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
Federal Robbery Sentences in the Central District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
The Central District of Illinois sentenced 75 people for robbery in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and all 75 received a prison term. The median was 115 months, or 9.6 years, compared with 90 months across all 94 districts.
Federal Immigration Offense Sentences in the Central District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
In the Central District of Illinois, 94 people were sentenced for immigration offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and 93 received a prison term. The median was 10 months, compared with 7 months for immigration offenses across all 94 districts.
Federal Sexual Abuse Sentences in the Central District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
All 162 people sentenced for sexual abuse offenses in the Central District of Illinois in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 received a prison term. The median was 180 months, or 15 years, the same as the median for this offense type across all 94 districts.
Federal Child Pornography Sentences in the Central District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
The Central District of Illinois sentenced 185 people for child pornography (images of child exploitation) offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of these, 184 received a prison term, and the median was 96 months, compared with 90 months across all 94 federal districts.
Federal Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement Sentences in the Central District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
Of 290 people sentenced for fraud, theft, or embezzlement in the Central District of Illinois in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 241 (83%) received a prison term and 29 (10%) received probation only. The median prison term was 13 months, compared with 20 months across all 94 districts.
Federal Firearms Sentences in the Central District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
In the Central District of Illinois, 457 people were sentenced for firearms offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 19% of the district's 2,440 cases. The median prison term was 48 months, compared with 42 months for firearms offenses across all 94 districts.
Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Central District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
Drug trafficking made up 38% of the 2,440 people sentenced in the Central District of Illinois in fiscal years 2016 to 2025: 929 people. Their median prison term was 112 months, compared with 60 months for drug trafficking across all 94 federal districts.
Federal Bribery and Corruption Sentences in the Middle District of Tennessee, FY2016–2025
13 people were sentenced for bribery/corruption offenses in the Middle District of Tennessee in fiscal years 2017 to 2025. 12 of them (92%) received a prison term, with a median of 19.5 months. Only 1 sentence (8%) was within the guideline range, compared with 21% across all 94 federal districts.
Federal Obscenity and Other Sex Offense Sentences in the Middle District of Tennessee, FY2016–2025
10 of the 14 people sentenced in the Middle District of Tennessee under the obscenity/other sex offenses category had failure to register as a sex offender as the primary guideline. All 14 pleaded guilty, 12 (86%) received a prison term, and the median prison term was 21.5 months. The national media
Federal Individual Rights Offense Sentences in the Middle District of Tennessee, FY2016–2025
In the Middle District of Tennessee, 8 of the 14 people sentenced for individual rights offenses were convicted after a trial, and 6 (43%) pleaded guilty. Across all 94 federal districts, 80% of people in this offense type pleaded guilty. The median prison term here was 8 months, compared with 30 mo
Federal Prison Offense Sentences in the Middle District of Tennessee, FY2016–2025
All 20 people sentenced for prison offenses in the Middle District of Tennessee in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 pleaded guilty. 19 of them (95%) received a prison term, with a median of 12 months. For all 94 federal districts, the median prison term for this offense type was 10 months.
Federal Tax Offense Sentences in the Middle District of Tennessee, FY2016–2025
Of 24 people sentenced for tax offenses in the Middle District of Tennessee in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 3 (13%) received a sentence within the guideline range. 17 (71%) were sent to prison, and the median prison term was 12 months. Nationally, 66% were sent to prison and the median was 15.1 months
Go deeper: Military Trial Results (every case, members) · Know Your Judge · Learn Your Lawyer (free)
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