Military Trial Results · Analysis
Understanding Trends in Military Practice
Analysis of real court-martial records: what gets charged, how cases end, what sentences look like, how experienced the lawyers of record were, and what changed when the law did.
Every number is computed from the Military Trial Results data, built from the services' public court-martial records. Each post says how many cases it rests on, the years covered, and how we counted. Read how this data was built before citing it.
Browse the Analysis
- By InstallationBases and regions, by time period
- By OffenseUCMJ articles, rising and falling charges
- By ServiceArmy, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps
- By YearWhat each year and month looked like
- SentencesConfinement, discharges, judge alone vs. members
- Counsel ExperiencePrior cases of the lawyers of record
- Law ChangesBefore and after the major reforms
- Episode CompanionsThe numbers behind podcast episodes
Federal Prosecution Analysis
How do federal prosecutions compare with courts-martial? These posts use the U.S. Sentencing Commission's records of everyone sentenced in federal court and the Federal Judicial Center's records of every federal defendant whose case ended, including dismissals and acquittals, for fiscal years 2016 to 2025. They cover sentences, guilty pleas, trials and acquittals, mandatory minimums, and supervised release, offense by offense. Where a federal crime has a close counterpart in the UCMJ, the post sets the two side by side. Where it doesn't, the post reports the federal numbers on their own. For how military law has moved toward the federal system, start with Military Moves Toward Sentencing Guidelines to Mirror the Federal System.
Latest Analysis
§2N1.1 Tampering or Attempting to Tamper Involving Risk of Death or Bodily Injury: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2020
In fiscal year 2020, the median prison term under §2N1.1 was 46 months (3.8 years), the highest median in the yearly table. 13 people were sentenced, 10 (77%) received prison, and all 13 pleaded guilty. Only 1 sentence (8%) was within the guideline range.
§2N1.1 Tampering or Attempting to Tamper Involving Risk of Death or Bodily Injury: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2019
None of the 11 people sentenced under §2N1.1 in fiscal year 2019 received a sentence within the guideline range. 10 of the 11 (91%) went to prison, with a median prison term of 36 months, and all 11 pleaded guilty.
§2N1.1 Tampering or Attempting to Tamper Involving Risk of Death or Bodily Injury: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2018
In fiscal year 2018, 10 people were sentenced under §2N1.1, and only 1 sentence (10%) was within the guideline range. 9 sentences were below it: 3 (30%) at the government's request and 6 (60%) without one. 8 of the 10 people (80%) received prison, with a median of 30 months.
§2B1.5 Theft of, Damage to, or Destruction of, Cultural Heritage Resources: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2025
In fiscal year 2025, 18 people were sentenced under §2B1.5. Of the 18, 11 (61%) received a prison term, with a median of 12 months. Sentences were split evenly across the positions against the guideline range: 6 within it, 6 below it at the government's request, and 6 below it without a request.
§2B1.5 Theft of, Damage to, or Destruction of, Cultural Heritage Resources: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2024
In fiscal year 2024, 11 people were sentenced in federal court with §2B1.5 as the primary guideline, and 8 of them (73%) received a prison term. The median prison term was 2.5 months. The group is small, and 8 of the 11 sentences (73%) were below the guideline range at the government's request.
§2B1.5 Theft of, Damage to, or Destruction of, Cultural Heritage Resources: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2023
In fiscal year 2023, 12 people were sentenced in federal court under §2B1.5, the guideline for crimes involving cultural heritage resources. Of the 12, 7 (58%) received probation only and 4 (33%) were sent to prison, with a median prison term of 6 months. The count is small, so the numbers describe
§2B1.5 Theft of, Damage to, or Destruction of, Cultural Heritage Resources: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2019
In fiscal year 2019, the median prison term under §2B1.5 was 24 months (2 years), the highest in the yearly table. 5 of the 12 people sentenced (42%) received prison, and 7 (58%) received probation only. 11 of the 12 (92%) pleaded guilty.
§2B1.5 Theft of, Damage to, or Destruction of, Cultural Heritage Resources: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2017
In fiscal year 2017, 17 people were sentenced under §2B1.5. 8 (47%) received prison and 8 (47%) received probation only. The median prison term was 8.8 months, and 15 of the 17 people (88%) were ordered to pay restitution.
§2B1.5 Theft of, Damage to, or Destruction of, Cultural Heritage Resources: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2016
In fiscal year 2016, 21 people were sentenced in federal court under §2B1.5, and all 21 pleaded guilty. 5 of the 21 (24%) received a prison term, with a median of 6 months, and 9 (43%) received probation only. 9 sentences (43%) were within the guideline range.
§2K2.5 Possession of Firearm or Dangerous Weapon in Federal Facility: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2024
In fiscal year 2024, the median prison term under §2K2.5 was 18.7 months for the 6 of 12 people (50%) who were sent to prison. 5 people (42%) received probation only. 9 sentences (75%) were within the guideline range, and 3 (25%) were above it.
§2K2.5 Possession of Firearm or Dangerous Weapon in Federal Facility: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2023
Fiscal year 2023 had 21 people sentenced under §2K2.5, the largest count in the yearly table. 14 (67%) received prison, with a median prison term of 18.5 months, and 7 sentences (33%) were above the guideline range. All 21 pleaded guilty.
§2K2.5 Possession of Firearm or Dangerous Weapon in Federal Facility: Federal Sentences, Fiscal Year 2022
In fiscal year 2022, 10 of the 12 people (83%) sentenced under §2K2.5 received prison, and the median prison term was 13.9 months. 4 sentences (33%) were above the guideline range, and 7 (58%) were within it. All 12 pleaded guilty.
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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