As a practical matter, the overwhelming majority of federal criminal cases end in conviction and sentencing. Effective representation in these cases includes effective sentencing advocacy, for the sentencing context is one in which practitioners may be able to most profoundly affect the outcome of a case, and ameliorate the harsh consequences a federal conviction brings to the life of a client. An essential component of effective sentencing advocacy is the development and presentation of mitigation evidence.

The majority of the websites listed below were compiled by James Tibensky, Mitigation Specialist of the Federal Defender Program of Chicago, Illinois. Please feel free to recommend additional websites that you have found useful by contacting George Couture.

Below are links to websites, categorized by topic, through which practitioners can access mitigation-related statistics, research, data and other information that can assist in developing mitigation evidence in a particular case.