> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.bodiesburied.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Sexual Abuse of an Adult Sentences Since the 2023 Military Sentencing Reform: What the Data Shows So Far - URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-adult-sexual-abuse-2023-sentencing-reform-so-far/ - Published: 2026-11-03T01:38:30.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-03T01:38:30.000Z - Description: It may be too early to tell what the 2023 military sentencing reform changed. Court-martial convictions for sexual abuse of an adult from trials in 2022 and 2023 had a median confinement of 18 months, and trials in 2024 and 2025 had a median of 26 months. Federal prison terms had medians of 71 month - Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart - Tags: Understanding Trends, Federal [Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) › [Sexual Abuse of an Adult](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-sexual-abuse-adult-vs-article-120/) › Sexual Abuse of an Adult: 2023 Reform **In brief:** It may be too early to tell what the 2023 military sentencing reform changed. Court-martial convictions for sexual abuse of an adult from trials in 2022 and 2023 had a median confinement of 18 months, and trials in 2024 and 2025 had a median of 26 months. Federal prison terms had medians of 71 months and 82 months in the matching fiscal year pairs. Updated November 2, 2026 · Sources: U.S. Sentencing Commission and Federal Judicial Center, fiscal years 2016–2025 · Military Trial Results This post uses the U.S. Sentencing Commission's records of 531 people sentenced in federal court in fiscal years 2022 to 2025, compared with court-martial results from this site's Military Trial Results data (updated November 2, 2026). Acquittals and dismissals come from a second source, the Federal Judicial Center's records of 753,808 federal defendants whose cases ended in fiscal years 2016 to 2025\. It is part of the [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) series, which builds on [Military Moves Toward Sentencing Guidelines to Mirror the Federal System](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/military-sentencing-guidelines-federal-system/). How the numbers were built: [How the Federal Comparison Data Was Built](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-data-methodology/). ## What the Court-Martial Data Shows So Far There were 248 convictions from trials in 2022 and 2023, and 130 from trials in 2024 and 2025\. The median confinement was 18 months in the first period and 26 months in the second. A quarter of the sentences in the first period were 39.9 months or more. In the second period a quarter were 60 months or more, and 1 carried confinement for life. | | Courts-martial 2022–2023 | Courts-martial 2024–2025 | Federal FY2022–2023 | Federal FY2024–2025 | | ------------------------------- | ------------------------ | ------------------------ | ------------------- | ------------------- | | Convictions or people sentenced | 248 | 130 | 114 | 106 | | With confinement or prison | 88% | 91% | 96% | 93% | | Median confinement or prison | 18 months | 26 months | 71 months | 82 months | | Guilty pleas | 42% | 43% | 87% | 85% | ## Share With Confinement and Discharges Confinement was part of 218 of the 248 earlier convictions (88%) and 118 of the 130 later convictions (91%). Among earlier enlisted convictions, 193 of 230 received a punitive discharge (84%), made up of 140 dishonorable and 53 bad-conduct discharges. Among later ones, 104 of 118 did (88%), made up of 73 dishonorable and 31 bad-conduct discharges. Officers convicted numbered 17 in 2022 and 2023, with 11 dismissed, and 10 in 2024 and 2025, with 9 dismissed. ## Why the Later Years Cannot Be Read as the Reform For cases in which every guilty finding is for an offense committed after December 27, 2023, a military judge sentences alone under sentencing parameters. Courts-martial tried in 2024 and 2025 mix old-rule and new-rule cases, and the records cannot tell them apart. Any change between the periods may therefore reflect old-rule cases, new-rule cases, or both. The records also cannot show whether the change in the same period as the law is connected to it. ## Federal Prison Terms in the Same Periods The Sentencing Commission counted 114 people sentenced in fiscal years 2022 to 2023 under guideline §2A3.1 or §2A3.4 where the statute of conviction shows an adult victim (18 U.S.C. 2241(a)/(b), 2242, 2244). Of these, 110 (96%) received a prison term and 2 (2%) received probation only. The median prison term was 71 months, or 5.9 years. For fiscal years 2024 to 2025, the count was 106 people. A prison term went to 99 (93%), and 5 (5%) received probation only. The median was 82 months, or 6.8 years, and 3 people received a life sentence. The military reform did not apply to federal court. The federal medians are listed for reference, and the records cannot show whether either federal change means anything. ## Guilty Pleas and the Spread of Federal Terms Guilty pleas were 42% of court-martial convictions in the first period and 43% in the second. Federally, 99 of 114 people (87%) pleaded guilty in the first period, and 85% did in the second. In the first federal period, 15 were convicted after a trial. A quarter of the federal prison terms were 149.5 months or more in the first period and 174 months or more in the second. A quarter were 18 months or less in the first and 24 months or less in the second. ## What Can Be Said at This Point Each side of the comparison holds just 2 years of data, and the 2024 and 2025 trials include cases under the old rules. The records show that the court-martial median confinement was higher in the later period, and they do not show why. Court-martial sentences are as adjudged at trial, before any clemency or appeal, and federal terms are those imposed, not time served. A fuller view will need more years of trials held after the new rules took effect. ### How We Counted Courts-martial ending in a conviction for sexual abuse of an adult (Article 120 rape, sexual assault, and abusive sexual contact): trials in 2022 and 2023 (248) and in 2024 and 2025 (130). Federal: people sentenced under primary sentencing guideline §2A3.1 or §2A3.4 where the statute of conviction shows an adult victim (18 U.S.C. 2241(a)/(b), 2242, 2244) in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 (114) and 2024 and 2025 (106), U.S. Sentencing Commission. Federal fiscal years run from October 1 to September 30\. No person, judge, or lawyer is identified in any of these records. ### What to Keep in Mind **Who is in each set of numbers.** The federal sentencing numbers come from the U.S. Sentencing Commission. They count only people who were convicted and sentenced in federal district court. People whose cases were dismissed or who were acquitted are not in them. The military numbers come from court-martial results, which include acquittals. To compare acquittal or dismissal rates, the federal side uses a different source: the Federal Judicial Center's case data, which counts every defendant whose case ended. **Different cases reach each system.** Federal prosecutors bring a narrow set of cases. In fiscal year 2024, immigration and drug trafficking cases were 59% of everyone sentenced in federal court (36,664 of 61,678). Many crimes that the military prosecutes, such as most assaults, most sexual assaults between adults, and drug use, are usually state crimes for civilians and reach federal court only in special situations, such as on federal land or in Indian Country. A federal case and a court-martial for the same crime can involve different kinds of facts. **Time periods.** Federal numbers are by federal fiscal year (October 1 to September 30), based on the sentencing date. The military numbers are by trial date. Neither source has the date of the offense, so a change in law shows up in either data set gradually. **Offense categories do not line up exactly.** Each comparison uses a federal offense group chosen to match the military article as closely as possible (see the crosswalk). Some matches are close; others are partial. The post says which federal guideline or statute was used and why it is not an exact match. **No parole in federal prison; credit for good conduct.** Federal prison has no parole for crimes committed on or after November 1, 1987\. A federal prisoner can earn up to 54 days of good conduct credit for each year of the sentence the judge imposed, which is about 15%. Some federal prisoners can also earn First Step Act time credits, but many offenses make a person ineligible. The numbers in this post are the sentences judges imposed, not the time people actually served. **Military confinement credit and parole.** For military sentences adjudged after 2004, good conduct time is 5 days for each month of confinement, about 16%. Military prisoners can also earn up to 8 more days a month for work and programs and up to 2 days a month for special acts, with a limit of 15 days a month in total. Military prisoners can be considered for parole by their service's clemency and parole board. The military numbers in this post are the confinement adjudged at trial, not the time served. **Military sentences include punishments federal sentences do not.** A court-martial sentence can include a punitive discharge (bad-conduct discharge, dishonorable discharge, or dismissal for officers), reduction in rank, and forfeiture of pay. These have no federal counterpart. A comparison of months of confinement leaves them out. A short confinement term combined with a dishonorable discharge is a heavier sentence than the months alone show. **Federal supervised release.** Most federal prison sentences are followed by a term of supervised release that the judge sets as part of the sentence. A person who violates it can be sent back to prison. A court-martial cannot sentence anyone to supervision after release. Military parole and mandatory supervised release are decided later by a board, not by the judge at trial. **Who decides the sentence, and under what rules.** Federal judges sentence every federal case. They must calculate the Sentencing Guidelines range, which is advisory, and must impose any mandatory minimum the statute requires unless an exception applies. In courts-martial, the accused could choose sentencing by members until the rules changed. For cases in which every guilty finding is for an offense committed after December 27, 2023, a military judge sentences alone, within sentencing parameters. Courts-martial tried in 2024 and later include both old-rule and new-rule cases, and the data cannot tell them apart. **How life sentences and "time served" are counted.** In the federal numbers, a life sentence is counted as 470 months, and any other sentence longer than 470 months is counted as just under 470 months. A sentence of "time served" is counted as one day (0.03 months). Averages are affected by these rules; medians much less. ## Related Analysis - [Military Moves Toward Sentencing Guidelines to Mirror the Federal System](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/military-sentencing-guidelines-federal-system/) (the background article) - [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) (all federal posts) - [How the Federal Comparison Data Was Built](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-data-methodology/) (sources and method) - [Sexual Abuse of an Adult: Federal Cases vs. Article 120 Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-sexual-abuse-adult-vs-article-120/) (overview) - [Sexual Abuse of an Adult Charges: Federal Trial Acquittals vs. Contested Army Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-adult-sexual-abuse-acquittal-rate-vs-army/) - [Sexual Abuse of an Adult Charges: How Often Federal Trials and Courts-Martial End in Acquittal](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-adult-sexual-abuse-acquittal-rate-vs-courts-martial/) - [Sexual Abuse of an Adult Charges: Federal Trial Acquittals vs. Contested Marine Corps Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-adult-sexual-abuse-acquittal-rate-vs-marine-corps/) - [Sexual Abuse of an Adult Charges: Federal Trial Acquittals vs. Contested Navy Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-adult-sexual-abuse-acquittal-rate-vs-navy/) - [Guilty Pleas in Sexual Abuse of an Adult Cases: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-adult-sexual-abuse-guilty-plea-rate-vs-courts-martial/) - [Sexual Abuse of an Adult Convictions of Junior Enlisted (E-1 to E-4): Courts-Martial Compared With Federal Court](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-adult-sexual-abuse-junior-enlisted-vs-federal-court/) - [Are Courts-Martial More Likely to End in Acquittal Than Federal Trials?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-trial-acquittal-rates-vs-courts-martial/) (related comparison) - [Guilty Pleas in Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial, Year by Year](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-guilty-plea-rates-vs-courts-martial/) (related comparison) - [Child Pornography Sentences: Federal Court vs. Courts-Martial, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-pornography-sentences-vs-courts-martial/) (related comparison) - [Federal Law Has No Crime of Drug Use: How Article 112a Cases Compare](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-no-crime-of-drug-use-article-112a/) (related comparison) - [Drug Distribution and Importation: Federal vs. Court-Martial Sentences, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-drug-distribution-importation-vs-article-112a/) (related comparison) - [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Federal Cases vs. Article 120b Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sexual-abuse-enticement-vs-article-120b/) (related comparison) - [Theft and Fraud by Dollar Loss: Federal Sentences vs. Article 121 Courts-Martial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-dollar-loss-vs-article-121/) (related comparison) - [Fewer or More? Sexual Assault Charges at Army Courts-Martial, 2021–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-120-trend-2021-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Article 120 Sentences in the Army: Confinement and Discharges, 2021–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-120-sent-2021-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Fighting an Army Sexual Assault Charge: How Contested Cases Ended](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-120-acq-2021-2025/) (court-martial data) - [When Army Accused Plead Guilty to Sexual Assault](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/army-article-120-plea-2021-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Is Air Force Sexual Assault Prosecution Rising or Falling? Article 120, 2016–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-120-trend-2016-2025/) (court-martial data) - [How Much Confinement for an Article 120 Conviction in the Air Force?](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-120-sent-2016-2025/) (court-martial data) - [When Air Force Accused Plead Guilty to Sexual Assault](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/air-force-article-120-plea-2016-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Is Navy-Marine Corps Sexual Assault Prosecution Rising or Falling? Article 120, 2017–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-120-trend-2017-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Article 120 Sentences in the Navy-Marine Corps: Confinement and Discharges, 2017–2025](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-120-sent-2017-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Not Guilty Pleas in Navy-Marine Corps Article 120 Cases: What Happened at Trial](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-120-acq-2017-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Guilty Pleas in Navy-Marine Corps Sexual Assault Cases: How Often, and What Came Next](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/navy-marine-corps-article-120-plea-2017-2025/) (court-martial data) - [Article 120 (Rape and Sexual Assault): Court-Martial Data and Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/article-120-courts-martial/) (court-martial data) - [Article 120 UCMJ Explained by a Former Special Victim Prosecutor](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/ucmj/article-120-sexual-assault/?ref=bodiesburied.com) (law firm reference page) - [U.S. Sentencing Commission, Individual Offender Datafiles](https://www.ussc.gov/research/datafiles/commission-datafiles?ref=bodiesburied.com) (source) - [Federal Judicial Center, Integrated Database (criminal defendants)](https://www.fjc.gov/research/idb?ref=bodiesburied.com) (source) **About the author.** Jocelyn C. Stewart is a retired Army JAG with more than 24 years of trying courts-martial and more than 200 jury trials. She hosts *Where All The Bodies Are Buried* and runs the [Law Office of Jocelyn C. Stewart](https://www.ucmj-defender.com/?ref=bodiesburied.com). This analysis is for education and information only. It is not legal advice, and every case is different.