> ## 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. # Federal Sentences in the District of Hawaii, FY2016–2025 - URL: https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-district-district-of-hawaii/ - Published: 2026-11-03T06:11:32.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-03T06:11:32.000Z - Description: In the District of Hawaii, a mandatory minimum prison term applied to 720 of the 1,377 people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, or 53%. Drug trafficking made up 54% of the district's sentences. The median prison term was 53 months (4.4 years), compared with 24 months for all 94 federal distric - Author: Jocelyn C. Stewart - Tags: Understanding Trends, Federal [Trends](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/) › [Federal Prosecution Analysis](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal/) › District of Hawaii **In brief:** In the District of Hawaii, a mandatory minimum prison term applied to 720 of the 1,377 people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, or 53%. Drug trafficking made up 54% of the district's sentences. The median prison term was 53 months (4.4 years), compared with 24 months for all 94 federal districts together. Updated November 3, 2026 · Sources: U.S. Sentencing Commission and Federal Judicial Center, fiscal years 2016–2025 This post uses the U.S. Sentencing Commission's records of 1,377 people sentenced in federal court in fiscal years 2016 to 2025\. 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/). ## Mandatory Minimums Applied to Most People Sentenced A mandatory minimum is a prison term fixed by statute. A judge generally cannot impose less unless a specific exception applies. In Hawaii, 720 people (53%) had a mandatory minimum apply to their case. This is the share of everyone sentenced in the district, not only drug cases. The records show that a minimum applied. They do not show which statute set it or whether an exception was used. ## Drug Trafficking Cases Drug trafficking was the offense type for 742 people, or 54% of everyone sentenced. The median prison term in those cases was 71.5 months, and 97% pleaded guilty. The next largest groups were much smaller. Fraud, theft, and embezzlement accounted for 151 people (11%), firearms for 89 (6%), immigration for 53 (4%), and robbery for 51 (4%). Sexual abuse cases (27 people) had a median prison term of 168 months. Child pornography (images of child exploitation) cases (28 people) had a median of 64.5 months. These are small groups. | Offense type | People sentenced | Share of district | Median prison | Pleaded guilty | | ------------------------- | ---------------- | ----------------- | ------------- | -------------- | | Drug Trafficking | 742 | 54% | 71.5 months | 97% | | Fraud/Theft/Embezzlement | 151 | 11% | 24 months | 91% | | Firearms | 89 | 6% | 33 months | 98% | | Immigration | 53 | 4% | 3.9 months | 96% | | Robbery | 51 | 4% | 63 months | 100% | | Child Pornography | 28 | 2% | 64.5 months | 96% | | Sexual Abuse | 27 | 2% | 168 months | 89% | | Administration of Justice | 27 | 2% | 18 months | 85% | ## How Long Were Prison Terms in Hawaii? A prison term was ordered for 1,268 of the 1,377 people (92%), compared with 91% nationally. Probation only, with no prison or other confinement, went to 80 people (6%). Among those sent to prison, the median term was 53 months. A quarter received 108 months or more. A quarter received 24 months or less. 1 person received a life sentence. After a guilty plea, the median term was 50 months. After a trial, it was 96 months, based on 66 people convicted at trial and sent to prison. ## Pleas and Plea Agreements Guilty pleas accounted for 1,310 people (95%), lower than the 97% rate for all districts. The other 67 were convicted after a trial. Of the guilty pleas, 77% had a written plea agreement. The other 23% were straight pleas, meaning the person pleaded guilty with no agreement with the government. ## The Guideline Range All 1,377 people had guideline information. Within-range sentences were 514 (37%), lower than the 48% for all districts. Below-range sentences at the government's request were 503 (37%). Below-range sentences without a government request were 326 (24%). Above-range sentences were 34 (2%). ## Supervised Release, Restitution, and Criminal History Supervised release after prison was ordered for 1,233 people (90%). The median term was 48 months, and 12 (less than 1%) received it for life. Restitution was ordered for 260 people (19%) and a fine for 108 (8%). In criminal history, 54% were in category I, the lowest, and 6% were in category VI, the highest. Court-martial records have no criminal history field. ## Counts by Fiscal Year The district sentenced 576 people in fiscal years 2016 to 2019 and 801 in fiscal years 2020 to 2025\. Yearly counts ranged from 108 to 168, so the yearly medians in the table rest on small groups. | Fiscal year | People sentenced | Median prison | Pleaded guilty | | ----------- | ---------------- | ------------- | -------------- | | 2016 | 141 | 51 months | 91% | | 2017 | 128 | 48 months | 96% | | 2018 | 153 | 54 months | more than 99% | | 2019 | 154 | 41 months | 94% | | 2020 | 124 | 48 months | 97% | | 2021 | 168 | 41 months | 96% | | 2022 | 140 | 60 months | 96% | | 2023 | 119 | 57 months | 92% | | 2024 | 108 | 80 months | 91% | | 2025 | 142 | 63 months | 99% | ## Military Installations and Data Limits Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, and Wheeler Army Airfield are in this district and appear in this site's court-martial data. Courts-martial are tried in military courts, not in this district court. The Sentencing Commission counts only convicted and sentenced people, so acquittals and dismissals are absent. Prison terms are those imposed, not time served. ### How We Counted Everyone sentenced in federal court in the District of Hawaii (U.S. Sentencing Commission district label "Hawaii") in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 (1,377). Offense types are the Commission's OFFGUIDE categories. 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 **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. **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. **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. **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. **Mandatory minimum sentences.** Many federal statutes on drugs, images of child exploitation, child sex abuse, and firearms carry mandatory minimum prison terms. The UCMJ has mandatory minimums only for a few offenses (a dishonorable discharge or dismissal for rape and sexual assault, and life for premeditated murder). Federal sentences for these offenses are partly set by Congress, not by the judge. ## 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) - [Child Pornography: Courts-Martial at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam vs. Federal Court in the District of Hawaii](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-pornography-joint-base-pearl-harbor-hickam-vs-district-of-hawaii/) (installation comparison) - [Child Pornography: Courts-Martial at Wheeler Army Airfield vs. Federal Court in the District of Hawaii](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-pornography-wheeler-army-airfield-vs-district-of-hawaii/) (installation comparison) - [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam vs. Federal Court in the District of Hawaii](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-joint-base-pearl-harbor-hickam-vs-district-of-hawaii/) (installation comparison) - [Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Courts-Martial at Marine Corps Base Hawaii vs. Federal Court in the District of Hawaii](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-child-sex-offenses-marine-corps-base-hawaii-vs-district-of-hawaii/) (installation comparison) - [Theft and Fraud: Courts-Martial at Marine Corps Base Hawaii vs. Federal Court in the District of Hawaii](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-theft-fraud-marine-corps-base-hawaii-vs-district-of-hawaii/) (installation comparison) - [How Often Federal Judges Sentence Outside the Guideline Range](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-sentences-outside-guideline-range/) - [Mandatory Minimums: How Many Federal Sentences Are Set by Congress](https://www.bodiesburied.com/trends/federal-mandatory-minimum-sentences/) - [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.