Source: http://www.ussc.gov/Meetings_and_Rulemaking/Materials_on_Federal_Cocaine_Offenses/FAQ/index.cfm
Timestamp: 2013-05-25 11:36:20
Document Index: 562436718

Matched Legal Cases: ['§1', '§1', '§1', '§ 3582', '§ 3582', '§1', '§ 3582']

FAQ Crack Guideline Amendment
Meetings and Rulemaking » Materials on Federal Cocaine Offenses » FAQ
The 2011 Retroactive Crack Cocaine Guideline Amendment
This document provides answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Commission's decision to give retroactive effect to the proposed permanent guideline amendment implementing the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010. (Printable PDF version.)
Congress passed the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, effective August 3, 2010, that, among other things, increased the quantities of crack cocaine that trigger the five and 10-year federal statutory mandatory minimums penalties. The Act gave the Commission emergency amendment authority to temporarily change the guidelines to implement the statutory changes and to add certain enhancements and reductions to the sentencing guidelines. The temporary emergency amendment went into effect on November 1, 2010 and will expire on October 31, 2011. On April 28, 2011 the Commission submitted to Congress the proposed permanent guideline amendment implementing the Fair Sentencing Act. The proposed permanent amendment will go into effect on November 1, 2011, unless Congress acts to modify or reject the amendment. On June 30, 2011 the Commission voted to give retroactive effect to the proposed permanent guideline amendment. The effective date of this retroactive effect and changes to §1B1.10 (Reduction in Term of Imprisonment as a Result of Amended Guideline Range), the policy statement governing retroactivity, is November 1, 2011. Until that date, the courts should apply §1B1.10 as set forth in the 2010 Guidelines Manual.
Will all defendants who have been convicted of distributing or possessing crack cocaine automatically receive a reduction because of the Commission's decision on retroactivity? Did the Commission make the entire Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 proposed permanent guideline amendment retroactive?
Yes. Policy Statement §1B1.10 (Reduction in Term of Imprisonment as a Result of Amended Guideline Range), provides instructions to the court in addressing motions under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2). Are there any limits on the extent of the reduction if an offender is eligible for a reduction? Yes. The court shall not reduce the defendant's term of imprisonment under 18 U.S.C.
§ 3582(c)(2) and §1B1.10 to a term that is less than the minimum of the amended guideline range, except for a sentence resulting from a downward departure pursuant to a government motion for substantial assistance.
Yes. AO form 247, located at http://jnet.ao.dcn/Forms/AO_National_Forms/AO0247.html, should be submitted to the Commission in all 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2) motions, including motions denied by the district court. Submission of this documentation is critical to the Commission's ability to collect, analyze, and report information of federal sentencing practices in this area. About the Office of