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District of Columbia Sentencing Commission
 

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District of Columbia Sentencing Commission History and Timeline

View the extended complete history of the Commission.

View our D.C. Sentencing History video

1994

Congress enacts the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act (amended in 1996), providing grants for states that implemented truth-in-sentencing policies. A major provision was that persons convicted of violent offenses serve at least 85% of their imposed sentence.

1997

Congress enacts the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act of 1997 (the “Revitalization Act”). This legislation created the Truth in Sentencing Commission (“TIS Commission”) which was directed to develop recommendations to the Council of the District of Columbia on amendments to the District of Columbia Code with respect to sentences imposed for felonies committed on or after August 5, 2000. The Act also eliminated parole and mandated determinate sentencing for most violent felonies in the District of Columbia.

View a summary of the Revitalization Act

View a summary of the TIS Commission’s mandate

1998

The TIS Commission presents its formal recommendations to the Council of the District of Columbia. The Council accepts the TIS Commission’s proposals which become the Truth in Sentencing Amendment Act of 1998 (D.C. Law 12-165, D.C. Code § 24-403.01). The TIS Commission also submits a report on outstanding issues for the Council of the District of Columbia to address.

View a summary of the TIS Commission’s report on outstanding issues to the Council of the District of Columbia

View the TIS Commission’s Formal Recommendations

View the TIS Commission’s Commentary and Suggestions Report

The Council of the District of Columbia creates the District of Columbia Advisory Commission on Sentencing with the mandate to make recommendations consistent with the Revitalization Act (Advisory Commission on Sentencing Establishment Act of 1998, D.C. Law 14-28, D.C. Code 3-101, et seq.).

2000

The Advisory Commission on Sentencing issues recommendations to the Council of the District of Columbia. The Council adopts these recommendations in the Sentencing Reform Act of 2000 (D.C. Law 13-302, D.C. Code §24-403.01) and directs the Commission to research whether structured sentencing is appropriate for D.C. and, if so, recommend the type of structured system that would work best.

View a summary on the Sentencing Reform Act of 2000

View the Commission’s 2000 Sentence Recommendations to the Council of the District of Columbia

View the Commission’s report on Sentencing Practices 1993-1998

2003

The Advisory Commission on Sentencing recommends the adoption of voluntary sentencing guidelines for the District of Columbia.

View the Commission’s 2003 Annual Report

2004

The Council of the District of Columbia enacts the Advisory Commission on Sentencing Structured Sentencing System Pilot Program Amendment Act of 2004. On June 14, 2004, the District of Columbia Superior Court begins imposing sentences under the Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines for all felony offenses. The Council also makes the Commission a permanent agency, renaming it the District of Columbia Sentencing Commission (D.C. Law 50-190).

View legislation for the Advisory Commission on Sentencing Structured Sentencing System Pilot Program Amendment Act of 2004

2006

The Council of the District of Columbia enacts the Advisory Commission on Sentencing Amendment Act of 2006, mandating that the Commission examine the criminal code and make comprehensive recommendations that provide for a uniform and coherent body of law. This legislation also changed the name of the Commission to the District of Columbia Sentencing and Criminal Code Revision Commission (D.C. Law 16-126, D.C. Code 3-101, et seq.).

View legislation for the Advisory Commission on Sentencing Amendment Act of 2006

2010

In October 2010, the Commission approved its first piece of recommended legislation concerning the revision of the criminal code. The Fine Proportionality Act of 2011 proposes to create proportionality in criminal fines by establishing one provision that links the fine amount to the maximum term of imprisonment for an offense. This will standardize fines across felonies and most misdemeanors in the District’s criminal laws.

View the Commission’s proposed Fine Proportionality Act of 2011 submitted to the Council on January 11, 2011

2016

The Commission continues to pursue activities that further its mission to implement, monitor and support the District’s Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines and promote fair and consistent sentencing policies.

The Commission's CCR mandate expired on September 30, 2016. Given the scope of the Commission’s sentencing and criminal code reform work, the Council created a separate agency, the Criminal Code Revision Commission, to solely focus on revisions to the D.C. criminal code.

The Commission continues to pursue activities that further its mission to implement, monitor and support the District’s Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines and promote fair and consistent sentencing policies.