Under the U. S. Sentencing Guidelines, the same crime can be subject to a wide range of penalties. In determining the penalty, the following will be considered:

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All of these factors are considered in determining the penalty under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Prior violations, self-reporting and cooperation with authorities are factors that may reduce the penalty. On the other hand, having an effective compliance program in place may reduce the likelihood of violations and thus reduce the penalty.