Allocution

Why Speak at Sentencing?

If you’re facing federal sentencing, your allocution—the moment when the judge asks if you wish to speak—can meaningfully influence the outcome. You can’t change the past, but you can show insight, remorse, and a credible plan for reform. When I stood before a judge decades ago, I learned that authentic, prepared remarks—delivered in my own voice—matter. That lesson fuels our work at PrisonProfessors.org: helping you prepare without paying consultants, using free resources and AI to guide your preparation.

Purpose

Allocution lets the court see you as a person, not just a case number. Used well, it can:

• Demonstrate acceptance of responsibility (when appropriate)
  
  
• Acknowledge harm and express remorse
  
  
• Show insight, growth, and a concrete plan to live lawfully
  
  
• Reinforce the mitigation record you’ve already built
  
  

(For context on sentencing considerations, review the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s guidance on §3553(a) factors and acceptance of responsibility; see also the DOJ’s public resources and your district’s local rules.)

Tone

Speak plainly, respectfully, and briefly (about 3–5 minutes). Avoid legal jargon. The judge expects sincerity, not theatrics. You don’t need eloquence—you need honesty.

Focus

Center your message on:

• Remorse: Acknowledge harm to victims, community, and public trust.
  
  
• Responsibility: Avoid excuses or blame-shifting.
  
  
• Insight: What did you learn from this process?
  
  
• Change: What specific steps have you taken—and will continue to take—to repair harm and live responsibly?
  
  

If you were convicted at trial and are preserving issues for appeal, you can still respect the verdict and focus on personal growth, forward-looking rehabilitation, and community repair—without re-litigating facts.

Practice

Rehearse early and often. Record yourself on your phone, listen back, refine, and repeat. If you use notes, limit them to a small card with keywords. Maintain eye contact with the judge. Don’t rehash your entire sentencing memo; highlight the human core of your effort.

Evidence

Back your words with verifiable action. On PrisonProfessors.org, build your profile (top-right button) and document:

• Biography and timeline
  
  
• Journals and reflections
  
  
• Book reports and learning goals
  
  
• Community service and restitution progress
  
  
• A realistic release and reentry plan
  
  

This time-stamped record supports your allocution, the PSR interview, program placement in the Bureau of Prisons, requests for home confinement, and later supervision or clemency efforts.

Example

A structure you can adapt to your own voice:

1. Respect: “Your Honor, thank you for allowing me to speak.”
   
   
2. Accountability: “I accept responsibility for my conduct and the harm it caused.”
   
   
3. Victims: “I recognize the impact on [victims/community] and I am sorry.”
   
   
4. Insight: “Through this process I learned… [specific lessons].”
   
   
5. Action: “Since learning I was under investigation, I have… [education, service, restitution, mentoring—specific, verifiable steps].”
   
   
6. Commitment: “Going forward, I will… [concrete plan with timelines].”
   
   
7. Request: “If the Court finds me worthy of mercy, I will honor that trust with continued accountability and service.”
   
   

References

• United States Sentencing Commission (USSC): Guidelines, acceptance of responsibility, and §3553(a) materials
  
  
• Department of Justice (DOJ): Justice Manual and public-facing resources on sentencing procedures
  
  
• PrisonProfessors.org: Free lessons on PSR prep, plea decisions, mitigation, and profiles
  
  
• WhiteCollarAdvice.com/Nonprofit: Free interactive webinars for one-on-one guidance through our nonprofit sponsor
  
  

Key Takeaways

• Allocution is a rare, powerful chance to speak directly to the judge.
  
  
• Keep it sincere, specific, and forward-looking—3 to 5 minutes.
  
  
• Focus on remorse, responsibility, insight, and verified action.
  
  
• Prepare months in advance; practice repeatedly.
  
  
• Document your growth in a Prison Professors profile to support your words with evidence.
  
  

Self-Directed Exercise

Post these as entries in your Prison Professors profile (creates a dated record for mitigation and future advocacy):

1. Three Lessons: In 150–200 words each, write the top three lessons you’ve learned from this case.
   
   
2. Harm & Repair: Identify the specific harms and list 3–5 concrete repair steps you’ve begun (restitution progress, service, education).
   
   
3. 90-Day Plan: Outline the next 90 days of measurable actions (courses, journals, service hours, counseling, employment prep).
   
   

Allocution Draft: Write a 350–500 word draft. Record yourself reading it; revise after listening.