Opinion ID: 3014185
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: up to a total of 4 points for this

Text: item. We have jurisdiction under 18 U.S.C. § 1291. In addition, 18 U.S.C. §§ (d) Add 2 points if the defendant 3742(a)(1) and (a)(2) confer appellate committed the instant offense while jurisdiction to review criminal sentences. under any criminal justice sentence, including probation, p arole , supervised release, imprisonment, 5 work release, or escape status. Portions in italics were handwritten on the preprinted form. 4 (e) Add 2 points if the defendant states, “[t]he term ‘sentence of committed the instant offense less imprisonment’ means a sentence of than two years after release from incarceration and refers to the maximum imprisonment on a sentence sentence imposed.” U.S.S.G. § 4A1.2(b) counted under (a) or (b) or while in (2003). The guidelines provide no further imprisonment or escape status on guidance on whether a “sentence of such a sentence. If 2 points are incarceration” for these purposes requires added for item (d), add only 1 point confinement in a prison or jail. Black’s for this item. Law Dictionary defines “imprisonment” as “[t]he act of confining a person, esp. in a U.S.S.G. § 4A1.1 (2003). The sentencing prison; the state of being confined.” guidelines define the term “prior sentence” Black’s Law Dictionary 760 (7th ed. as “any sentence previously imposed upon 1999). “Incarceration” is similarly defined adjudication of guilt.” Id. § 4A1.2(a)(1). as “[t]he act or process of confining At issue is how to define the term someone.” Id. at 764. A person may be “sentence of imprisonment” found in §§ confined if he is “[held] within bounds [or] 4A1.1(a) and (b) for criminal history restrain[ed] from exceeding boundaries.” scoring purposes. Defendants claim that a Id. at 476. Nevertheless, neither the “sentence of imprisonment” must be spent guidelines, its commentary, nor common in a prison, jail or jail-type institution in usage reflect whether the term “sentence order to assign criminal history points of imprisonment” or “sentence of under §§ 4A1.1(a) or (b). They argue that incarceration” refers to the initial time served at an alternative housing pronouncement of sentence, the type or facility, such as a halfway house, should location of confinement, or the conditions not qualify as “imprisonment,” even if the of confinement. pronounced sentence initially assigned The Commission has offered some them to a prison or jail. They maintain guidance, although not in its official they did not serve a “sentence of c o m m e n ta r y. In Supplemental imprisonment” at ARC House because Illustrations on Criminal History Scores, they were never confined in a jail-type the Commission stated that the sentencing institution. court’s pronouncement of sentence Although § 4A1.2 does not define controls when calculating criminal history, the term “sentence of imprisonment,” the not the manner in which or location where commentary for § 4A1.1 provides, “[t]he definitions and instructions in § 4A1.2 govern the computation of the criminal history points. Therefore, §§ 4A1.1 and 4A1.2 must be read together.” U.S.S.G. § 4A1.1, cmt. (2003). Section 4A1.2(b) 5 the sentence is served. 6 Example D.5 of this would be treated as a sentence the Supplementary Illustrations states: of imprisonment. If the sentence did not involve a term of Residence in a halfway house imprisonment (e.g., a sentence of [when assigned as a condition of probation with a cond ition probation] is treated as a non- requiring residency in a halfway i mp riso n m e n t s e n t e n c e f o r house), the sentence would not be purposes of criminal history. Had considered imprisonment and the defendant been sentenced to would fall under § 4A1.1(c). A imprisonment with a sentence of residency in a halfway recommendation for halfway house house is not c onsidered placement, the sentence would be imprisonment (see Background tre a t e d a s a se n t e n c e of Commentary to § 4A1.1 (second imprisonment. paragraph)). United States Sentencing Commission, United States Sentencing Commission, Supplementary Illustrations on Criminal Questions Most Frequently Asked About History 17 (Dec. 1987). According to the the Sentencing Guidelines, Vol. VII, illustration, an additional condition or question 76 (June 1, 1994). According to recommendation specified by the judge the Questions, therefore, a sentence of should not alter the status of the sentence probation or sentence to a halfway house is as one of “imprisonment.” The decisive not considered imprisonment, while a factor apparently is whether the initial sentence of imprisonment which stipulates sentence was one of imprisonment or or permits alternative treatment is treated probation. as a sentence of imprisonment for criminal In its publication, Questions Most history calculation. Frequently Asked About the Sentencing As noted, neither the Supplemental Guidelines, the Commission addressed Illustrations nor the Most Frequently whether alternative sentences counted as Asked Questions are binding. Still, one imprisonment for sentencing purposes. othe r section of the guide lin es If the offender was demonstrates a preference for reliance on sentenced to imprisonment and as the sentencing judge’s pronouncement of part of the term of imprisonment sentence for calculation purposes, rather was placed on work release status, than on the location or manner of service by the defendant. Application Note 2 to § 4A1.2 instructs the court to determine the 6 length of the sentence by looking at the The Commission issued, but did not stated maximum of the pronounced officially adopt as commentary, the Supplementary Illustrations to accompany the 1987 Guidelines. 6 sentence, not at the length of the sentence defendant’s eligibility for alternate actually served by the defendant. 7 housing may be guided by several factors including assessment of the defendant, Reliance on the pronouncement of availability of space, and levels of sentence rather than on the manner or restriction. See United States v. Urbizu, 4 location of service is likely to yield more F.3d 636, 639 (8th Cir. 1993); United consistent application of the guidelines. States v. Schomburg, 929 F.2d 505, 507 As noted, the judges here sentenced (9th Cir. 1991). If the manner or location defendants to terms of imprisonment but of service should define “sentence of granted permission to serve the sentences imprisonment,” then a “prior sentence of in an alternative housing facility. Under imprisonment” could be determined by Pennsylvania law, the Allegheny County variables like availability of space. On the jail had discretion to designate alternate other hand, reliance on the pronouncement housing. See Commonwealth v. Koskey, of sentence will promote consistency in 812 A.2d 509, 512 n.3 (Pa. 2002) (“In application of the guidelines. Allegheny County, alternative housing is governed by the County Jail Oversight B. Board pursuant to 16 P.S. § 6004-A.”). 8 Defendants rely on Application This discretion in determining a Note 2 to § 4A1.2 to support their assertion that time must be served in a 7 prison or jail to be classified as a “sentence Application Note 2 reads: of imprisonment.” Application Note 2 For the purposes of applying § reads: 4A1.1(a), (b), or (c), the length of a sentence of imprisonment is the To qualify as a sentence of stated maximum . . . That is, imprisonment, the defendant must criminal history points are based on have actually served a period of the sentence pronounced, not the imprisonment on such sentence (or, length of time actually served. See if the defendant escaped, would § 4A1.2(b)(1) and (2). have served time). See § U.S.S.G. § 4A1.2, appl. n.2 (2003). 4A1.2(a)(3) and (b)(2). 8 U.S.S.G. § 4A1.2, appl. n.2 (2003). See also Testimony of John Ross, Defendants contend the directive that “the ARC House Director of Admissions defendant must have actually served a (“[T]he judge sentences everybody to the period of imprisonment” addresses the Allegheny County Jail for a term of situs and manner of the sentence and imprisonment and recommends alternative requires service in a jail-type institution, housing. It’s up to the jail to determine not an alternative housing facility like a whether or not they would be eligible for halfway house. But this argument does not alternative housing and Ms. Schnupp address the meaning of “imprisonment” or was.”). 7 the type, nature or level of confinement. A and sentences served in an alternate straightforward reading of Application housing facility. Therefore Application Note 2 is that it refers to a temporal Note 2 cannot support the proposition that concept — the period of time the § 4A1.1 requires a sentence to be served in defendant served or would have served in a jail-type institution. See Urbizu, 4 F.3d the event of an escape. at 638 (rejecting a similar argument regarding Application Note 2 and holding The citation at the end of that a sentence of imprisonment served on Application Note 2 refers to §§ work release was a “sentence of 4A1.2(a)(3) and (b)(2). Sectio n imprisonment”). 4A1.2(a)(3) provides that, for criminal history computation purposes, sentences Defendants also claim that that have been suspended should be Application Note 6 to § 4A1.1 dictates that classified as “prior sentences,” not “prior a sentence of imprisonment under §§ sentences of imprisonment.” 9 Section 4A1.1(a) and (b) must be served in a 4A1.2(b)(2) specifies that, where part of a prison or jail, not a halfway house. sentence is suspended, that portion is Application Note 6 instructs: properly excluded in calculating the Subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) of § sentence’s length. As a result, suspended 4A1.1 distinguish confinement incarceration time that was not served in sentences longer than one year and any facility is not counted as prison time. one month, shorter confinement United States v. Jones, 107 F.3d 1147, sentences of at least sixty days, and 1167 (6th Cir. 1997) (Krupansky, J., all other sentences, such as dissenting) (“[S]uspended incarceration confinement sentences of less than time will not be served anywhere, and sixty days, probation, fines, and hence is not counted as prison sentence residency in a halfway house. time.”). Sections 4A1.2(a)(3) and (b)(2) do not distinguish between sentences U.S.S.G. § 4A1.1, appl. n.6 (2003). But “actually served” in a jail-type institution Application Note 6 does not specify that it is the manner in which a sentence is served that dictates whether a sentence is a 9 Section 4A1.2(a)(3) states: “A “sentence of imprisonment.” Furthermore, conviction for which the imposition or the Note contains no definition of execution of a sentence was totally confinement. Application Note 6 does not suspended or stayed shall be counted as a advance defendants’ argument. prior sentence under § 4A1.1(c).” Section