2.8

145,641
42,553

77.4%
22.6

Note: Federal offender populations are shown as of September 30, 2015. Includes
only the prison populations for whom characteristics are known. Details may not
sum to totals due to rounding. Citizenship was missing for 19 offenders.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Federal Bureau of
Prisons, SENTRY database, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

48

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TABLE 8.3
Average time to first release and percent of sentence served for federal prisoners released by standard methods, FY 2015
Most serious original offense of conviction
All prisonersb
Violent offenses
Murder
Assault
Robbery
Sexual abuse
Kidnapping
Threats against the President
Property offenses
Fraudulent
Embezzlement
Fraud
Forgery
Counterfeiting
Other
Burglary
Larceny
Motor-vehicle theft
Arson/explosives
Transportation of stolen property
Other property offenses
Drug offenses
Trafficking
Possession/other drug offenses
Public-order offenses
Regulatory
Other
Tax-law violations
Bribery
Perjury
National defense
Escape
Racketeering/extortion
Gambling
Liquor offenses
Other sex offensesc
Traffic
Wildlife
Environmental
All other offenses
Weapons offenses
Immigration offenses

Number of
prisoners releaseda
56,024
1,739
82
476
983
151
34
13
5,180
4,397
111
3,973
56
257
783
53
423
37
46
48
176
17,988
16,328
1,660
4,544
1,061
3,483
301
34
60
32
142
1,021
0
0
1,362
104
7
15
405
6,015
20,203

Mean time served
39.9 mos.
73.2 mos.
77.3
36.4
90.4
67.2
125.3
25.1
25.4 mos.
25.2
17.7
25.6
22.0
22.5
26.3
35.9
16.3
21.5
58.7
29.1
39.4
58.2 mos.
63.5
6.2
42.1 mos.
26.8
46.8
18.0
21.5
19.5
61.0
16.6
56.4
...
...
62.1
4.2
^
11.8
21.4
60.3 mos.
18.1 mos.

Median time served
26.1 mos.
52.3 mos.
45.9
27.4
69.7
42.6
112.4
15.7
20.9 mos.
20.9
13.9
20.9
19.9
18.3
15.7
28.8
10.5
6.0
52.2
23.5
31.3
43.0 mos.
52.2
5.9
29.6 mos.
20.8
33.1
13.9
16.7
11.9
42.0
11.3
39.9
...
...
57.3
1.5
^
10.4
20.8
52.0 mos.
12.0 mos.

Percent of
sentence served
88.0%
89.1%
88.3
89.5
89.1
88.5
88.2
91.1
87.7%
87.6
87.3
87.5
88.3
88.4
88.3
89.3
87.7
88.6
89.2
87.8
88.9
87.9%
87.9
^
87.6%
87.6
87.6
87.2
87.3
88.4
87.6
90.0
87.4
...
...
87.4
^
^
^
88.0
88.8%
88.0%

Note: Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter; sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses; fraud excludes tax fraud; larceny excludes transportation of stolen
property; other property offenses excludes fraudulent property offenses and includes destruction of property and trespassing; tax-law violations includes tax fraud; and
all other offenses includes unclassifiable offenses. Total includes 355 prisoners whose offense was unclassifiable or was not a violation of U.S. Code. Standard release
methods include expiration of sentence full-term, expiration of sentence with good time, full-term release, good-conduct time release, mandatory release, mandatory
parole, and parole.
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
^Too few cases to provide a reliable estimate.
aExcludes 6,207 prisoners who left federal prison by extraordinary means, such as death, sentence commutation, and treaty transfer.
bIncludes only those cases where the sentence length is more than one year.
cExcludes sexual abuse. See Terms and definitions.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, SENTRY database, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

49

■

TABLE 8.4
Demographic characteristics of offenders first released from prison, by offense, FY 2015
Offender characteristic
Number of releases
Sex
Male
Female
Race
White
Black/African American
American Indian/Alaska Native
Asian/Native Hawaiian/Other
Pacific Islander
Ethnicity
Hispanic
Non-Hispanic
Age
17 or younger
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65 or older
Citizenship
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S. citizen

Total number
of released
offenders
62,231

Percent of released offenders convicted of—
Property
offenses
Public-order offenses Weapons Immigration
All
Violent
Drug
offenses offenses Fraudulent Other offenses Regulatory Other offenses offenses
62,231
1,787
4,944
829
22,879
1,189
3,819
6,164
20,255

56,452
5,751

90.8%
9.2

91.9%
8.1

74.7%
25.3

77.8%
22.2

88.4%
11.6

75.7%
24.3

91.3%
8.7

97.1%
2.9

96.7%
3.3

46,646
13,612
1,014

75.0%
21.9
1.6

43.3%
28.6
26.8

64.6%
30.3
0.6

65.6%
25.0
6.4

67.8%
29.6
0.9

74.3%
20.0
1.2

76.0%
18.5
2.6

44.0%
53.5
1.4

98.3%
1.5
0.1

1.5

1.3

4.5

3.0

1.7

4.5

2.8

1.1

0.1

34,054
28,149

54.7%
45.3

9.9%
90.1

23.0%
77.0

13.6%
86.4

48.1%
51.9

22.8%
77.2

17.0%
83.0

18.4%
81.6

96.2%
3.8

9
315
4,396
8,780
11,404
11,206
9,255
6,475
4,554
2,877
1,503
1,428

<0.1%
0.5
7.1
14.1
18.3
18.0
14.9
10.4
7.3
4.6
2.4
2.3

0.1%
0.6
10.1
14.3
14.1
14.1
11.9
10.7
10.1
7.0
3.3
3.7

...
0.1%
3.9
10.4
13.4
15.0
15.1
13.1
10.6
7.8
5.1
5.4

...
0.5%
8.6
10.9
13.4
12.9
10.4
10.6
10.7
9.2
6.5
6.4

<0.1%
0.7
8.0
13.7
18.3
18.9
14.7
10.0
7.0
4.5
2.3
2.0

0.1%
0.4
4.5
7.1
9.6
15.1
14.0
14.5
12.3
9.9
6.4
6.1

...
0.1%
4.1
9.9
13.3
12.4
12.9
12.1
11.5
9.1
6.3
8.3

<0.1%
0.1
6.8
18.5
24.0
19.3
12.4
7.5
5.1
3.3
1.5
1.4

<0.1%
0.5
7.3
15.5
20.1
19.3
16.7
10.4
6.0
2.8
0.9
0.5

33,035
29,117

53.2%
46.8

94.8%
5.2

78.2%
21.8

93.6%
6.4

67.4%
32.6

85.2%
14.8

90.1%
9.9

93.3%
6.7

4.2%
95.8

931

Note: Total includes prisoners whose offense category could not be determined. Percentages are based only on the prison populations for whom characteristics were known.
Details may not sum to totals due to rounding. Data were missing for the following: offense (365), sex (28), race (28), ethnicity (28), age (29), and citizenship (79).
...Not available. No cases of this type occurred.
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, based on data from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, SENTRY database, fiscal year 2015.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

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Methodology
Data sources
Statistics in this report are from the Federal Justice
Statistics Program (FJSP), collected by the Bureau of
Justice Statistics (BJS). The FJSP is constructed from
source files provided by the U.S. Marshals Service
(USMS), the Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA), the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys
(EOUSA), the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts
(AOUSC), the U.S. Sentencing Commission (USSC),
and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The AOUSC
provides data describing defendants in cases processed
by the federal judiciary and defendants processed
by the federal pre-trial services agencies and the
federal probation and supervision service. Federal law
prohibits the use of these files for any purpose other
than research or statistics. The table in Additional
information about the data describes the source agency
data files.
Reporting period
Wherever possible, matters or cases have been selected
according to the event that occurred during fiscal year
(FY) 2015 (October 1, 2014 through September 30,
2015). Files, which are organized by their source
agencies according to fiscal year, nonetheless
include some pertinent records in earlier years’
files. Tabulations of suspects in matters concluded
during FY 2015 have been assembled from source
files containing records of 2015 matters concluded,
which were entered into the data system during
FY 2014 or FY 2015.
The availability of particular items of information
varies by data source. Data on prosecutors’ decisions
prior to court filing are provided for cases investigated
by U.S. attorneys but not for cases handled by other
litigating divisions of the U.S. Department of Justice
(DOJ). Cases handled by DOJ litigating divisions enter
the database once they are filed in U.S. district court.
Table construction
Generally, the tables include both individual and
organizational defendants. Organizational defendants
are not included in tables describing defendants
sentenced to incarceration. Juvenile offenders who are
charged as adults are included in the reported statistics.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

Unit of analysis
In federal law enforcement and prosecution
(section 1) and federal pre-trial, adjudication,
sentencing, and appeals (section 2), the unit of analysis
is a combination of a person (or corporation) and a
matter or case. If the same person is involved in three
different criminal cases during the period specified in
the table, then the person is counted three times in the
tabulation. A single criminal case involving a corporate
defendant and four individual defendants is counted
five times in the tabulation. In federal corrections
and supervision (section 3), the unit of analysis is
a person entering custody or supervision, a person
leaving custody or supervision, or a person in custody
or supervision at year-end. A person who terminated
probation twice in the indicated period is counted as
two terminations of probation. For instance, probation
might be terminated because of a violation, reinstated,
and then terminated again for another violation.
Interpretation
The tables are constructed to permit the user to make
valid comparisons of numbers within each table and
to compare percentage rates across tables. The total
numbers of subjects in the tables that are based on
records linked between two files are generally less
than the total number of records in either source
file. Comparisons of absolute numbers across two or
more of these tables and other data sources are not
necessarily valid.
Offense classifications
Procedure

The offense classification procedure used in this
publication is based on the system followed by the
AOUSC. Specific offenses are combined to form the
BJS categories shown in this report.
Offense categories for federal arrestees are based on
the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Crime
Information Center offense classifications, which are
converted into the USMS’s four-digit offense codes
and are aggregated into standard offense categories
shown in the tables. These categories are similar but
may not be directly comparable to the BJS offense
categories used in other tables for 2015. For data from
the EOUSA—which include U.S. Code citations but
exclude the AOUSC offense classifications—U.S. Code
titles and sections are translated into the AOUSC
classification system then aggregated into the offense
categories used in the tables.

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Distinction between felonies and misdemeanors
Distinctions between felony and misdemeanor offenses
are provided where possible. Felony offenses have a
maximum penalty of more than one year in prison.
Misdemeanor offenses have a maximum penalty of up
to one year. Felonies and misdemeanors are further
classified by the maximum term of imprisonment
authorized. In 18 U.S.C. § 3559, offenses are classified
according to the following schedule:
Felonies

ƒƒ
Class A felony—life imprisonment or penalty
of death
ƒƒ
Class B felony—25 years or more
ƒƒ
Class C felony—less than 25 years but more than
10 years
ƒƒ
Class D felony—less than 10 years but more than
5 years
ƒƒ
Class E felony—less than 5 years but more than
one year.
Misdemeanors

ƒƒ
Class A misdemeanor—one year or less but more
than 6 months

In the prosecution tables, the most serious offense is
based on the criminal lead charge determined by the
assistant U.S. attorney responsible for the criminal
proceeding. In pre-trial tables, the major charged
offense is based on the AOUSC’s offense-severity
classification system, as determined by the pre-trial
officer responsible for the case. To select this offense,
the officer ranks offenses according to severity based
on maximum imprisonment, type of crime, and
maximum fines. In adjudication tables, the most
serious offense charged is the one with the most severe
potential sentence. For sentencing tables, conviction
offenses are based on statutory maximum penalties. In
appeals tables, the offenses are classified by the offense
of conviction. In the supervision tables, the most
serious offense of conviction is either the one with the
longest sentence imposed or, if equal sentences were
imposed or there was no imprisonment, the offense
carrying the highest severity code as determined by the
AOUSC’s offense-severity code ranking.
Offense categories

For offense categories in all text tables, the following
conditions apply:
ƒƒ
Murder includes non-negligent manslaughter.

ƒƒ
Class B misdemeanor—6 months or less but more
than 30 days

ƒƒ
Sexual abuse includes only violent sex offenses.

ƒƒ
Class C misdemeanor—30 days or less but more
than 5 days

ƒƒ
Larceny excludes transportation of stolen property.

ƒƒ
Infraction—5 days or less, or no imprisonment
is authorized.

ƒƒ
Fraud excludes tax fraud.
ƒƒ
Other property felonies excludes fraudulent
property offenses and includes destruction of
property and trespass.

Felony and misdemeanor distinctions are provided
when the data are available. Arrest and prosecution
tables do not distinguish between felonies and
misdemeanors because many suspects’ offenses cannot
be classified at the arrest and investigation stages in the
criminal justice process. This distinction is not made
for pre-trial release or detention because the Pretrial
Services Agency no longer gathers this information.
Adjudication, sentencing, and supervision tables
distinguish between felony and misdemeanor offenses.

ƒƒ
Tax-law violations includes tax fraud.

Determining the most serious offense

ƒƒ
All other offenses includes felonies with unknown
or unclassifiable offense type.

Where more than one offense is charged or
adjudicated, the most serious offense (i.e., the one that
could or did result in the most severe sentence) is used
to classify offenses. The offense description may change
during the criminal justice process. Tables indicate
whether investigated, charged, or adjudicated offenses
are used.
Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

ƒƒ
Other sex offenses denotes non-violent sex offenses
or the mail or transport of obscene material.
ƒƒ
Wildlife offenses was amended in 2002 to include
offenses previously included in the “Migratory
birds” category.
ƒƒ
Environmental offenses was amended in 2002 to
include some offenses previously included in the
“Agriculture” and “Other Regulatory” categories.

ƒƒ
Misdemeanors includes misdemeanors, petty
offenses, and unknown offense levels.
ƒƒ
Drug possession includes other
drug misdemeanors.

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Additional information about the data
The U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement
Administration, the Executive Office for
U.S. Attorneys, the Administrative Office of the
U.S. Courts, the U.S. Sentencing Commission, and
the Federal Bureau of Prisons each report on cases
processed during a given year in an annual statistical
report. These reports are often not comparable
across agencies due to the varying methods used by
the agencies to report case-processing activities. An
interagency working group headed by the Bureau of
Justice Statistics (BJS) found differences in the caseprocessing statistics that can be attributed, in part, to
the different needs and missions of the agencies:
ƒƒ
The universe of cases reported during a given period
differed, as some agencies report on case-processing
events that occurred during a particular period,
whereas other agencies report on events recorded
during a particular period.
ƒƒ
Many of the commonly used case-processing
statistics—suspect or defendant processed, offense
committed, case disposed, and sentence imposed—
are defined differently across agencies.
BJS, through its Federal Justice Statistics Program
(FJSP), has recognized the incomparability of these
annual statistical reports and has attempted to
reconcile many of the differences identified by the
working group. By combining databases from several
years, BJS is able to report on those cases that actually
occurred during the reporting period. Commonly used
case-processing statistics are made comparable across
stages by applying uniform definitions to data obtained
from each agency. Because definitions in the FJSP are

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

consistent with categories in BJS programs describing
state defendants convicted, sentenced, or imprisoned,
comparisons can be made between federal and state
case-processing statistics.
Notes to reader
These tables were constructed to permit valid
comparisons within each table and to allow the reader
to compare percentages (but not raw totals) across
tables. It should be understood, however, that the total
number of subjects or defendants shown in a particular
table may not equal the number of subjects or
defendants involved in a particular stage of processing.
Some records could not be linked, and some data
sources did not include information on particular data
elements classified in a particular table. Data notes
indicate the exact universe for individual tables.
This report is a statistical presentation of federal
criminal justice information with limited analyses of
trends or explanatory factors underlying the statistics.
Analyses of federal justice statistics may be found in
special reports and other publications, some of which
are cited in these tables. To assess changing patterns
in these tables, the reader may need to examine in
detail subcategories not shown in the tabulations or
may need some knowledge of legislation or federal
agency procedures.

53

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Data source agency

Contents of data files

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 –
Statistical Tables

Arrest:
Tables 1.1, 1.2, 1.3
Map 1.1
Warrant:
Tables 1.5, 1.6
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)—
Contains data on suspects arrested by DEA
Arrest:
Defendant Statistical System
agents, both within and outside the continental Table 1.4
U.S. Data include information on characteristics
of arrestees, type of drug for which they were
arrested, and the type and number of weapons
possessed at the time of arrest.
Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys—National Legal Contains information on the investigation and
Prosecution:
Information Office Network System
prosecution of suspects in criminal matters
Tables 2.1, 2.2, 2.3
received and concluded, criminal cases filed
Map 2.1
and terminated, and criminal appeals filed and
handled by U.S. attorneys. The central system
files contain defendant-level records about the
processing of matters and cases. The central
charge files contain the records of the charges
filed and disposed in criminal cases. Data are
available on matters and cases filed, pending,
and terminated.
Pre-trial release:
Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC):
Contains data on defendants interviewed,
Pretrial Services Agency—Probation and Pretrial
investigated, or supervised by pre-trial services. Tables 3.1, 3.2, 3.3
Adjudication:
Services Automated Case Tracking System
The information covers defendants’ pre-trial
hearings, detentions, and releases from the time Table 4.4 (defendant characteristics)
they are interviewed through the disposition of Map 3.1
Sentencing:
their cases in U.S. district court. Data describe
Tables 5.3, 5.4 (defendant characteristics)
pre-trial defendants processed by federal
pre-trial service agencies within each district.
Defendants who received pre-trial services
through a local, non-federal agency, such as the
District of Columbia, are not included.
Adjudication:
AOUSC—Criminal Termination Files
Contains information about the criminal
proceedings against defendants whose cases
Tables 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4
were filed in U.S. district courts. Includes
Map 4.1
information on felony defendants, Class
Sentencing:
A misdemeanants—whether handled by
Tables 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4
U.S. district court judges or U.S. magistrates—
Map 5.1
and other misdemeanants, provided they were
handled by U.S. district court judges. Data files
cover criminal proceedings from case filing
through disposition and sentencing. Data are
available on criminal defendants in cases filed,
pending, and terminated.
U.S. Sentencing Commission (USSC)—Monitoring Contains information on criminal defendants
Adjudication:
Data Base
sentenced pursuant to the provisions of the
Table 4.4 (defendant characteristics)
Sentencing Reform Act of 1984. Data files are
Sentencing:
limited to defendants whose court records have Tables 5.3, 5.4 (defendant characteristics)
been obtained by the USSC.
Appeals:
AOUSC: Courts of Appeals
Contains information on criminal appeals filed
and terminated in U.S. courts of appeals. Records Tables 6.1, 6.2, 6.3
of appeals filed, pending, or terminated include
information on the nature of the criminal appeal,
the underlying offense, and the disposition of
the appeal.
Supervision:
AOUSC—Federal Probation and Supervision
Contains information about supervision
Tables 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8
Information System
provided by probation officers for persons
placed on probation or supervised release from
prison. The files contain records of individuals
entering or currently on supervision and records
of offenders terminating supervision.
Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)—Extract from
Data extracts contain information on all
Corrections:
BOP’s SENTRY System
offenders released from prison during a specific Tables 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4
period of time and information about offenders Map 7.1
in prison when data extracts are made. The
information covers the time from offenders’
admission to prison until their release from the
jurisdiction of the BOP.
U.S. Marshals Service—Prisoner Tracking System
—Warrant Information Network

Contains data on suspects arrested for violations
of federal law by federal enforcement agencies
and data about warrants initiated or cleared.
Data include characteristics of federal arrestees.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

54

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Terms and definitions
A
Acquittal—a jury verdict that a criminal defendant is
not guilty, or the finding of a judge that the evidence is
insufficient to support a conviction.
Administrative case closure—terminating
or closing a community supervision case for
administrative reasons, such as an offender’s long-term
hospitalization, death, deportation, incarceration in an
unrelated case, or at the administrative discretion of
the chief probation officer.
Affirmed—in the practice of the appellate court, it
means that the court of appeals has concluded that
the lower court decision is correct and will stand as
rendered by the lower court.
Agriculture violation—a violation of federal statutes
concerning agriculture and conservation. Federal
statutes related to agriculture include the Agricultural
Acts (7 U.S.C., except sections on food stamps
related to fraud); the Insecticide Act; the Packers
and Stockyards Act of 1921; laws concerning plant
quarantine and inspection; and laws that protect
animals used in research. Federal statutes related to
conservation include laws concerning soil and water
conservation and wildlife conservation.
Antitrust violation—a violation related to federal
antitrust statutes enacted by Congress that protect
trade and commerce from unlawful restraints, price
fixing, monopolies, and discrimination in pricing or in
furnishing services or facilities.
Appeal—a legal proceeding by which a case is brought
before a higher court for the review of a judgment or
decision of a lower court.
Appeals, U.S. Court of—intermediate appellate courts
in the U.S. federal court system that review the final
decisions of the district courts within their federal
judicial circuits, when challenged. U.S. courts of appeal
are higher than the U.S. district courts but lower than
the U.S. Supreme Court. There are 13 U.S. courts
of appeal in the federal system, representing the
12 judicial circuits and the federal circuit.
Appellant—the party who requests that a judicial
decision or decree be reviewed by a higher court or by
another jurisdiction.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

Appellee—the party against whom an appeal is taken
and who seeks to persuade the appeals court to affirm
the district court’s decision.
Arson—willfully or maliciously setting, or
attempting to set, fire to any property within the
special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of
the U.S. See also, explosives.
Assault—the threat, attempt, or intentional infliction
of bodily injury. Assault also includes certain violations
of the Fair Housing Act of 1968.
Assault, aggravated—the threat, attempt, or
intentional inflicting of bodily injury by means of a
deadly or dangerous weapon, with or without actual
infliction of any injury. Also, an attack without a
weapon resulting in serious injuries. Serious injury
includes broken bones, lost teeth, internal injuries, loss
of consciousness, and an injury requiring 2 days or
more of hospitalization.
Assault, simple—the threat, attempt, or intentional
inflicting of minor bodily injury without a weapon.
Minor injury includes bruises, black eyes, cuts,
scratches, swelling, and an injury requiring less than
2 days of hospitalization.

B
Bail—the temporary release, prior to trial, of a
defendant in exchange for security or money promised
for the defendant’s due appearance. Also can refer
to the amount of bond money posted as a financial
condition of pre-trial release.
Booking—a procedure following an arrest in
which information about the arrest and the suspect
are recorded.
Bribery—offering or promising anything of value
with the intent to influence a person unlawfully,
especially a public official in a position of trust. Also
includes soliciting or receiving anything of value in
consideration of aiding a person to obtain employment
with the federal government. Also, receiving or
soliciting any remuneration, directly or indirectly, in
cash or any kind, in return for purchasing, ordering,
leasing, or recommending purchasing any good,
service, or facility.
Burglary—unlawful entry and attempted unlawful
entry of any property, with or without force.

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C
Career offender—a defendant who is age 18 or older at
the time of the instant offense, if the instant offense of
conviction is a felony and if they have at least two prior
felony convictions.
Case—a judicial proceeding for the determination
of a controversy between parties wherein rights are
enforced or protected, or wrongs are prevented or
redressed, or any proceeding that is judicial in nature.
A case is a single charging document filed in a court
containing one or more charges against one or more
defendants and constituting the unit of action in court
activity following the filing. Charges in two or more
charging documents are sometimes combined, or the
charges or defendants in one charging document are
separated, for purposes of adjudication.
Civil rights violation—a violation of civil liberties
guaranteed to U.S. citizens by the Constitution and
by acts of Congress. These include the Thirteenth and
Fourteenth amendments to the Constitution and the
Civil Rights Acts enacted after the Civil War and in
1957 and 1964.
Collateral bond—an agreement made as a condition
of pre-trial release that requires the defendant to post
property valued at the full bail amount as an assurance
of his or her intention to appear at trial.
Communication violation—a violation covering areas
of communication, such as the Communications Act of
1934 (including wiretapping and wire interception). A
communication is considered a deliberate interchange
of thoughts or opinions between two or more persons.
Community confinement—residence in a community
treatment center, halfway house, restitution center,
mental-health facility, alcohol or drug rehabilitation
center, or other community facility; and participation
in gainful employment, employment search efforts,
community service, vocational training, treatment,
educational programs, or similar facility-approved
programs during non-residential hours. Community
confinement may be imposed as a condition of
probation or supervised release. Under the federal
sentencing guidelines, community confinement may
be a substitute for imprisonment on a day-to-day basis
for defendants with a guideline maximum of less than
16 months of imprisonment.
Commutation of sentence—a change of legal penalty
or punishment to a lesser one, such as having a federal

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

criminal sentence reduced by the executive clemency
of the President of the U.S.
Complaint—a written statement in which the plaintiff
details the claims against the defendant; or a formal
document submitted to the court by a prosecutor,
law enforcement officer, or other person, alleging that a
specified person or persons has committed a specified
offense or offenses and requesting prosecution.
Concurrent sentence—a sentence, such as a prison
term, to be served at the same time as another sentence
rather than one after the other. One 3-year sentence
and one 5-year sentence, if served concurrently,
result in a maximum sentence of 5 years. See also,
consecutive sentence.
Conditional release—the release of a prisoner who
has not served his or her full sentence and whose
freedom is contingent on obeying any combination
of restrictions deemed necessary to guarantee
the defendant’s appearance at trial or safeguard
the community.
Consecutive sentence—a sentence for two or
more offenses that follow one after the other. Two
3-year sentences and one 5-year sentence, if served
consecutively, result in a maximum sentence of
11 years. See also, concurrent sentence.
Conspiracy—an agreement by two or more persons to
commit or to affect the commission of an unlawful act,
or to use unlawful means to accomplish an act that is
not in itself unlawful; also, any overt act in furtherance
of the agreement. A person charged with conspiracy is
classified under the alleged substantive offense.
Continuing criminal enterprise—a felony committed
as part of a continuing series of violations, which is
undertaken by a person, in collaboration with five or
more other persons. The person occupies a position
of organizer, supervisor, or any other position of
management and obtains substantial income or
resources from this position.
Conviction—a judgment of guilt against a criminal
defendant. A conviction includes pleas of guilty
and nolo contendere and excludes final judgments
expunged by pardon, reversed, set aside, or otherwise
rendered invalid.
Corporate defendant—a business against whom
a lawsuit is filed. The defendant in a case is not an
individual person but an entity, a collection of persons,

56

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or a business or corporation. Despite not being
persons, corporations are recognized by the law to have
rights and responsibilities like natural persons.
Corporate surety—a person, persons, or entity who
has entered into a bond (or an agreement) to give
surety for another. As a condition of pre-trial release,
the defendant enters into an agreement that requires
a third party, such as a bail bondsman, to promise
the payment of the full bail amount in the event
that the defendant fails to appear in court. See also,
surety bond.
Counterfeiting—falsely making, forging, or altering
obligations with a view to deceive or defraud, by
passing the copy or thing forged as original or genuine.
Counterfeiting applies to any obligation or security
of the U.S., foreign obligation or security, coin or bar
stamped at any mint in the U.S., money order issued by
the U.S. Postal Service, domestic or foreign stamp, or
seal of any department or agency of the U.S. Includes
passing, selling, attempting to pass or sell, or bringing
into the U.S. any of the above falsely made articles.
Also, making, selling, or possessing any plates or stones
(or any instrument) used for printing counterfeit
obligations or securities of the U.S., foreign obligations
or securities, governmental transportation requests,
or postal stamps; or knowingly and intentionally
trafficking in falsified labels affixed to phone records,
motion pictures, or audio visual works.
Courts—governmental entity authorized to resolve
legal issues. Judicial power is vested pursuant to Article
III of the Constitution in the following federal courts:
the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the District of Columbia, and the U.S. District
Court for the District of Columbia. See also, Appeals,
U.S. Court of, and District court, U.S.
Criminal career—the longitudinal sequence of crimes
committed by an offender.
Criminal-history category—a quantification of the
defendant’s prior criminal record and the defendant’s
propensity to recidivate under the federal sentencing
guidelines. Guideline criminal-history categories range
from Category I (primarily first-time offenders) to
Category VI (career offenders).
Customs-law violation—a violation regarding taxes,
which are payable on goods and merchandise imported
or exported. Includes the duties, toll, tribute, or tariff
payable on merchandise exported or imported.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

D
Dangerous weapon—an instrument capable, under
certain circumstances, of causing serious injury
or death.
Deadly weapon—an instrument specifically designed
to cause serious injury or death.
Declination—a prosecutor’s decision not to file a case
in a matter received for investigation. Excluded are
immediate declinations where a prosecutor spent less
than one hour on the case.
Defendant—the party against whom a lawsuit is filed.
Departure—a sentence imposed that is outside the
applicable guideline sentencing range. A court may
depart when it finds an aggravating or mitigating
circumstance not adequately taken into consideration
by the U.S. Sentencing Commission (USSC) in
formulating the guidelines that should result in a
sentence different from that described. See also,
substantial assistance.
Deportation or treaty transfer—the act of expelling
a foreigner from a country, usually to the country
of origin, due to the commission of a crime or prior
criminal record.
Deposit bond—an agreement made by a defendant
as a condition of pre-trial release that requires the
defendant to post a fraction of the bail before they are
released to the community.
Detainer—a notification sent by a prosecutor, judge,
or other official, such as a law enforcement officer,
advising a prison official that a prisoner is wanted to
answer for criminal charges. The notification requests
the prisoner’s continued detention or notification of
the prisoner’s impending release.
Detention—the legally authorized confinement
of a person subject to criminal or juvenile court
proceedings until the point of commitment to a
correctional facility or until release. Only persons held
for 2 days or more are classified as detained.
Dismissal—the decision by a court to terminate
adjudication of all outstanding charges in a criminal
case or all outstanding charges against a given
defendant in a criminal case, thus terminating
the court action in the case and permanently or

57

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provisionally terminating court jurisdiction over the
defendant in relation to those charges. Includes nolle
prosequi and deferred prosecution.
Disposition—the action by a criminal or juvenile
justice agency signifying that a portion of the justice
process is complete and jurisdiction is terminated or
transferred to another agency; or signifying that a
decision has been reached on one aspect of a case and
that a different aspect will come under consideration,
requiring a different kind of decision.
District court, U.S.—trial courts with general federal
jurisdiction over cases involving federal laws or
offenses and actions between citizens of different states.
District of Columbia—the jurisdiction of the
U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. This
jurisdiction includes federal offenses prosecuted in
U.S. district courts and, except for tables based on data
from the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), excludes
violations of the District of Columbia Code and cases
prosecuted in the District of Columbia Superior Court.
Drug distribution—delivery (other than by
administering or dispensing) of a controlled substance.
The term “controlled substance” means any drug or
other substance, or immediate precursor, included in
schedule I, II, III, IV, or V of part B of subchapter I of
Chapter 13 (Drug Abuse, Prevention, and Control),
Title 21 (Food and Drugs) of the U.S. Code. The term
excludes distilled spirits, wine, malt beverages, and
tobacco, as those terms are defined or used in subtitle E
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
Drug offense—a violation under federal or
state laws prohibiting the manufacture, import,
export, distribution, or dispensing of a controlled
or counterfeit substance, or the possession of
a controlled or counterfeit substance with the
intent to manufacture, import, export, distribute,
or dispense the substance. Drug offenses include
using any communication facilities that cause or
facilitate a felony under Title 21 of the U.S. Code, or
furnishing fraudulent or false information concerning
prescriptions and any other unspecified drug-related
offense. See also, drug distribution, possession, and
drug trafficking.
Drug trafficking—knowingly and intentionally
importing or exporting any controlled substance in
schedule I, II, III, IV, or V (as defined by 21 U.S.C.
§ 812). Drug trafficking includes manufacturing,

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

distributing, dispensing, selling, or possessing with the
intent to manufacture, distribute, or sell a controlled
substance or a counterfeit substance. Trafficking
also includes exporting any controlled substance
in schedules I through V, and the manufacture or
distribution of a controlled substance in schedule I
or II, for the purposes of unlawful importation. Also
includes the making or distributing of any punch,
die, plate, stone, or any other instrument designed
to reproduce the label on any drug or container, or
removing or obliterating the label or symbol of any
drug or container. Knowingly opening, maintaining,
or managing any place for manufacturing, distributing,
or using any controlled substance is also considered
drug trafficking.
Dual and Successive Prosecution Policy (Petite
Policy)—prosecutorial guidelines used to determine
whether to bring federal prosecution, based
substantially on a defendant’s repetition of the same
act or transactions involved in a prior state or federal
proceeding for a defendant.

E
Embezzlement—the fraudulent appropriation of
property by a person to whom such property has been
lawfully entrusted. Includes offenses committed by
bank officers or employees; officers or employees of
the U.S. Postal Service; officers of lending, credit, or
insurance institutions; and any officer or employee of
a corporation or association engaged in commerce as
a common carrier. The fraudulent appropriations of
property by court officers of the U.S. courts and officers
or employees of the U.S. are also included. Stealing
from employment and training funds; stealing from
programs that receive federal funds and Indian tribal
organizations; and selling, conveying, or disposing of
any money, property, records, or thing of value to the
U.S. or any department thereof without authority are
also included in embezzlement.
Environmental offense—a violation of federal law
enacted to protect the environment, such as the Clean
Air Act and the Clean Water Act. Environmental
protection laws protect the safety and well-being
of communities from excessive and unnecessary
emissions of environmental pollutants.
Escape—departing or attempting to depart from
the custody of a correctional institution; a judicial,
correctional, or law enforcement officer; or a

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hospital where one is committed for drug abuse or
drug dependency treatment. Includes knowingly
advising, aiding, assisting, or procuring the escape or
attempted escape of any person from a correctional
facility, an officer, or the above-mentioned hospital;
and concealing an escapee. Also includes providing
or attempting to provide to a prisoner a prohibited
object; or making, possessing, obtaining, or attempting
to make or obtain a prohibited object. Instigating,
assisting, attempting to cause, or causing any mutiny
or riot at any federal penal, detention, or correctional
facility; or conveying into any of these institutions any
dangerous instruments are also included.
Exclusion—the rule of evidence that disallows
evidence secured by illegal means and in bad faith to
be introduced in a criminal trial.
Expiration of sentence—the completion of a
prison sentence by standard means. See also, releases
from prison.
Explosives violation—a violation of federal law
involving the importation, manufacture, distribution,
and storage of explosive material. Includes the
unlawful receipt, possession, or transportation of
explosives without a license, where prohibited by
law, or using explosives during the commission of
a felony. Also includes violations relating to dealing
in stolen explosives, using mail or other forms of
communication to threaten an individual with
explosives, and possessing explosive materials at an
airport. See also, arson.

F
Failure to appear—willful absence from any
court appointment.
Felony—a serious crime that involves a potential
punishment of one year or more in prison or a
crime punishable by death. According to 18 U.S.C.
§ 3559, felonies are classified based on the maximum
imprisonment term authorized by the law describing
the offense. The five felony classes—A, B, C, D, and E—
include life imprisonment or the maximum penalty
of death (Class A felony), 25 years or more (Class
B felony), less than 25 years but more than 10 years
(Class C felony), less than 10 years but more than
5 years (Class D felony), and less than 5 years but more
than one year (Class E felony).

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

Filing—the initiation of a criminal case in U.S. district
court by formal submission to the court of a charging
document alleging that one or more named persons
have committed one or more specified offenses.
Financial condition—the monetary condition
on which the release of a defendant before trial is
contingent, including deposit bond, surety bond, and
collateral bond. See also the specific definitions for
these bond types.
Fine—a monetary penalty imposed as punishment for
an offense.
First release—prisoners released from the BOP for
the first time after their commitment by a U.S. district
court. Excludes offenders returned to prison after their
first release to supervision.
Food and drug violation—a violation of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, including
regulations for clean and sanitary movement of
animals, adulteration or misbranding of any food
or drug, failure to transmit information about
prescription drugs, and intent to defraud and distribute
adulterated material.
Forgery—the creation or alteration of a document,
which if validly executed would constitute a legally
binding transaction, with the intent to defraud; or the
creation of an art object with intent to misrepresent the
identity of the creator. Forgery also includes making,
possessing, selling, or printing plates or stones for
counterfeiting obligations or securities, and detaching,
altering, or defacing any official device, mark,
or certificate.
Fraud—unlawfully depriving a person of his or
her property or legal rights through intentional
misrepresentation of fact or deceit, other than forgery
or counterfeiting.
Fraudulent property offense—see property
offense, fraudulent.
Fugitive—a person convicted or accused of a crime
who hides from law enforcement or escapes custody
or flees across jurisdictional lines to avoid arrest
or punishment.
Fugitive investigation—initiated on receipt of a
warrant and typically involves persons who have
violated their conditions of probation, parole, or bond

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release, and escaped prisoners. The U.S. Marshals
Service (USMS) has administrative responsibility for
all investigations involving federal fugitives.

G
Gambling offense—the unlawful making, receiving,
or wagering on a game of chance or uncertain
event, or operating, or promoting or permitting the
operation of, an unlawful game of chance or wagering
establishment. Also, the federal offense of transporting,
manufacturing, selling, possessing, or using any
gambling device in the District of Columbia or any
possession of the U.S. or within Indian country, or the
special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the U.S.,
as defined in 18 U.S.C. § 7. Federal gambling offenses
include transporting gambling devices within the
jurisdiction of the U.S., except under the authority of
the Federal Trade Commission or under the authority
of a state law that provides an exemption from these
provisions. Offenses also include transmitting wagering
information on interstate or foreign commerce,
interstate transporting of wagering paraphernalia,
importing or transporting lottery tickets, or mailing
lottery tickets or related matter.
Good-time credit—time credited based on a
prisoner’s good behavior while imprisoned that is
applied toward the prisoner’s early release. Under
the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984, two classes of
prisoners are ineligible to receive good-time credits:
(1) misdemeanants serving a term of imprisonment of
one year or less; and (2) felons serving life sentences.
All other federal prisoners receive a flat allocation of
54 days per year of sentence served; credit for a partial
year remaining at the end of the sentence is prorated.
The annual allotment does not change based on the
length of time a federal prisoner has already spent
in prison.
Guideline sentencing range—the range of
imprisonment length for a prisoner sentenced to a
federal institution based on the federal sentencing
guideline for the particular level of offense committed
and the offender’s criminal history. The federal
sentencing guideline incorporates any minimum terms
of imprisonment required by statute and the statutory
maximum term of imprisonment, where applicable.
Guilty plea—a plea in response to formal charges,
admitting that the defendant committed the offenses
as charged. A guilty plea also includes pleas of
nolo contendere.
Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

H
Hispanic—an ethnic category based on classification
by the reporting agency. Hispanic persons may be of
any race.
Home detention—a form of confinement
and supervision used as a substitute either for
imprisonment or as a condition of probation.
Except for authorized absences, home detention is a
measure in which a person is confined by authorities
to the person’s place of residence and restriction is
enforced by appropriate means of surveillance by
the probation office. Under the federal sentencing
guidelines, home detention may be a substitute for
imprisonment on a day-to-day basis for defendants
with a guideline maximum sentence of less than
16 months of imprisonment.
Homicide—see murder.

I
Immigration offense—a violation involving illegal
entry into the U.S., illegally re-entering the U.S.
after deportation, willfully failing to deport when so
ordered, willfully remaining beyond days allowed on
conditional permit, or falsely representing oneself to be
a U.S. citizen. Immigration offenses include violations
relating to provisions for special agricultural workers
and provisions relating to limitations on immigrant
status, such as employment. Also includes bringing
in or harboring any aliens not duly admitted by an
immigration officer.
Incarceration—any sentence of confinement,
including prison, jail, or other residential placements.
Indeterminate sentence—a prison sentence with a
maximum or minimum term that is not specifically
established at the time of sentencing.
Indictment—a formal charge, issued by a grand jury,
stating that there is enough evidence to justify a trial
against a defendant for allegedly committing a crime.
Indictment is used primarily for felonies.
Information—a formal charge, issued by a
governmental attorney, stating that there is enough
evidence to justify a trial against a defendant for
allegedly committing a misdemeanor. Also includes
the document filed to initiate trial proceedings at the
second step of a felony case.

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Infraction—an offense for which the maximum term
of imprisonment is 5 days or less, or an offense for
which no imprisonment is authorized, according
to 18 U.S.C. § 3559.
Initial appearance or hearing—a criminal defendant’s
first appearance before a judge or magistrate.
Instant offense—the offense of conviction and all
relevant conduct under U.S.S.G. § 1B1.3.
Intermittent sentence—a sentence to periods of
confinement interrupted by periods of freedom.
Under the federal sentencing guidelines, intermittent
confinement may be a substitute for imprisonment
for defendants with a guideline maximum of less
than 16 months of imprisonment. Each 24 hours
of intermittent confinement is credited as one day
of incarceration.

J
Jail credit—the number of days deducted from an
offender’s sentence for time spent in custody before a
prison sentence was imposed.
Jurisdictional offenses—offenses considered to be
federal crimes because of the place in which they
occurred, such as on an aircraft, or federal land or
property. Jurisdictional offenses include certain crimes
on Indian reservations, or at sea, that cannot be
classified in a more specific substantive category.
Juvenile—a person subject to juvenile court
proceedings because a statutorily defined event or
condition was alleged to have occurred while their age
was below the statutorily specified age limit of original
jurisdiction of a juvenile court. Court jurisdiction is
determined by age at the time of the event, not at the
time of judicial proceedings. The age limit defining the
legal categories “juvenile” and “adult” varies among
states and also, with respect to specified crimes, within
states. The generally applicable age limit within a
given state is most often the eighteenth birthday. In
statutes establishing the jurisdiction of criminal-trial
courts over persons younger than the standard age
for specified crimes (usually violent crimes, such
as murder or armed robbery), the age limit may be
lowered to 16 years or younger. These variations in
age factor are small enough to permit data aggregated
on the basis of the state definition of juvenile
to be comparable for many purposes. However,
each state should note its age limit in statistics for
general distribution.
Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

Juvenile delinquency—an act committed by a juvenile
for which an adult could be prosecuted in a criminal
court but for which a juvenile can be adjudicated in a
juvenile court or prosecuted in a court having criminal
jurisdiction, if the juvenile court transfers jurisdiction.

K
Kidnapping—unlawfully seizing any person as defined
in 18 U.S.C. § 1201 for ransom or reward, except
in the case of a minor seized by a parent. Includes
receiving, possessing, or disposing of any money or
other property delivered as ransom or as a reward
in connection with a kidnapping and conspiring to
kidnap any person.

L
Labor-law violation—a violation of federal laws
governing a broad spectrum of activities relating to
labor-management relations, such as the Fair Labor
Standards Act of 1938 and the Taft-Hartley Act.
Larceny—unlawful taking or attempted taking
of property, other than a motor vehicle, from the
possession of another person or entity, by stealth,
without force or deceit, and with intent to permanently
deprive the owner of the property. Excludes taking that
requires unlawful entry or force or is accomplished
by deception.
Liquor violation—a violation of Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) laws on liquor and violations of liquor
laws not cited under IRS laws. Liquor violations
include dispensing or unlawfully possessing intoxicants
in Indian country; transporting intoxicating liquors
into any state, territory, district, or possession where
sale is prohibited; shipping packages containing
unmarked and unlabeled intoxicants; and shipping
liquor by collect-on-delivery methods. Includes
knowingly delivering a liquor shipment to someone
other than to whom it has been consigned and
violating the Federal Alcohol Administration Act.
Includes violations relating to regulation of the
manufacture, sale, distribution, transportation,
possession, or use of intoxicating liquor. Includes
maintaining unlawful drinking places, advertising and
soliciting orders for intoxicating liquor, bootlegging,
operating a still, furnishing liquor to a minor or
intemperate person, using a vehicle for the illegal
transportation of liquor, drinking on a train or public

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conveyance, and all attempts to commit any of the
aforementioned acts. Excludes public drunkenness and
driving under the influence (DUI).

included is 18 U.S.C. § 929, which provides for a
5-year enhancement for the use of armor-piercing
ammunition during the commission of a crime.

M

Material witness—a person with significant
information about the subject matter of a criminal
prosecution necessary to resolve the matter.

Magistrates (U.S.), federal—judicial officers appointed
by judges of federal district courts who have many
but not all of the powers of a judge. Magistrates are
designated to hear a wide variety of motions and other
pre-trial matters in both criminal and civil cases. With
consent of the parties, magistrates may conduct civil
or misdemeanor criminal trials. Magistrates may not
preside over felony trials or over jury selection in
felony cases.
Mailing or transportation of obscene materials—a
violation of federal law relating to knowingly using the
mail for mailing obscene or crime-inciting matter, as
defined in 18 U.S.C. § 1461 and 39 U.S.C. § 3001(e).
Also includes transporting for sale or distribution,
importing, or transporting any obscene matter in
interstate or foreign commerce.
Major offense while on conditional release—
allegation, arrest, or conviction for a crime with
a minimum sentence of more than 90 days’
imprisonment or more than one year’s probation.
Mandatory release—the release of a prisoner after
confinement for a period equal to the prisoner’s full
sentence, minus any statutory good time. Federal
prisoners exiting prison on mandatory release
may still be subject to a period of post-release
community supervision.
Mandatory sentence—a sentence that includes a
minimum term of imprisonment that the sentencing
court is statutorily required to impose barring the
government’s motion of substantial assistance.
Mandatory sentencing enhancement—a form of
mandatory sentence in which the minimum term of
imprisonment is to be imposed consecutive to any
other term of imprisonment imposed. Mandatory
sentencing enhancements include 18 U.S.C. § 924(c),
which provides for a 5-year-to-lifetime enhancement
for the use of a firearm during the commission of
a crime, and 18 U.S.C. § 844(h), which provides
for a 5-year enhancement for the use of firearms or
explosives during the commission of a crime. Also

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

Matter—a potential case under review by a
U.S. attorney and on which more than one hour
is spent.
Matters concluded—matters in which a U.S. attorney
has reached a final decision. Specifically includes
matters filed as cases, matters declined after
investigation, matters referred for disposition by
U.S. magistrates, and matters otherwise terminated
without reaching court.
Migratory-birds offense—a violation of acts relating
to birds that move from one place to another in
a season. Includes taking, killing, or possessing
migratory birds, or any part, nest, or egg thereof, in
violation of federal regulations or the transportation
laws of the state, territory, or district from which the
bird was taken. Also includes the misuse or non-use of
a migratory-bird hunting and conservation stamp.
Minor offense while on conditional release—
conviction of a crime for which the maximum sentence
is incarceration for 90 days or less, probation for one
year or less, or a fine of $500 or less.
Misdemeanor—a criminal offense punishable by a jail
term not to exceed one year and any offense specifically
defined as a misdemeanor by the Administrative Office
of the U.S. Courts for the purposes of data collection.
According to 18 U.S.C. § 3559, misdemeanors are
classified in three letter grades—A, B, and C—based on
the maximum terms of imprisonment. Class A denotes
an imprisonment term of one year or less but more
than 6 months; Class B denotes an imprisonment term
of 6 months or less but more than 30 days; and Class C
denotes an imprisonment term of 30 days or less but
more than 5 days. Misdemeanor includes offenses
previously called minor offenses that were reclassified
under the Federal Magistrate Act of 1979.
Mistrial—a trial that has been terminated and declared
invalid by the court because of some circumstance that
creates a substantial and uncorrectable prejudice to
the conduct of a fair trial, or that makes it impossible
to continue the trial in accordance with prescribed
procedures. A trial may be terminated before its

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normal conclusion because of a procedural error;
statements by a witness, judge, or attorney that
prejudice a jury; a deadlock by a jury without reaching
a verdict after lengthy deliberation (or a hung jury); or
the failure to complete a trial within the time set by the
court. When a mistrial is declared, the trial must start
again with the selection of a new jury.
Mixed sentence—a sentence requiring the convicted
offender to serve a term of imprisonment, followed by
a term of probation.
Most serious offense—the offense charged that has
the greatest potential sentence, or the offense with the
greatest imposed sentence.
Motor-carrier violation—a violation of the federal
statutes relating to the Motor Carrier Act, which
regulates the routes and rates of freight motor carriers
and passenger motor carriers in interstate commerce.
Motor-vehicle theft—unlawful or attempted taking
of a self-propelled road vehicle owned by another
person or entity, with the intent to permanently or
temporarily deprive the owner of possession. Excludes
vehicle parts.
Murder—the unlawful killing of a human being with
malice aforethought that was either expressed or
implied. This offense covers committing or attempting
to commit murder (first or second degree) or
voluntary manslaughter.
Murder (criminal willful homicide)—intentionally
causing the death of another person without legal
justification, or causing the death of another while
committing or attempting to commit another crime.
Includes voluntary manslaughter.
Murder, negligent (involuntary) manslaughter—
causing the death of another person with reckless or
gross negligence but without intent to cause death,
including by reckless or grossly negligent operation of
a motor vehicle.
Murder, non-negligent (voluntary) manslaughter—
intentionally causing the death of another without
legal justification or excuse, or causing the death of
another while committing or attempting to commit
another crime.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

N
National defense violation—a violation of national
defense laws under the Military Selective Service Act;
the Defense Production Act of 1950; the Subversive
Activities Control Act; or the Economic Stabilization
Act of 1970, which includes price, rent, and wage
violations. Includes violations relating to alien
registration and treason, including espionage, sabotage,
sedition, and the Smith Act of 1940. Also includes
violations relating to energy facilities, curfew and
restricted areas, exportation of war materials, trading
with an enemy, and illegal use of uniform.
New law—federal defendants convicted and sentenced
pursuant to the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984. See
also, old law.
Nolle prosequi—Latin for “we shall no longer
prosecute.” The termination of adjudication of a
criminal charge by the prosecutor’s decision not to
pursue the case, which requires court approval in
some jurisdictions.
Nolo contendere—Latin for “I do not wish to
contend.” The statement is a defendant’s plea in a
criminal case, indicating that they will not contest the
charges, but not admit or deny guilt. A plea of nolo
contendere has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as
far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may
not be considered an admission of guilt for any other
purpose. Nolo contendere is also referred to as a plea of
“no contest.”
Non-U.S. citizen—a person who is without
U.S. citizenship, including legal aliens—resident aliens,
tourists, and refugees or asylees—and illegal aliens.
Non-jury trial—a trial in which the judge alone
decides factual and legal questions and makes the
final judgment.
Not convicted—an acquittal or a setting free by bench
or jury trial, mistrial, or dismissal, including nolle
prosequi and deferred prosecution.
Not guilty—a defendant’s formal answer in court
to the charge or charges contained in a complaint,
information, or indictment, claiming that they did not
commit the offense or offenses listed. If the defendant
refuses to plea, the court will enter a plea of not guilty.
A verdict of “not guilty” in a criminal trial means that a
defendant was acquitted of the charges.

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O
Offense—a violation of U.S. criminal law. Where
more than one offense is charged, the offense with the
greatest potential penalty is reported.
Offense level—a quantification of the relative
seriousness of the offense of conviction and any
offense-specific aggravating or mitigating factors.
Guideline offense levels range from level 1 (the least
serious offense) to level 43 (the most serious offense).
Old law—defendants convicted and sentenced
pursuant to laws applicable before the Sentencing
Reform Act of 1984. See also, new law.

P
Parole—a period of supervision after a prisoner is
released from custody and before the end of the federal
sentence imposed. The U.S. Parole Commission is
empowered to grant, modify, or revoke the parole
of all federal offenders. Pursuant to the Sentencing
Reform Act of 1984, parole was abolished and
defendants are required to serve the imposed sentence
(less 54 days per year good-time for sentences greater
than one year, but not life imprisonment), followed
by a term of supervised release. Due to a decrease in
federal prisoners sentenced under pre-Sentencing
Reform provisions, the number of offenders on parole
is declining.
Perjury—a false material declaration under oath in any
proceeding before or ancillary to any court or grand
jury of the U.S. Includes knowingly or willfully giving
false evidence or swearing to false statements under
oath or by any means procuring or instigating any
person to commit perjury. This offense also includes
any officers or employees of the government listed
under 13 U.S.C. §§ 21-25 who willfully or knowingly
furnish, or cause to be furnished, any false information
or statements.
Personal recognizance—a pre-trial release condition
in which the defendant promises to appear at trial and
no financial conditions are imposed.
Petty offense—a federal misdemeanor punishable by
6 months or less in prison, a Class B misdemeanor, a
Class C misdemeanor, or an infraction with fines as
specified in 18 U.S.C. § 3571. See also, misdemeanor
and infraction.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

Plea-bargain—an agreement by the defendant in a
criminal proceeding to plead guilty to a charge in
exchange for the prosecution’s cooperation in securing
a more lenient sentence or some other mitigation.
Pornographic—that which is of, or pertaining
to, obscene or licentious literature. Material is
pornographic or obscene if the average person,
applying contemporary community standards, would
find that the work taken as a whole appeals to the
prurient interest; if it depicts sexual conduct in a
patently offensive way; or if the work lacks serious
literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.
Possession—an offense involving the possession
of a controlled substance, acquiring a controlled
substance by misrepresentation or fraud, attempting
or conspiring to possess, or simple possession of a
controlled substance in schedules I through V, as
defined by 21 U.S.C. § 812. Includes possession of a
controlled substance in schedule I or II, or a narcotic
drug in schedule III or IV on board a U.S. vessel
or vessels within custom waters of the U.S., or by
any U.S. citizen on board a vessel. In addition,
possessing any punch, die, plate, stone, or any other
instrument designed to reproduce the label on any
drug or container is an offense under this category.
Distributing a small amount of marijuana for no
remuneration is treated as simple possession and is
included in this offense category.
Postal-law violation—a violation of federal laws
governing a broad spectrum of activities pertaining to
the U.S. Postal Service.
Presentence Investigation Report (PSI), federal—a
report prepared by a court’s probation officer, after a
person has been convicted of an offense, summarizing
for the court the background information needed
to determine the appropriate sentence. A federal
probation officer conducts an investigation mandated
by law, unless the court finds that there is information
in the record sufficient to enable the meaningful
exercise of sentencing authority pursuant to 18 U.S.C.
§ 3553 and the court explains this finding on the
record. The PSI is intended to help the sentencing
judges and others in the criminal justice system to
evaluate the offender by providing a comprehensive
background on the offender, which includes a
summary of the current offense, prior criminal
record, personal and family data, evaluation, and
sentencing recommendations.

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Presentment—historically, a grand jury’s written
notice of an offense based on the grand jury’s own
knowledge or observation. In current usage, this can be
a prosecutor’s presentation of alleged facts and charges
to a court or a grand jury.
Pre-trial diversion—an agreement to defer (and
possibly drop) prosecution conditioned on the
defendant’s good behavior or participation in
programs, such as job training, counseling, or
education, during a stated period.
Pre-trial release—a defendant’s release from custody
to the community, for all or part of the time before trial
or during prosecution, on the defendant’s promise to
appear in court when required. The defendant may be
released on personal recognizance, unsecured bond, or
under financial conditions. Pre-trial release includes
defendants released within 2 days after arrest and
defendants released after posting bail or having release
conditions changed at a subsequent hearing.
Pre-trial revocation—the decision to detain a
defendant for violating conditions of pre-trial release
or for committing a new crime while in a pre-trial
release status.
Preventive detention—the detention of a defendant
awaiting trial for the purpose of preventing
further misconduct.
Probation—a sentence imposed for commission of
a crime whereby the convicted criminal offender is
released into the community under the supervision
of a probation officer in lieu of incarceration. An act
of clemency available only to those found eligible by
the court, probation offers a chance for reform and
rehabilitation for the defendant. For this purpose,
the defendant must agree to specified standards of
conduct. Violation of such standards subjects the
offender’s liberty to revocation.
Procedural termination—a judgment based on
the methods and mechanics of the legal process,
including all the rules and laws governing that process.
Procedural law is distinguished from substantive
law, which involves the statutes and legal precedents
on which cases are tried and judgments made. See
also, administrative case closure and terminated on
the merits.
Property offense, fraudulent—a property offense
that involves elements of deceit or intentional
misrepresentation. These offenses specifically include

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

embezzlement, fraud (excluding tax fraud), forgery,
and counterfeiting.
Property offense, non-fraudulent—a violent
offense against property, including burglary, larceny,
motor-vehicle theft, arson, transportation of stolen
property, and other property offenses, such as the
destruction of property and trespassing.
Property offense, other—an offense that involves
the destruction of property moving in interstate or
foreign commerce and in the possession of a common
or contract carrier. Also includes the malicious
destruction of governmental property or injury to
U.S. Postal Service property, such as mailboxes or
mailbags. Trespassing on timber and governmental
lands is also included in this offense category.
Public-order offense, non-regulatory—an offense
concerning weapons; immigration; tax-law violations
(tax fraud); bribery; perjury; national defense;
escape; racketeering and extortion; gambling; liquor;
mailing or transporting of obscene materials; traffic;
migratory birds; conspiracy, aiding and abetting, and
jurisdictional offenses; and other public-order offenses.
Public-order offense, other—a violation of laws
pertaining to bigamy, disorderly conduct on the
U.S. Capitol grounds, civil disorder, and travel
to incite to riot. Also included in public-order
offenses, non-regulatory.
Public-order offense, regulatory—a violation
of regulatory laws and regulations in agriculture,
antitrust, labor law, food and drug, motor-carrier, and
other regulatory offenses that are not specifically listed
in the category public-order offenses, non-regulatory.

R
Racketeering and extortion—racketeering is
demanding, soliciting, or receiving anything of value
from the owner, proprietor, or other person having a
financial interest in a business, by means of a threat
or promise, either expressed or implied. Extortion
is the obtaining of money or property from another
person through the wrongful use of force or fear and
without the person’s consent. This offense code covers
using interstate or foreign commerce or any facility
in interstate or foreign commerce to aid racketeering
enterprises, such as arson, bribery, gambling, liquor,
narcotics, prostitution, and extortionate credit
transactions. Also includes obtaining property or

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money from another person (with the person’s consent
and induced by actual or threatened force, violence,
or blackmail) and committing unlawful interference
with the person’s employment or business. Also
includes transmitting, by interstate commerce or
through the mail, any threat to injure the property,
person, or reputation of the addressee or of another; or
kidnapping any person with intent to extort.
Release, extraordinary—unusual methods by
which a federal prisoner exits prison, such as death,
commutation, or a transfer to another facility.
Release, standard—the usual way by which a federal
prisoner exits prison, including full-term sentence
expirations, expirations with good time, mandatory
releases, and releases to parole.
Remand—to send back. The act of an appellate court
in returning a case to a lower court for further action.
Remove—transfer from federal court (usually to a
state court).
Restitution—a court requirement that an alleged or
convicted offender pay money or provide services
to the victim of the crime or provide services to
the community.
Reversal—the act of a court setting aside the decision
of a lower court. A reversal is often accompanied by a
remand to the lower court for further proceedings.
Revocation—termination of a probation, parole, or
mandatory-release order because of a rule violation or
a new offense, which forces the offender to begin or to
continue serving his or her sentence.
Robbery—the unlawful taking or attempted taking of
property that is in the immediate possession of another
person, by force or threat of force. Also included is
assaulting or putting the life of any person in jeopardy
by the use of a dangerous or deadly weapon while
committing or attempting to commit such robbery.
Rule 20 transfer—on petition by a defendant, a
transfer of proceedings to the district where the
defendant was arrested. The defendant may state in
writing a wish to plead guilty or nolo contendere,
waive trial in the district in which the indictment or
information is pending, or consent to the disposition
of the case in the district in which the defendant
was arrested.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

Rule 40 transfer—on petition by the U.S. attorney,
the transfer of proceedings of a defendant arrested
in a district for an alleged offense committed in
another district.

S
Sentence—the punishment ordered by a court for
a defendant convicted of a crime. For sentences
to incarceration, the maximum time the offender
may be held in custody is reported. See also, split
sentence, mixed sentence, indeterminate sentence, and
mandatory sentence.
Sentencing guidelines (federal)—guidelines
established by the USSC to be followed by the federal
courts in the sentencing of persons convicted of federal
offenses. Established pursuant to the Sentencing
Reform Act of 1984, the sentencing guidelines
prescribe a range of sentences for each class of
convicted persons, as determined by categories of
offense behavior and offender characteristics.
Sexual abuse—Includes all completed and attempted
violent sex offenses: aggravated sexual abuse (18 U.S.C.
§ 2241) and sexual abuse (18 U.S.C. § 2242), defined
as causing a person to engage in a sexual act by use of
force, threat, or fear; a sexual act with a person who
is unconscious, is impaired due to drugs, intoxicants,
or other substances, or is otherwise incapable of
declining participation; sexual abuse of a minor or
ward (18 U.S.C. § 2243); and abusive sexual contact
(18 U.S.C. § 2244), in which a person knowingly
engages in or causes sexual contact with or by another
person without the person’s permission, or with a
person younger than age 12.
Sex offenses, other—Includes other non-violent
sex offenses: sexual exploitation of children and child
pornography (18 U.S.C. §§ 2251-2252A); coercing,
enticing, or transporting (interstate) an individual
(including minors) with the intent and purpose of
engaging in prostitution or any sexual activity for
which any person can be charged with a criminal
offense (18 U.S.C. § 2422); and possession with intent
to sell or the sale and distribution of obscene materials
(18 U.S.C. §§ 1460-1470). See the National Archive of
Criminal Justice Data for a detailed crosswalk for codes
used by the USMS, the Administrative Office of the
U.S. Courts, the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, the
U.S. Sentencing Commission, and the BOP.

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Shock incarceration—an intense confinement
program, consisting of a highly regimented schedule
that provides the strict discipline, physical training,
hard labor, drill, and ceremony characteristic of
military basic training.
Special maritime and territorial jurisdiction—areas
of federal jurisdiction outside the jurisdiction of
any state, including (1) the high seas, Great Lakes,
and connecting waterways; (2) federal lands; and
(3) U.S.-owned aircraft in flight over the high seas.
Split sentence—see mixed sentence.
Stale—a case or matter that is too old to support
successful prosecution.
Substantial assistance—a form of cooperation with
the government in which the defendant provides
the government with information, testimony, or
other assistance relating to the criminal activities of
other persons in exchange for a sentence reduction.
Substantial assistance provides the only mechanism
for judges to impose a sentence below a mandatory
sentence, applicable by the law that describes
the offense.
Supervised release—under the Sentencing Reform
Act of 1984, a form of post-imprisonment supervision
to be imposed by the court as a part of the sentence of
imprisonment at the time of initial sentencing. Unlike
parole, a term of supervised release does not replace
a portion of the sentence of imprisonment, but rather
is an order of supervision in addition to any term of
imprisonment imposed by the court (compare also
with probation).
Surety bond—an agreement by the defendant as a
condition of release that requires a third party (usually
a bail bondsman) to promise to pay the full bail
amount in the event that the defendant fails to appear
in court.
Suspect—an adult or juvenile considered by a criminal
justice agency to be someone who may have committed
a specific criminal offense but has not been arrested
or charged.

T
Tax-law violations—federal tax-fraud offenses include
violations of laws within the Internal Revenue Code
(26 U.S.C.). Includes income tax evasion and fraud,
counterfeiting any stamps with intent to defraud the

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

collection or payment of tax, willfully failing to collect
or pay tax, and failure to obey summons to produce
any papers concerning taxes. Also includes offenses
such as failing to furnish receipts for employees of
tax withheld, failing to furnish information relating
to certain trusts, annuity, and bond purchase plans,
and putting fraudulent or false statements on tax
returns. Violations of excise and wagering tax laws
and not obtaining a license for a business that makes
a profit from foreign items are also included in this
offense category.
Technical violation—failure to comply with any of the
conditions of pre-trial release, probation, or parole,
excluding alleged new criminal activity. Technical
violations may result in revocation of an offender’s
release status. Conditions that may be imposed and
then violated include remaining within a specified
jurisdiction or appearing at specified intervals
for drug tests.
Terminated on the merits—a judgment made after
consideration of the substantive, as distinguished
from procedural, issues in a case. See also,
procedural termination.
Termination—at the pre-trial services stage, includes
execution of sentence, acquittal, dismissal, diversion,
or fugitive status; in U.S. district court, includes
conviction, acquittal, or dismissal; and at probation or
supervised release, includes the removal of a person
from supervision either for successful completion of
the term of supervision or as the result of a revocation.
Threats against the President—knowingly and
willfully depositing in the mail, at any post office,
or by any letter carrier a letter, paper, writing, print,
or document containing any threat to take the life
of or to inflict bodily harm on the President, Vice
President, or any other officer in order of succession
to the Presidency. Knowingly and willfully making
such threats to the above-named persons is included in
this offense.
Time served—the portion of a prisoner’s imposed
sentence spent in prison (from arrival into BOP
jurisdiction until release from prison), plus any jail
time served and credited. For prisoners serving
concurrent sentences, time served may exceed the
longest single sentence imposed.
Traffic offense—a violation of statutes relating to the
operation, maintenance, use, ownership, licensing, and
registration of self-propelled road vehicles, including
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DUI, hit and run, and violations of law not requiring
appearance in court.

W

Transportation violation—a violation of the federal
statutes relating to the Motor Carrier Act, which
regulates the routes and rates of freight motor carriers
and passenger motor carriers in interstate commerce.

Warrant—a court order (writ) that directs a law
enforcement officer to conduct a search or arrest and
bring a person before the judge, such as a person
charged with a crime, an escaped federal prisoner, or a
probation, parole, or bond default violator.

Transportation of stolen property—transporting,
selling, or receiving stolen goods, stolen securities,
stolen moneys, stolen cattle, fraudulent state-tax
stamps, or articles used in counterfeiting, if the above
articles or goods involve or constitute interstate or
foreign commerce.

Warrant clearance or execution—refers to the closing
of a fugitive investigation. Warrants can be cleared
or executed in many ways, including the arrest or
surrender of a fugitive, dismissal by the court, or
lodging a detainer against a fugitive in custody. See
also, detainer.

Trial conviction—conviction by judge or jury
after trial.

Warrant initiation—refers to the opening of a fugitive
investigation on receipt of a warrant.

True bill—an indictment endorsed by a grand jury as
warranting prosecution of the accused.

Weapons offenses—violations of any provisions of
18 U.S.C. §§ 922 (unlawful acts) and 923 (licensing)
with regard to the manufacturing, importing,
possessing, receiving, and licensing of firearms
and ammunition. Includes manufacturing, selling,
possessing, or transporting any switchblade knife;
or making, receiving, possessing, or transporting
a firearm not registered in the National Firearms
Registration Transfer Record within any territory or
possession of the U.S., within Indian country, or within
the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of
the U.S. Also, engaging in importing, manufacturing,
or dealing in firearms, if not registered with the
secretary in the Internal Revenue Service district in
which the business is conducted or not having paid a
special occupational tax. In addition, this code covers
cases wherein a crime of violence or drug trafficking
enhanced punishment is handed down when the crime
was committed with a deadly weapon.

U
United States—the territory occupied by the 50 states,
the District of Columbia, and the outlying territories of
Guam, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, and
the U.S. Virgin Islands.
U.S. attorney—a lawyer appointed by the President in
each judicial district to prosecute and defend cases for
the federal government. U.S. attorneys employ a staff of
assistant U.S. attorneys who appear as the government’s
attorneys in individual cases.
Unsecured bond—an agreement by the defendant as
a condition of pre-trial release in which the defendant
agrees to pay the full bond amount in the event of
non-appearance at trial but is not required to post
security as a condition to release.

V
Violation of pre-trial release, probation, or parole—
allegation of a new crime or a technical violation while
on pre-trial release, probation, or parole.
Violent offenses—threatening, attempting, or using
physical force against a person. Includes murder,
negligent manslaughter, assault, robbery, sexual abuse,
kidnapping, and threats against the President.

Federal Justice Statistics, 2015 – Statistical Tables | December 2020

Wildlife offense—a violation of federal law enacted
to protect endangered or threatened species and
migratory birds. The Endangered Species Act
(16 U.S.C. Chapter 35) makes it unlawful for any
person to take, import, sell, or ship endangered or
threatened wildlife. Under this code, the Migratory
Bird Treaty Act protects migratory birds, and the
Lacey Act prohibits the trade of illegally taken fish
and wildlife.

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The Bureau of Justice Statistics of the U.S. Department of Justice is the
principal federal agency responsible for measuring crime, criminal
victimization, criminal offenders, victims of crime, correlates of crime,
and the operation of criminal and civil justice systems at the federal, state,
tribal, and local levels. BJS collects, analyzes, and disseminates reliable
statistics on crime and justice systems in the United States, supports
improvements to state and local criminal justice information systems, and
participates with national and international organizations to develop and
recommend national standards for justice statistics. Jeffrey H. Anderson is
the director.
These statistical tables were prepared by Abt Associates under the
supervision of Mark Motivans of BJS (BJS grant number 2016-BJCX-K044). Principal staff at Abt Associates were Chris Cutler, Omri
Drucker, David Izrael, Ryan Kling, Ari Lewenstein, and Parker Malek.
Mark Motivans provided verification.
Eric Hendrixson and Jill Thomas edited the report. Tina Dorsey produced
the report.
December 2020, NCJ 251771

YEARS OF STATISTICS

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Office of Justice Programs
Building Solutions • Supporting Communities • Advancing Justice
www.ojp.usdoj.gov