The Sentencing Reform Act provisions of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 created the US Sentencing Commission, an independent agency in the judicial branch of the federal government. The Sentencing Commission established the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which went into effect November 1, 1987. The Federal Sentencing Guidelines established uniform sentencing policies that federal courts are to consult, including appropriate form and severity of punishment for offenders convicted of federal crimes. Chapter 8 of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, called Organizational Guidelines, pertain to criminal conduct of organizations. The Organizational Guidelines became effective November 1, 1999. Amendments to the Organizational Guidelines as a result of section 805 of the SOX Act of 2002 became effective on November 1, 2004.