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 Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement Sentences in the Western District of Kentucky, FY2016–2025
Of the 417 people sentenced for fraud, theft, or embezzlement in the Western District of Kentucky in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 229 (55%) received a prison term and 168 (40%) received probation only. The median prison term was 21 months, about the same as the 20 months for this offense type in all 9
Federal Firearms Sentences in the Western District of Kentucky, FY2016–2025
In the Western District of Kentucky, the median prison term for firearms offenses was 41 months in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, about the same as the 42 months for this offense type in all 94 districts. The 637 people sentenced make up 20% of the district's 3,229. Sentences were within the guideline r
Federal Drug Trafficking Sentences in the Western District of Kentucky, FY2016–2025
Drug trafficking is the largest offense type in the Western District of Kentucky. The records show 1,161 people sentenced in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, which is 36% of the district's 3,229 people. The median prison term was 84 months, higher than the 60 months for this offense type in all 94 distric
Federal Manslaughter Sentences in the Southern District of Mississippi, FY2016–2025
The Commission's data shows 10 people sentenced for manslaughter in the Southern District of Mississippi in fiscal years 2016 to 2024. Of them, 9 (90%) received prison, and the median prison term was 78 months (6.5 years). That is higher than the 63 months for this offense type across all 94 distric
Federal Stalking and Harassment Sentences in the Southern District of Mississippi, FY2016–2025
Federal court in the Southern District of Mississippi sentenced 11 people for stalking and harassing offenses in fiscal years 2019 to 2025. All 11 pleaded guilty, and 9 (82%) received prison with a median term of 27 months (2.2 years). The share sent to prison was lower than the 89% for this offense
Federal Commercialized Vice Sentences in the Southern District of Mississippi, FY2016–2025
Probation only was the most common sentence for commercialized vice in the Southern District of Mississippi: 7 of 11 people (64%) in fiscal years 2016 to 2024. Another 3 (27%) received a prison term, with a median of 18 months. Across all 94 districts, 70% of people in this offense type were sent to
Federal Forgery, Counterfeiting, and Copyright Sentences in the Southern District of Mississippi, FY2016–2025
All 19 people sentenced in the Southern District of Mississippi under the Commission's "Forgery/Counter/Copyright" type in fiscal years 2017 to 2025 had the same primary guideline, §2B5.1 (Offenses Involving Counterfeit Bearer Obligations of the United States). All 19 pleaded guilty, and 17 (89%) re
Federal Other Offense Sentences in the Southern District of Mississippi, FY2016–2025
Of the 20 people sentenced in the Southern District of Mississippi under the Commission's "Other" offense type in fiscal years 2016 to 2024, 10 (50%) received a prison term and 9 (45%) received probation only. The median prison term for those sent to prison was 10.5 months. Sentences were within the
Federal Individual Rights Offense Sentences in the Southern District of Mississippi, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of Mississippi, 21 people were sentenced under the Commission's "Individual Rights" offense type in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, and all 21 pleaded guilty. Among the 18 sent to prison, the median prison term was 65 months (5.4 years). The 10 people sentenced in fiscal year 202
Federal Environmental Offense Sentences in the Southern District of Mississippi, FY2016–2025
None of the 25 people sentenced for environmental offenses in the Southern District of Mississippi in fiscal years 2016 to 2025 received a prison term. Probation only was the sentence for 22 of them (88%). Across all 94 districts, 28% of people in this offense type were sent to prison.
Federal Murder Sentences in the Southern District of Mississippi, FY2016–2025
In the Southern District of Mississippi, 28 people were sentenced in federal court under the Commission's "Murder" offense type in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. All 28 received prison, with a median prison term of 175 months (14.6 years). That is lower than the 240-month median for this type across all
Federal Obscenity and Other Sex Offense Sentences in the Southern District of Mississippi, FY2016–2025
All 31 people sentenced in the Southern District of Mississippi under the Commission's "Obscenity/Other Sex Offenses" type in fiscal years 2016 to 2024 had the same primary guideline: §2A3.5 (Failure to Register as a Sex Offender). All 31 pleaded guilty and all 31 received prison. The median prison
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