Presentence reports on 628 offenders were content analyzed. Regression analysis found that remorseful offenders received less severe sentences than non‐remorseful offenders. Offenders convicted of minor offenses received more lenient sentences if they had used alcohol in conjunction with their crimes than if they did not use alcohol. The opposite was the case for offenders commiting serious crimes. Remorseful offenders with few prior alcohol‐related convictions received less severe sanctioning than non‐remorseful offenders with similar conviction records. In contrast, recidivists who were remorseful were dealt with more harshly than their non‐remorseful count