Commissioner

To all recipients of the Guidelines Manual: As Chair of the United States Sentencing Commission, I am pleased to transmit this edition of the Guidelines Manual, which incorporates new guidelines and amendments effective November 1, 2008. The 2008 amendments include some substantive, clarifying, and technical revisions to guidelines, policy statements, and commentary. Appendix B, which sets forth the principal statutory provisions governing sentencing, is now contained in a separate volume. That volume also is enclosed. A supplement to Appendix C setting forth guideline amendments effective November 1, 2004, through November 1, 2008, and the reasons for those amendments, also is enclosed. You should already have the existing two-volume set of Appendix C, which chronicles guideline amendments effective November 1, 1987, through November 5, 2003, and the reasons for those amendments. As always, the Commission encourages judges, probation officers, prosecuting and defense attorneys, and other interested individuals to submit suggestions for improving th