Offense Levels

Offense levels are a way the criminal justice system measures the severity of a crime to determine appropriate sentencing. Think of them as a scale from minor to very serious crimes; higher levels indicate more serious offenses. These levels help ensure consistent and fair penalties across cases by assigning points based on factors like the crime's nature and circumstances. The total offense level, combined with the defendant's criminal history, influences the type and length of sentence, including prison time and fines. In essence, offense levels are a standardized tool to proportionally match punishments to the seriousness of the offense.