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 Commercialized Vice Sentences in the Northern District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
In the Northern District of Illinois, 7 of the 16 people sentenced for commercialized vice offenses in fiscal years 2020 to 2023 (44%) received a prison term. For this offense type in all 94 federal districts, 70% were sent to prison. All 16 pleaded guilty, and 12 were sentenced below the guideline
Federal Arson Sentences in the Northern District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
All 16 people sentenced for arson in the Northern District of Illinois in fiscal years 2017 to 2025 pleaded guilty and received a prison term. The median prison term was 42.5 months, compared with 60 months for arson in all 94 federal districts.
Federal Individual Rights Offense Sentences in the Northern District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
In the Northern District of Illinois, 10 of the 16 people sentenced for individual rights offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2024 were convicted after a trial. Only 38% pleaded guilty, compared with 80% for this offense type in all 94 districts. The median prison term was 70.5 months.
Federal National Defense Offense Sentences in the Northern District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
Of the 19 people sentenced for national defense offenses in the Northern District of Illinois in fiscal years 2016 to 2025, 3 (16%) received a sentence within the guideline range. The median prison term was 53 months, compared with 24 months for this offense type in all 94 federal districts.
Federal Prison Offense Sentences in the Northern District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
In the Northern District of Illinois, 22 people were sentenced for prison offenses in fiscal years 2018 to 2025. Of those, 21 (95%) received a prison term, and the median prison term was 18 months. The count is small, so the figures describe a handful of cases and not a pattern.
Federal Stalking and Harassment Sentences in the Northern District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
In the Northern District of Illinois, 25 people were sentenced for stalking and harassing offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. All 25 (100%) received a prison term, with a median of 30 months (2.5 years). The median across all 94 districts was 24 months, and in all districts 89% were sent to priso
Federal Forgery, Counterfeiting, and Copyright Sentences in the Northern District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
In the Northern District of Illinois, 31 people were sentenced for forgery, counterfeiting, and copyright offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of them, 27 (87%) received a prison term, with a median of 14 months. The all-district median was 17.6 months. Most of these cases fall in fiscal years 201
Federal Extortion and Racketeering Sentences in the Northern District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
In the Northern District of Illinois, 40 people were sentenced for extortion and racketeering offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of them, 37 (93%) received a prison term, with a median of 60 months (5 years). The median across all 94 districts was 30 months, which is lower.
Federal Administration of Justice Offense Sentences in the Northern District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
In the Northern District of Illinois, 54 people were sentenced for administration of justice offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of them, 42 (78%) received a prison term, with a median of 11 months, and 9 (17%) received probation only. The median across all 94 districts was 12 months.
Federal Assault Sentences in the Northern District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
In the Northern District of Illinois, 59 people were sentenced for assault offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. Of them, 58 (98%) received a prison term, with a median of 111 months (9.2 years). The median across all 94 districts was 42 months. For all offenses in this district, it was also 42 mon
Federal Murder Sentences in the Northern District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
In the Northern District of Illinois, 74 people were sentenced for murder offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. All 74 (100%) received a prison term, with a median of 237.5 months (19.8 years), and 9 received a life sentence. The median across all 94 districts was 240 months.
Federal Child Pornography Sentences in the Northern District of Illinois, FY2016–2025
In the Northern District of Illinois, 83 people were sentenced for child pornography (images of child exploitation) offenses in fiscal years 2016 to 2025. All 83 (100%) received a prison term, with a median of 120 months (10 years). The median across all 94 districts was 90 months, which is lower.
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