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News and Announcements

Personal Reflections, Naturalizations Honor Constitution and Citizenship Day

September 7, 2017

Two hundred and thirty years after it was signed, the United States Constitution remains a powerful source of inspiration, and of personal liberties. In a newly released U.S. Courts video, people from different walks of life tell how and why the nation’s founding document is important to them.

Incarceration Costs Significantly More than Supervision

August 17, 2017

The annual cost of detaining federal prisoners before trial and after sentencing is significantly higher than the cost of supervision in the community, according to recent figures by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.

Paper Reduction Saves Space, Cuts Costs

August 3, 2017

The judiciary has made it a mission to reduce space and cost, all while improving efficiency. A new U.S. Courts video shows how the Judiciary is reducing building space by storing files electronically, eliminating the need for large rooms to shelve paper documents.   

Mandatory Minimum Sentences Decline, Sentencing Commission Says

July 25, 2017
Percentage of offenders in federal prison convicted of an offense carrying a mandatory minimum penalty by race.

The number of federal prison inmates sentenced under mandatory minimum laws decreased by 14 percent from 2010 to 2016, although they still make up more than half of all federal inmates, according to a new report by the United States Sentencing Commission.