What is the federal policy on career offenders?

The federal policy on career offenders is laid out in the US Sentencing Guidelines. This policy is meant to punish more harshly those offenders who have committed multiple serious crimes. Under the policy, a career offender is an individual who has been convicted of two or more serious felony offenses in federal or state court. In the state of Florida, a felony is a crime punishable by more than one year in prison, or even death. The federal policy on career offenders seeks to increase the sentences of individuals who have been convicted of multiple serious crimes. In general, offenders who meet the criteria of a career offender face an increased sentence of anywhere from 25% to 100% above the original sentence. The extent of the increased sentence depends on the history of the offender and the nature of their repeated offenses. Additionally, those offenders with more than one serious offense may be subject to a more extreme sentence if they have used violence in the commission of any of their crimes. This could mean additional incarceration or mandatory life imprisonment in some cases. Overall, federal policy seeks to punish repeat offenders more harshly than those who simply commit one serious crime. It is intended to discourage crime and to protect the public from those who are considered to be serial felons.

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What is the federal policy on career offenders?

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