Federal Drug Sentences: Fiscal Years 1981 - 1999

(U.S. Court and Sentencing Commission data;
see also Justice Department data by agency and lead charge)

  Fiscal Year   Prison Sentence (months)
United States Courts
Average*
U.S. Sentencing Commission
Average Median
1981 55.5 na
1982 61.4 na
1983 63.8 na
1984 65.7 na
1985 64.8 na
1986 70.0 na
1987 73.0 na
1988 78.0 na
1989 73.8 na
1990 79.3 na
1991 95.7 85.6 60
1992 87.8 88.2 60
1993 83.2 86.5 60
1994 84.3 87.6 60
1995 88.7 86.6 60
1996 82.5 84.3 60
1997 79.3 80.7 56
1998 78.0 78.0 56
1999 74.6 na

* Medians not available from Administrative Office of the United States Courts.
Statistics include only those regular sentences where prison time received; if probation-only sentences
included (with 0 prison months) then averages and median would be lower in value. For example, for 1999
the average prison sentence if those receiving 0 prison time included would be approximately 69 months.

na - not available.