...Plea Bargaining in the Criminal Justice System Plea bargaining is a necessary component in the American Criminal Justice system. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 90% of criminal cases are resolved through plea bargaining (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2005; Flanagan and Maguire, 1990),and it has shown to be an effective way for courts to try and manage their caseloads. However, even though it is such a necessity to the system, many are concerned that the process is unethical and unfair to the defendants involved. Positive Aspects of Plea Bargaining The main reason plea bargaining is such a huge part of the criminal justice system is that there simply aren’t enough resources to take every criminal to trial every time....
Words: 683 - Pages: 3
...| A Review of the Literature: Plea Bargaining and Ethics in the Criminal Justice System | | | Plea bargaining is a significant portion of today’s criminal justice system. As Chief Justice Burger stated, “The disposition of criminal charges by agreement between the prosecutor and the accused, sometimes loosely called ‘plea bargaining,’ is an essential component of the administration of justice. Properly administered, it is to be encouraged” (Santobello v. New York, 1971). The practice of plea bargaining has generated thoughtful ethical debate with effective arguments on both sides. Prior to offering an opinion, an understanding and comparison of the points of view regarding its use along with the purpose, types, and effects of plea bargaining must take place. A plea bargain is a criminal case pact wherein one side offers sentence prearrangement to the other in return for a guilty plea (Bikel, 2004). This permits those who have been suspected of serious criminal acts the opportunity to considerably lessen the charges and escape a more severe penalty. The prosecuting attorney will usually bargain this, or the initial charge will endure with a recommendation for a lighter punishment. With these forms of inducements, the courts save time and money swiftly and efficiently (Feješ, 2012). A plea bargain can be introduced by either the prosecuting or defense counsel with both sides negotiating throughout the process. This practice can be swift or entail...
Words: 1920 - Pages: 8
...Accountability has become Hostage of Plea Bargain. Does Plea Bargaining Undermine the Criminal Justice System? Legal and Social Impacts on Society. Student’s Name Institution Contents 1.1 Background to the Study...............................................................................................4 1.2 Purpose of the Study.....................................................................................................5 1.3 Research Objectives......................................................................................................5 1.4 Research Questions.......................................................................................................6 1.5 Significance of the Study..............................................................................................6 2.0 Methodology/ Research Design.....................................................................................6 2.1 Sampling Design............................................................................................................7 2.2 Sample Size....................................................................................................................7 2.3 Data Collection and Analysis.........................................................................................7 2.4 Validity and Reliability..................................................................................................8 2.5 Skills Required......................
Words: 1643 - Pages: 7
...The concept of considering Plea Bargaining to be a favor of the courts is totally wrong from the recent past. The American Judiciary has adopted it from the 19thcentury onwards. There is no mention of the practice in the Bill of Rights while setting up the fair trial principle in the sixth amendment but the authorization of Plea Bargaining has been upheld the entire time. In the year 1969, inorder to avoid the execution sentence James Earl Ray pleaded guilty on the assassination of Martin Luther King. James Earl Ray managed to get an imprisonment for 99 years instead of a death sentence. In America almost 90 percent of the criminal cases have never been tried. A major part of the individuals give away their rights and plead guilty for the crimes...
Words: 890 - Pages: 4
...Accountability has become Hostage of Plea Bargain. Does Plea Bargaining Undermine the Criminal Justice System? Legal and Social Impacts on Society. Student’s Name Institution Contents 1.1 Background to the Study...............................................................................................4 1.2 Purpose of the Study.....................................................................................................5 1.3 Research Objectives......................................................................................................5 1.4 Research Questions.......................................................................................................6 1.5 Significance of the Study..............................................................................................6 2.0 Methodology/ Research Design.....................................................................................6 2.1 Sampling Design............................................................................................................7 2.2 Sample Size....................................................................................................................7 2.3 Data Collection and Analysis.........................................................................................7 2.4 Validity and Reliability..................................................................................................8 2.5 Skills Required......................
Words: 1646 - Pages: 7
...Plea Bargaining Chris Stokes University of Phoenix Introduciton to Criminal Court Systems CJA/224 Janet Williams November 14, 2013 Plea Bargaining A Plea bargain is an agreement between the prosecutor and the defendant in a criminal case where the defendant pleads guilty to a certain charge in exchange for a lesser penalty from the prosecutor. Plea bargaining brings many benefits to the prosecutor and the court system but also comes with much criticism. Normally the judge will offer a plea bargain when the defendant knowingly waives his/her rights and admits that their guilty. The role of the plea bargain in the criminal justice system is often misunderstood and frequently critiqued. A plea bargain helps to avoid lengthy trials and arguably helps to manage the caseload that passes through every court but they are used at the cost of giving potential offenders more lenient sentencing and in some cases, risking the conviction of innocent defendants. Despite holding a rather unfavorable view in the eyes of the public, plea bargains are used in approximately 90% of cases involving conviction (Meyer and Grant, 2003). There are two types of plea bargains, the “charge bargain” and the “sentence bargain”. A charge bargain allows a defendant to plead guilty to a lesser charge or only a few of the charges brought against them. A sentence bargain is when the defendant knows ahead of time what the sentence will be if they plead guilty. (Larson, 2000, p. 1) 90 percent of criminal...
Words: 1113 - Pages: 5
...“Plea Bargaining Paper” Presented to Ms. Samyra Hicks In partial fulfillment of CJS/251 Introduction to Criminal Court Systems Doniesha Robinson November 10, 2015 In this paper, I will attempt to define and discuss plea bargaining, distinguish between charge bargaining and sentence bargaining, compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of plea bargaining, and last but not least describe how plea bargaining reflects or thwarts the crime control and due process models of criminal justice. Define plea bargaining A plea bargain is defined as any form of agreement in a criminal case that is between the prosecutor and defendant and the defendant agrees to plead guilty to a certain charge in return for some reduction from the prosecutor. This can generally mean that the defendant will plead guilty to a charge that is not as serious of what they’re being charged with, or to one of many charges in order to have other charges dismissed from their case; or it could also mean that the defendant will plead guilty to the original criminal offense in return for a lighter sentence. Plea bargains allows both parties to avoid a lengthy criminal trial and may allow criminal defendants to avoid the risk of conviction at trial on a more serious charge. For example, in the legal system in the United States, a criminal suspect charged with a felony theft charge, the conviction of which would require incarceration in a state facility may be offered the chance to plead guilty...
Words: 1004 - Pages: 5
...Trial and Plea Bargain The criminal justice system today has attributed to it a notion of it being a system “…of pleas, not a system of trials,” (Franze, A., Jeremy, M., 2012). This fact of the pervasiveness of plea bargaining in the legal system is commonly known, and subsequently one of the shared opinions of five of the four justices that ruled on the companion cases: Lafler v. Cooper, and Missouri v. Frye. To even further illustrate this point, “In the state courts in large cities in 2006, 95 percent of all convictions for felony defendants came through guilty pleas rather than trials; in federal courts in 2010, the proportion was 97 percent.” (Baum, 2013). These statistics should solidify the grounds of how prevalent plea-bargaining is in the legal system, as opposed to taking cases to trail. Subsequently, some judges specifically encourage plea-bargaining, and sometimes remand that plea-bargaining occur if it already hasn’t (Baum, 2013). The importance of plea-bargains in the criminal justice system can not be overstated. Keeping this in mind, the sixth amendment provides individuals the right to adequate and subsequently competent counsel during a trial. This concept has recently, in May of 2012, been extended to plea-bargaining along with trails. In May of 2012 the supreme court ruled on two cases that would create a precedent for many future cases involving plea deals. Lafler v. Cooper was a case in which the defendants’ attorney provided bad legal advice...
Words: 942 - Pages: 4
...Plea Bargains Written By: Ryan McKinniss The plea bargain is one of the most controversial issues in the criminal justice systems. There are two types of plea negotiation, but there are three main categories of plea bargains. They all include sentence reduction, and that’s were some of the controversy starts. Plea bargains also have some positives and negatives about them. Many people can argue for the use of plea bargains, but many can also argue against the use of plea bargains. I personally think they are helpful, but may be offered to easily. Plea bargaining is the process by which a person accused of a crime may bargain with the prosecutor to receive a lesser punishment. Typically, the accused person will plead guilty, sometimes to a lesser charge than the original one (to manslaughter rather than murder, for example). As stated by the Boston College Law Review, the U.S. Supreme Court estimates that at least ninety percent of criminal convictions are based on guilty pleas. Typically, defense counsel and the prosecutor negotiate the charges to be brought. If the bargain pertains to the sentence to be meted out, a judge may also participate unless barred from doing so. The main purpose for plea bargains is this process saves the government the time and cost of a jury trial in exchange for a reduced sentence. Defendants who plead guilty as part of a plea bargain give up three constitutional rights: the right of trial by jury, the right to confront and question one's...
Words: 1046 - Pages: 5
...priority in the functioning of the criminal justice process (Neubauer, 2001, p. 12). “The Due Process Model” proceeds from the premise that protecting the rights of the individual is most important, whereas in the Crime Control Model” holds that reducing crime is the key value” (Neubauer, 2001, 12). When comparing the two control models their opinions differ completely in reference to the causes of crime. Additionally when comparing crime control and due process models one needs to remember, “Proponents of both models embrace constitutional values which are necessary to the kind of society in which American wish to live” (Zalman, 2008, p. 4). In addition answers will be given to questions about the effects on law enforcement, courts, and differences between federal, and state polices, and distinguishes these values. To utilize plea bargaining is controversial because of the fear that innocent defendants would take a plea and the judge would impose unduly sentences (Neubauer, 2008, p. 20). Also the criticism focuses on the deterrent effect of the punishment itself. The crime control model, court hearings have eroded the deterrent effect of punishment (Neubauer, 2009, p. 20). “Not only is the problem serious, but there is evidence that it is getting worse, suggesting that, whatever deterrent effect the criminal justice system does have, its effectiveness in deterring crime may be decreasing over time” (Barnett-Hagel, 1977). Some believe plea bargains allow the guilty to escape...
Words: 2181 - Pages: 9
...Plea Bargaining: Should it be abolished in the United States criminal justice system? Millions of criminals each year are absolved of charges and set back into society, endangering all citizens, while millions of innocent individuals are deprived of their right to justice. This happens due, in part, to plea bargains made for the benefit of said criminal - not only does America’s justice system ignore the needs of innocent families in exchange for their salary, but they don’t bat an eye at the further harm done by the offenders after they so recklessly let them go. Thus, plea bargaining is a major factor in the grief of many families across the nation. “The very essence of deterrence is credibility.” (Source C) Criminals set back into society...
Words: 946 - Pages: 4
...Plea Bargaining Christopher Tucker CJS/251 May 12, 2016 Jason Stone Plea Bargaining When first forging America the concept of trial by jury was accepted as indication of new liberties. In the 19th century although people favored the trial by jury system they was found that this process was losing ground fast. In the early century it was perceived that, the guilty plea was substituting trial by jury more often although guilty plea was being made known it was found that more than three times as many criminal convictions had resulted from guilty pleas. Courts have used plea bargains in order to help keep the congested judicial system working as smoothly as possible. Plea bargains are known to assist the court, they also oppose our rights by violating a state statue. A plea bargain is an agreement to plead guilty to a lesser charge with less-stringent sentences. Types of Plea Bargaining The courts of justice use plea bargaining as a vital part of the court process. .According to Siegel, Schmalleger, and Worrall (2011), change bargaining is when the defendant and the prosecuting attorney negotiates the charges that would be filed (p. 318). This would include the defendant pleading guilty on multi-count charges that are considered lesser charge in return for a lighter sentence. Count bargaining is considered by many to fall under charge bargaining. The defendant claims responsibility to only one or more of the initial charges, and the prosecutor makes other charges disappear...
Words: 898 - Pages: 4
...Plea Bargaining Paper The criminal justice system seeks to protect the public and uphold laws, part of this process includes plea bargaining, plea bargaining is a process in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty in most cases in order to obtain a lesser charge to the crime as well as some leniency from the prosecutor(Schmalleger, Siegel, & Worrall, 2011). There are two types of plea bargains, they are called sentence bargaining and charge bargaining ("Nolo Law For All", 2014). Sentence bargaining is another process in which the courts practice, the major differences between sentence bargaining and charge bargaining are, sentence bargaining is when the defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser sentence, in charge bargaining the prosecutor negotiates with the defendant to determine which charges are being filed against the defendant or the defendant pleads guilty to a less serious crime than the original charge(Schmalleger, Siegel, & Worrall, 2011). There are some advantages and disadvantages of plea bargaining, such as lesser charges, but in some cases the plea bargain gives the rights up of the defendant to make the prosecution prove charges against the defendant ("Nolo Law For All", 2014). Plea bargaining has a long history behind it, it has its problems and shortcomings, however it is still a highly recognized process in the courts today. Plea bargain is defined as a mutual understanding between the prosecutor and the defendant, this usually places the defendant...
Words: 1173 - Pages: 5
...Plea Bargaining Paper Mike Roberts CJS/251 03/14/16 University of Phoenix Plea Bargaining Paper Plea Bargaining Paper Plea bargaining utilized as a part of the criminal equity framework, yet at times applauded. A plea agreement is troublesome because they are not exactly a triumph for all included. Prosecutors are reluctant to offer conceded crooks lighter sentences than those approved by law. Summarily, most criminal litigants are not exactly energetic over the possibility of transparently acknowledging criminal conduct without the advantage of a trial. Regardless of the reservations of the gatherings, plea agreement resolves about the vast majority of criminal cases. The sheer numbers have brought on numerous lawful onlookers to scrutinize the legitimacy of wild plea bargaining. Define plea bargaining. Plea bargaining is an alteration of a criminal indictment used in the exchange for a guilty plea. Plea bargaining is an agreement made between a defendant and the prosecutor. This agreement can end a criminal case without going to trial. Relatively speaking, this agreement means a defendant agree with the charges and pleads guilty after a prosecutor decides to reject some charges or present a more idealistic prison sentencing. Distinguish between charge bargaining and sentence bargaining. Charge Bargaining is a well-known type of plea agreement; the respondent consents to accept a lesser allegation that gave more noteworthy charges will be released. A typical...
Words: 904 - Pages: 4
...1 Assignment – Plea Bargaining Sarah Lee Westwood College – South Bay CRJS121 – Corrections Dalia Fragoso August 19, 2013 Plea Bargaining The right to a trial by jury was considered a central part of the justice system in the early days of the United States. The Seventh Amendment of the Bill of Rights codified it as an essential part of Americans' civil liberties. When criminals were caught and charged, the government went through a trial and verdict. But in the 1800s, a trend toward plea-bargaining began. In Alameda County, from 1880 to 1910, nearly 10 percent of all defendants changed their "not guilty" pleas to "guilty of lesser charges" or pled guilty to reduced charges (Fisher, 2003). A plea bargain is an agreement between a defendant and a prosecutor, in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty or no contest (nolo contendere) in exchange for an agreement by the prosecutor to drop one or more charges, reduce a charge to a less serious offense, or recommend to the judge a specific sentence acceptable to the defense. As criminal courts become ever more crowded, prosecutors and judges alike feel increased pressure to move cases quickly through the system. Criminal trials can take days, weeks, or sometimes months, while guilty pleas can often be arranged in minutes. Also, the outcome of any given trial is usually unpredictable, whereas a plea bargain provides both prosecution and defense with some control over the result. Today, the plea bargain is an essential...
Words: 803 - Pages: 4
