By Alan Ellis, Todd Bussert, and J. Michael Henderson
Approximately 94 percent of all federal criminal defendants plead guilty. Seventy-five percent of individuals who proceed to trial are convicted. Accordingly, there is a 97 percent chance that a person charged with a federal crime will ultimately face a judge for purposes of sentencing. For most, “How much time an I going to do?” and “Where am I going to do it?” are key concerns immediately following a finding of guilt. We offer the following tips to help attorneys and their clients secure placement at the best possible facility in which to serve their sentences under terms and conditions that will facilitate release at the earliest possible opportunity.