United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office General Government Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1993-11-04 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:GGD-94-13 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-13 P0b002ee18038b163 f:gg94013 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-13 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-13 GGD-94-13 Crimes or offenses Convictions Criminals Demographic data Criminal procedure Litigation Statutory law Drug trafficking Law enforcement Federal law New York Florida Nebraska California Texas Illinois Letter Report GGD In response to growing numbers of drug trafficking and firearms offenses, several changes were made to federal sentencing policies during the 1980s, including federal sentencing guidelines and statutes carrying mandatory minimum sentences. A review of cases in which offenders were convicted of violating laws carrying mandatory minimum sentences showed that 85 percent of the defendants were sentenced to at least the mandatory prison times; the average sentence was almost 14 years for offenses carrying a 10-year mandatory minimum. GAO also found that most offenders were males between the ages of 21 and 40, most of whom were high-school dropouts. In four of the eight districts GAO reviewed, the majority were first-time offenders, although in one district, nearly 80 percent were repeat offenders. Hispanics were most frequently represented in five districts, blacks in two districts, and whites in one district. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-13/html/GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-13.htm GAO/GGD-94-13 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GGD-94-13 Letter Report GAO/GGD-94-13; Mandatory Minimum Sentences: Are They Being Imposed and Who Is Receiving Them?; Crimes or offenses Convictions Criminals Demographic data Criminal procedure Litigation Statutory law Drug trafficking Law enforcement Federal law New York Florida Nebraska California Texas Illinois