This report looks at what happens to individuals arrested at the federal level for drug crimes, including the number of drug offenders who are prosecuted and convicted, the types of sentences they receive, the amount of time they actually serve in prisons, and their rates of recidivism after release from prison. Data are presented which indicate that the number of federal criminal cases involving drug offenders as well as the sanctions against them increased dramatically during the years from 1980 through 1986; more offenders were being imprisoned and for longer periods of time in 1986. The number of defendants charged with federal drug law violations who were convicted in federal courts in 1986 (N=12,285) is reported to be an increase of 134% over the number of convictions in 1980. Other findings are highlighted and information is provided on arrests, investigations and case filings, pretrial detention and release, convictions, case disposition, sentencing, probation and fines, sentence length, time served in prison, and recidivism of released prisoners. A methodology section is included. Appendix tables present data on the conviction and sentencing of federal offenders based on the type of offense at conviction; separate misdemeanor convictions from felony convictions; and present data on imposed sentence lengths excluding certain split sentences. (NB)