Each chapter of the compendium describes a major stage in the processing of criminal suspects and defendants and combines data from all U.S. judicial districts. Geographically detailed data are in the district tables at the end of the compendium. The first section provides a graphic overview of the Federal system, including a flow chart of Federal processing, as well as a portrayal of the attrition of suspects from prosecutorial review to sentencing, incarceration, and release. One chapter describes decisions made by Federal prosecutors in screening criminal matters and the characteristics of cases prosecuted or declined. This is followed by a chapter that provides information on pretrial release, detention, and defendant conduct while awaiting trial. A third chapter describes actions of U.S. district courts in adjudicating guilt or innocence; characteristics of offenses and convicted offenders are described. Another chapter describes sentencing decisions and offense and offender characteristics. A fifth chapter addresses corrections; data describe time served in prison and the results of supervision under probation or parole. Other sections describe the procedures used in linking data and developing tables, as well as present information relevant to the interpretation of individual tables. Extensive tables and figures and a glossary