
Sentencing guidelines are a set of standards designed to establish rational and consistent sentencing practices within a particular jurisdiction. All guidelines systems structure judicial sentencing decisions and most systems also regulate the duration of prison terms, but some systems retain a parole board that decides on the timing of release from prison. Systems also differ as to whether recommended guidelines sentences are legally binding on judges, or are largely or entirely advisory. At present 20 U.S. states and federal jurisdictions have some form of guidelines, and in twelve of these jurisdictions the guidelines have been in effect for over 25 years.
The Robina Institute’s Sentencing Guidelines Resource Center provides information and downloadable materials related to American sentencing guidelines systems. This includes current versions of the guidelines in each jurisdiction; materials produced by sentencing guidelines commissions (training manuals, worksheets, reports, meeting summaries, and more); guidelines enabling laws and other important sentencing-related statutes; summaries of important interpretive case law; in-depth information about sentencing guidelines and commissions; and detailed profiles of each guidelines system that allow for cross-jurisdictional comparisons.
Recent Highlights
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In the News
Robina Institute Executive Director Kelly Mitchell Appeared on MPR's "Counter Stories" Podcast to Discuss Efforts to Reform Minnesota's Parole and Probation Policies
February 17, 2020
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In the News
Robina Institute Research Cited in MinnPost Article
December 17, 2019
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In the News
Prof. Richard Frase Publishes New Article: “Four Decades of American Sentencing Guidelines: What Have We Learned?”
August 21, 2019
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Publication
Paying for the Past: The Case Against Prior Record Sentence Enhancements
August 12, 2019
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In the News
Kelly Mitchell Quoted in Star Tribune Regarding Minnesota Sentencing Commission Appointments
May 7, 2019
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News
Kelly Mitchell Appointed Chair of the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission
April 24, 2019
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In the News
Richard Frase Publishes New Article in Duke Law: Law and Contemporary Problems
April 18, 2019
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News & Views from Robina
Improving Legacy Sentencing Practices; Massachusetts adopts first new sentencing guidelines in 21 years
January 7, 2019
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In the News
Kelly Mitchell quoted in Star Tribune about First Step Act
December 3, 2018
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In the News
Robina Institute, Kelly Mitchell, and Julia Laskorunsky cited in season 3, episode 2 of the podcast Serial.
October 12, 2018
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News & Views from Robina
In Depth: Sentencing Guidelines and Discretionary Parole Release
February 23, 2018
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News & Views from Robina
In Depth: Sentencing Guideline Grids
January 11, 2018