18 USC § 3661 - Use of information for sentencing

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s3661"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 3661 - Use of information for sentencing"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "3661"
section_name: "Use of information for sentencing"
chapter_number: 232
chapter_name: "MISCELLANEOUS SENTENCING PROVISIONS"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 91–452, title X, § 1001(a), Oct. 15, 1970, 84 Stat. 951, § 3577; renumbered § 3661, Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 212(a)(1), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 1987.)"
---


# § 3661. Use of information for sentencing

No limitation shall be placed on the information concerning the background, character, and conduct of a person convicted of an offense which a court of the United States may receive and consider for the purpose of imposing an appropriate sentence.

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**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 91–452, title X, § 1001(a), Oct. 15, 1970, 84 Stat. 951, § 3577; renumbered § 3661, Pub. L. 98–473, title II, § 212(a)(1), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 1987.)

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title of 1990 Amendment

> “This Act [amending provisions set out as a note under
> 
> ] may be cited as the ‘Drug and Alcohol Dependent Offenders Treatment Act of 1989’.”

, , , provided that:

### Short Title of 1986 Amendment

> “This section [amending sections 3672 and 4255 of this title, enacting provisions set out as a note under
> 
> , and amending provisions set out as a note under
> 
> ] may be cited as the ‘Drug and Alcohol Dependent Offenders Treatment Act of 1986’.”

, , , provided that: