A more thorough explanation:

Definition: Lateral departure is a type of sentence in the federal sentencing guidelines that allows a defendant to avoid incarceration by serving their sentence through community or home confinement.

Example: If a defendant is sentenced to a year in prison but is granted a lateral departure, they may serve their sentence through community service or home confinement instead of going to jail.

This example illustrates how a lateral departure can provide an alternative to incarceration for certain defendants.