New Article - Sentencing Loss Guideline

Alan Ellis, John R. Steer, and Mark H. Allenbaugh, have a fascinating article titled "At a Loss for Justice - Federal Sentencing for Economic Offenses." They note how "more than 300 federal criminal statutes are covered by" USSG § 2B1.1. The article contains wonderful tables that compare the amount of loss to the sentence given. The data in this article should prove helpful in making an argument in a sentencing hearing. The authors conclude the article by noting the need to revisit this fraud guideline.

The article has wonderful data that supports an argument I have long made - that we need to rethink giving Draconian sentences, in some cases in excess of twenty-five years, to non-violent first offenders who commit white collar crimes.  See Ellen S. Podgor, The Challenge of White Collar Sentencing, 93 Jrl of Criminal Law & Criminology 731 (2007).

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