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ection 4A1.2(k) covers revocations of probation and other
conditional sentences where the original term of imprisonment imposed, if any, did not exceed
one year and one month. Rather than count the original sentence and the resentence after
revocation as separate sentences, the sentence given upon revocation should be added to the
original sentence of imprisonment, if any, and the total should be counted as if it were one
sentence. By this approach, no more than three points will be assessed for a single conviction,
even if probation or conditional release was subsequently revoked. If the sentence originally
imposed, the sentence imposed upon revocation, or the total of both sentences exceeded one
year and one month, the maximum three points would be assigned. If, however, at the time of
revocation another sentence was imposed for a new criminal conviction, that conviction would
be computed separately from the sentence imposed for the revocation.
Where a revocation applies to multiple sentences, and such sentences are counted separately
under §4A1.2(a)(2), add the term of imprisonment imposed upon revocation to the sentence that
will result in the greatest increase in criminal history points. Example: A defendant was
serving two probationary sentences, each counted separately under §4A1.2(a)(2); probation
was revoked on both sentences as a result of the same violation conduct; and the defendant was
sentenced to a total of 45 days of imprisonment. If one sentence had been a "straight"
probationary sentence and the other had been a probationary sentence that had required
service of 15 days of imprisonment, the revocation term of imprisonment (45 days) would be
added to the probationary sentence that had the 15-day term of imprisonment. This would
result in a total of 2 criminal history points under §4A1.1(b) (for the combined 60-day term of
imprisonment) and 1 criminal history point under §4A1.1(c) (for the other probationary
sentence).
12. Local Ordinance Violations. A number of local jurisdictions have enacted ordinances covering
certain offenses (e.g., larceny and assault misdemeanors) that are also violations of state
criminal law. This enables a local court (e.g., a municipal court) to exercise jurisdiction over
such offenses. Such offenses are excluded from the definition of local ordinance violations in
§4A1.2(c)(1) and, therefore, sentences for such offenses are to be treated as if the defendant
had been convicted under state law.
13. Insufficient Funds Check. "Insufficient funds check," as used in §4A1.2(c)(1), does not include
any conviction establishing that the defendant used a false name or non-existent account.
Background: Prior sentences, not otherwise excluded, are to be counted in the criminal history
score, including uncounseled misdemeanor sentences where imprisonment was not imposed.
Historical Note: Effective November 1, 1987. Amended effective November 1, 1989 (see Appendix C, amendments 262-265);
November 1, 1990 (see Appendix C, amendments 352 and 353); November 1, 1991 (see Appendix C, amendments 381 and 382); November
1, 1992 (see Appendix C, amendment 472); November 1, 1993 (see Appendix C, amendment 493).
November 1, 2005 GUIDELINES MANUAL §4A1.3
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§4A1.3. Departures Based on Inadequacy of Criminal History Category (Policy Statement)
(a) UPWARD DEPARTURES.—
(1) STANDARD FOR UPWARD DEPARTURE.—If reliable information
indicates that the defendant’s criminal history category substantially
under-represents the seriousness of the defendant’s criminal history or the
likelihood that the defendant will commit other crimes, an upward
departure may be warranted.
(2) TYPES OF INFORMATION FORMING THE BASIS FOR UPWARD
DEPARTURE.—The information described in subsection (a) may include
information concerning the following:
(A) Prior sentence(s) not used in computing the criminal history
category (e.g., sentences for foreign and tribal offenses).
(B) Prior sentence(s) of substantially more than one year imposed as
a result of independent crimes committed on different occasions.
(C) Prior similar misconduct established by a civil adjudication or by
a failure to comply with an administrative order.
(D) Whether the defendant was pending trial or sentencing on
another charge at the time of the instant offense.
(E) Prior similar adult criminal conduct not resulting in a criminal
conviction.
(3) PROHIBITION.—A prior arrest record itself shall not be considered for
purposes of an upward departure under this policy statement.
(4) DETERMINATION OF EXTENT OF UPWARD DEPARTURE.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subdivision (B), the
court shall determine the extent of a departure under this
subsection by using, as a reference, the criminal history category
applicable to defendants whose criminal history or likelihood to
recidivate most closely resembles that of the defendant’s.
(B) UPWARD DEPARTURES FROM CATEGORY VI.—In a case
in which the court determines that the extent and nature of the
defendant’s criminal history, taken together, are sufficient to
warrant an upward departure from Criminal History Category VI,
the court should structure the departure by moving incrementally
down the sentencing table to the next higher offense level in
Criminal History Category VI until it finds a guideline range
§4A1.3 GUIDELINES MANUAL November 1, 2005
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appropriate to the case.
(b) DOWNWARD DEPARTURES.—
(1) STANDARD FOR DOWNWARD DEPARTURE.—If reliable
information indicates that the defendant’s criminal history category
substantially over-represents the seriousness of the defendant’s criminal
history or the likelihood that the defendant will commit other crimes, a
downward departure may be warranted.
(2) PROHIBITIONS.—
(A) CRIMINAL HISTORY CATEGORY I.—A departure below the
lower limit of the applicable guideline range for Criminal History
Category I is prohibited.
(B) ARMED CAREER CRIMINAL AND REPEAT AND
DANGEROUS SEX OFFENDER.—A downward departure
under this subsection is prohibited for (i) an armed career
criminal within the meaning of §4B1.4 (Armed Career Criminal);
and (ii) a repeat and dangerous sex offender against minors
within the meaning of §4B1.5 (Repeat and Dangerous Sex
Offender Against Minors).
(3) LIMITATIONS.—
(A) LIMITATION ON EXTENT OF DOWNWARD DEPARTURE
FOR CAREER OFFENDER.—The extent of a downward
departure under this subsection for a career offender within the
meaning of §4B1.1 (Career Offender) may not exceed one
criminal history category.
(B) LIMITATION ON APPLICABILITY OF §5C1.2 IN EVENT
OF DOWNWARD DEPARTURE TO CATEGORY I.—A
defendant whose criminal history category is Category I after
receipt of a downward departure under this subsection does not
meet the criterion of subsection (a)(1) of §5C1.2 (Limitation on
Applicability of Statutory Maximum Sentences in Certain Cases)
if, before receipt of the downward departure, the defendant had
more than one criminal history point under §4A1.1 (Criminal
History Category).
(c) WRITTEN SPECIFICATION OF BASIS FOR DEPARTURE.—In departing
from the otherwise applicable criminal history category under this policy
statement, the court shall specify in writing the following:
(1) In the case of an upward departure, the specific reasons why the
applicable criminal history category substantially under-represents the
seriousness of the defendant’s criminal history or the likelihood that the
defendant will commit other crimes.
November 1, 2005 GUIDELINES MANUAL §4A1.3
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(2) In the case of a downward departure, the specific reasons why the
applicable criminal history category substantially over-represents the
seriousness of the defendant’s criminal history or the likelihood that the
defendant will commit other crimes.
Commentary
Application Notes:
1. Definitions.—For purposes of this policy statement, the terms "depart", "departure",
"downward departure", and "upward departure" have the meaning given those terms in
Application Note 1 of the Commentary to §1B1.1 (Application Instructions).
2. Upward Departures.—
(A) Examples.—An upward departure from the defendant’s criminal history category may
be warranted based on any of the following circumstances:
(i) A previous foreign sentence for a serious offense.
(ii) Receipt of a prior consolidated sentence of ten years for a series of serious
assaults.
(iii) A similar instance of large scale fraudulent misconduct established by an
adjudication in a Securities and Exchange Commission enforcement proceeding.
(iv) Commission of the instant offense while on bail or pretrial release for another
serious offense.
(B) Upward Departures from Criminal History Category VI.—In the case of an egregious,
serious criminal record in which even the guideline range for Criminal History Category
VI is not adequate to reflect the seriousness of the defendant’s criminal history, a
departure above the guideline range for a defendant with Criminal History Category VI
may be warranted. In determining whether an upward departure from Criminal History
Category VI is warranted, the court should consider that the nature of the prior offenses
rather than simply their number is often more indicative of the seriousness of the
defendant’s criminal record. For example, a defendant with five prior sentences for very
large-scale fraud offenses may have 15 criminal history points, within the range of points
typical for Criminal History Category VI, yet have a substantially more serious criminal
history overall because of the nature of the prior offenses.
3. Downward Departures.—A downward departure from the defendant’s criminal history
category may be warranted if, for example, the defendant had two minor misdemeanor
convictions close to ten years prior to the instant offense and no other evidence of prior
criminal behavior in the intervening period. A departure below the lower limit of the
applicable guideline range for Criminal History Category I is prohibited under subsection
(b)(2)(B), due to the fact that the lower limit of the guideline range for Criminal History
Category I is set for a first offender with the lowest risk of recidivism.
§4A1.3 GUIDELINES MANUAL November 1, 2005
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Background: This policy statement recognizes that the criminal history score is unlikely to take into
account all the variations in the seriousness of criminal history that may occur. For example, a
defendant with an extensive record of serious, assaultive conduct who had received what might now
be considered extremely lenient treatment in the past might have the same criminal history category
as a defendant who had a record of less serious conduct. Yet, the first defendant’s criminal history
clearly may be more serious. This may be particularly true in the case of younger defendants (e.g.,
defendants in their early twenties or younger) who are more likely to have received repeated lenient
treatment, yet who may actually pose a greater risk of serious recidivism than older defendants. This
policy statement authorizes the consideration of a departure from the guidelines in the limited
circumstances where reliable information indicates that the criminal history category does not
adequately reflect the seriousness of the defendant’s criminal history or likelihood of recidivism, and
provides guidance for the consideration of such departures.
Historical Note: Effective November 1, 1987. Amended effective November 1, 1991 (see Appendix C, amendment 381); November 1,
1992 (see Appendix C, amendment 460); October 27, 2003 (see Appendix C, amendment 651).
November 1, 2005 GUIDELINES MANUAL §4B1.1
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PART B - CAREER OFFENDERS AND CRIMINAL LIVELIHOOD
§4B1.1. Career Offender
(a) A defendant is a career offender if (1) the defendant was at least eighteen years
old at the time the defendant committed the instant offense of conviction; (2) the
instant offense of conviction is a felony that is either a crime of violence or a
controlled substance offense; and (3) the defendant has at least two prior felony
convictions of either a crime of violence or a controlled substance offense.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c), if the offense level for a career offender
from the table in this subsection is greater than the offense level otherwise
applicable, the offense level from the table in this subsection shall apply. A
career offender’s criminal history category in every case under this subsection
shall be Category VI.
Offense Statutory Maximum Offense Level*
(A) Life 37
(B) 25 years or more 34
(C) 20 years or more, but less than 25 years 32
(D) 15 years or more, but less than 20 years 29
(E) 10 years or more, but less than 15 years 24
(F) 5 years or more, but less than 10 years 17
(G) More than 1 year, but less than 5 years 12.
*If an adjustment from §3E1.1 (Acceptance of Responsibility) applies, decrease the
offense level by the number of levels corresponding to that adjustment.
(c) If the defendant is convicted of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) or § 929(a), and the defendant
is determined to be a career offender under subsection (a), the applicable
guideline range shall be determined as follows:
(1) If the only count of conviction is 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) or § 929(a), the
applicable guideline range shall be determined using the table in
subsection (c)(3).
(2) In the case of multiple counts of conviction in which at least one of the
counts is a conviction other than a conviction for 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) or
§ 929(a), the guideline range shall be the greater of—
(A) the guideline range that results by adding the mandatory
minimum consecutive penalty required by the 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
or § 929(a) count(s) to the minimum and the maximum of the
otherwise applicable guideline range determined for the count(s)
of conviction other than the 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) or § 929(a)
count(s); and
(B) the guideline range determined using the table in subsection
§4B1.1 GUIDELINES MANUAL November 1, 2005
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(c)(3).
(3) Career Offender Table for 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) or § 929(a) Offenders
§3E1.1 Reduction Guideline Range for the 18 U.S.C.
§ 924(c) or § 929(a) Count(s)
No reduction 360-life
2-level reduction 292-365
3-level reduction 262-327.
Commentary
Application Notes:
1. "Crime of violence," "controlled substance offense," and "two prior felony convictions" are
defined in §4B1.2.
2. "Offense Statutory Maximum," for the purposes of this guideline, refers to the maximum term
of imprisonment authorized for the offense of conviction that is a crime of violence or
controlled substance offense, including any increase in that maximum term under a sentencing
enhancement provision that applies because of the defendant’s prior criminal record (such
sentencing enhancement provisions are contained, for example, in 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(A),
(B), (C), and (D)). For example, in a case in which the statutory maximum term of
imprisonment under 21 U.S.C. § 841(b)(1)(C) is increased from twenty years to thirty years
because the defendant has one or more qualifying prior drug convictions, the "Offense
Statutory Maximum" for that defendant for the purposes of this guideline is thirty years and not
twenty years. If more than one count of conviction is of a crime of violence or controlled
substance offense, use the maximum authorized term of imprisonment for the count that has the
greatest offense statutory maximum.
3. Application of Subsection (c).—
(A) In General.—Subsection (c) applies in any case in which the defendant (i) was convicted
of violating 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) or § 929(a); and (ii) as a result of that conviction (alone
or in addition to another offense of conviction), is determined to be a career offender
under §4B1.1(a).
(B) Subsection (c)(2).—To determine the greater guideline range under subsection (c)(2),
the court shall use the guideline range with the highest minimum term of imprisonment.
(C) "Otherwise Applicable Guideline Range".—For purposes of subsection (c)(2)(A),
"otherwise applicable guideline range" for the count(s) of conviction other than the 18
U.S.C. § 924(c) or 18 U.S.C. § 929(a) count(s) is determined as follows:
(i) If the count(s) of conviction other than the 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) or 18 U.S.C.
§ 929(a) count(s) does not qualify the defendant as a career offender, the
otherwise applicable guideline range for that count(s) is the guideline range
determined using: (I) the Chapter Two and Three offense level for that count(s);
November 1, 2005 GUIDELINES MANUAL §4B1.1
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and (II) the appropriate criminal history category determined under §§4A1.1
(Criminal History Category) and 4A1.2 (Definitions and Instructions for
Computing Criminal History).
(ii) If the count(s) of conviction other than the 18 U.S.C. § 924(c) or 18 U.S.C.
§ 929(a) count(s) qualifies the defendant as a career offender, the otherwise
applicable guideline range for that count(s) is the guideline range determined for
that count(s) under §4B1.1(a) and (b).
(D) Imposition of Consecutive Term of Imprisonment.—In a case involving multiple counts,
the sentence shall be imposed according to the rules in subsection (e) of §5G1.2
(Sentencing on Multiple Counts of Conviction).
(E) Example.—The following example illustrates the application of s
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