Several factors must be considered when sentencing an offender, including the place of custody, the possible security designation, possible errors in the presentence report, the need for observation and study, and the appropriateness of restitution as a condition of probation. Yet the principal question is whether the offender should receive a custodial sentence and how long should that sentence be. A judge may be assisted in a decision by the presentence report and occasionally a sentencing memorandum from the offender's lawyer, letters from friends and relatives, a psychologist's report, and recommendations of colleagues in a sentencing council. Finally, a judge can request monthly reports of all sentences imposed in the District and refer to Federal court reports. Still, in the last analysis, the single most important factor is the judge's informed discretion. A recent effort by Eastern District judges to establish sentencing guidelines for offenders charged with the unauthorized acquisition of food stamps suggests that disparity will always be a problem. Voluntary guidelines and a required consultation with a sentencing council are more likely to reduce disparity than rigid guidelines and a complex bureaucratic structure. Six footnotes are included.