Sentencing Practices of Federal District Court Judges
Short Guided Tour

1. What is the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC)?
   • Research Center established 1989 at Syracuse University
     • TRAC Website
     • About TRAC
   • Co-directors: Professors Susan B. Long and David Burnham


2. Where did the data come from?
   • case-by-case records on all federal criminal court cases obtained through FOIA lawsuits over course of last 15 years, combined with information from the federal courts
     • see About the Data
   • Coverage:all federal district court judges (sentenced at least 50 defendants)
   • Time Period: past five years (now FY 2007 - FY 2011), look for monthly updates


3. Purpose of TRAC's research?
   • goal was to develop detailed data and web-based tools to allow the public and the courts to examine how well sentencing practices were working, updated on an ongoing basis
   • TRAC's research has found wide and hard to explain differences in some districts among judges in sentences being assigned
   • see March 5, 2012 report
   • challenges of balancing twin goals: delivering a "just" sentence in individual case, and providing "equal justice" to defendants
   • a meaningful examination requires ability to look indepth at a judge's sentencing practices, with comparisons from many angles


4. Demonstration of interactive judge tool:
   • select judge and criteria to examine
   • examine overview
   • array judges from high to low on same court
   • review judge's appointment, employment, educational history
   • check composition of workload on a number of factors
   • drill in and look at sentencing for specific types of cases
   • examine detailed individual case-by-case sentencing records


5. For information on obtaining access: email trac@syr.edu, or call TRAC at 315-443-3563