The mission of the District of Columbia Sentencing Commission (the Commission) is to implement, monitor, and support the District’s voluntary sentencing guidelines; promote fair and consistent sentencing policies; increase public understanding of sentencing policies and practices; and evaluate the effectiveness of the guidelines system in order to recommend changes based on actual sentencing and corrections practice and research.

Summary of Services

The Commission advises the District of Columbia on policy matters related to criminal law, sentencing, and corrections policy. The D.C. Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines were created in 2004 as a pilot program and became permanent in 2007. The Commission is mandated to monitor and adjust, as needed, the Sentencing Guidelines to promote sentencing policies that limit unwarranted disparity, increase proportionality, and allow for adequate judicial discretion. The Sentencing Guidelines provide recommended sentences that enhance fairness, predictability, and consistency. When utilized, the Sentencing Guidelines help ensure that victims, the community, and other parties understand why a certain sentence was imposed. As part of its mandate, the Commission also provides analysis and Guidelines compliance to the government agencies, academic and research institutions, practitioners, and the public, to help identify sentencing and criminal justice trends.