Criminal History Category

Criminal History Category is a classification used in the federal sentencing guidelines to assess the seriousness of an individual's past criminal behavior. It considers factors like prior convictions, the severity of those offenses, and the time elapsed since they occurred. This category helps determine the recommended range of prison time for a current offense. Essentially, it provides a standardized way for courts to weigh past criminal history when setting a fair and consistent sentence. The categories range from I (least serious) to VI (most serious), reflecting the defendant’s overall criminal background.