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First Principles And Practical Politics: Thoughts On Judge Pryor's Proposal To Revive Presumptive Federal Sentencing Guidelines, Frank O. Bowman Iii

Faculty Publications

In recent remarks to the American Law Institute, Judge William Pryor recommended abandonment of the post- Booker advisory version of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines and adoption of a simplified presumptive federal guidelines system. There was a time when I shared Judge Pryor's optimism that a sensible system of simplified presumptive sentencing guidelines could be enacted and could achieve its beneficent ends for a useful period thereafter. I have not yet surrendered the dream, but I confess to increased skepticism. The remainder of this essay will explain my pessimistic turn.