Plea Bargains Criminal Justice System - 1510 Words

In the United States today, plea bargains are the way in which the majority of the criminal court cases get resolved. â€Å"Plea bargains are extraordinarily common in the American legal system, accounting for roughly 90% of all criminal cases. Many countries, however, do not allow plea bargains, considering them unethical or immoral† (â€Å"Plea Bargains: In Depth†). A plea bargain is an agreement that is made in a criminal case between the prosecutor and the defendant; normally, the defendant pleads guilty in exchange for a lighter sentence than he or she could have received if convicted on the charges at trial. Plea bargaining is often justified by reasons such as the overabundance of cases in the United States criminal justice system, overworked prosecutors, and the cost of a trial. Thus, plea bargains benefit the criminal justice system and the defendant, however, they may not always be in the best interest of the victim or society at large. In addition, plea bar gains may entice some innocent defendants to accept a deal for fear of the potential of receiving a harsher sentence at trial. This presents an ethical dilemma for those in the American criminal justice system as to whether plea bargains should be used. Throughout this essay, I will examine the ethical issues presented by plea deals in the article â€Å"The Innocent Defendant’s Dilemma: As Innovative Empirical Study of Plea Bargaining’s Innocence Problem† which appeared in the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology (DervanShow MoreRelatedThe Plea Bargain Is A Vital Part Of The Criminal Justice System1123 Words   |  5 PagesThe plea bargain is a vital part of the criminal justice system today. Before the 1800s when an offender was caught there would be a trial and verdict. The plea bargain are for defendant s to plead guilty to a lesser offense or to at least one charge especially if there are multiple indictments. Defendants will plead guilty in hopes of le niency, and at least 90 percent of criminal cases end in a plea bargains. A majority of criminal cases in many jurisdictions will end in a plea bargaining. InRead MorePlea-Bargains: Currency of the Courts An Examination of the Effectiveness of Plea-Bargain Within our Court Systems1477 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Rahim Jaffer case heads for plea-bargain†; former Alberta MP Rahim Jaffer was being charged on cocaine possession and drunk-driving charges; his case was likely to be resolved with a plea-bargain agreement (Makin, 2010). This is but one case of many that are settled though a plea-bargain agreement. Plea-bargaining can take the form of a sentence reduction, a withdrawal or stay of other charges, or, a promise not proceed on other charges, in exchange for a guilty plea by an accused. During discussionRead MoreAdvantages and Disadvantages of Plea Bargaining1302 Words   |  5 PagesPlea Bargaining: Even though plea bargaining is regarded as an imperfect way for dispensing justice, it still holds an undecided position in the criminal justice system. This is mainly because this concept does not necessarily represent mutual satisfaction or recognition of the merits and demerits of the charges and defenses in court cases. While it may take place any time before a verdict is presented in certain jurisdictions, plea bargaining tends to occur before trial. Actually, most of theRead MoreGood, Bad And Ugly Of Plea Bargaining849 Words   |  4 PagesGood, Bad and Ugly of Plea Bargaining More than 90 percent of criminal convictions come from negotiated pleas, also known as, plea bargaining. Plea bargains are used every day at both the federal and state court level. They certainly have their â€Å"proponents† as well as their â€Å"opponents†. A plea bargain basically is any agreement in a criminal case between the prosecutor and defendant whereby the defendant agrees to plead guilty to a particular charge in return for some concession from the prosecutorRead MoreIs Plea For The Criminal Justice System?1455 Words   |  6 PagesThe question of â€Å"whether Plea deals are at all effective or do they just erode the criminal justice system?† has been raised for some time now. Plea bargaining has been closely scrutinized for many years by individuals who believe in justice being served within our courtrooms and fair-mindedness. I believe that plea bargains not only cripple and deteriorate our justice system but it negates justice altogether. My reasoning’s for disagreeing with Canada’s plea bargaining is people are being pressuredRead MoreFunctions Of The Criminal Court System1264 Words   |  6 PagesThe function of the criminal courts in society is to control social order and protect the community. The criminal justice system is always changing because of updated laws. The criminal court has five components; the judge, the prosecutor, defendant lawyer, the defendant and the juror. Each component works together to provide the best result for both defendant and society. There are a few models inside the criminal court system that help depict the usefulness of how the courts work. Two of theseRead MoreIs The Judicial System Broken?1062 Words   |  5 Pages Rough Draft Law 206 Prof. Heller 12/02/2014 Is the Judicial System broken? In 1789, each of the thirteen states had already establish a judicial system such as criminal and civil cases. The United States Constitution is the original document in which it established fundamental laws for the national government as well as protecting the right of the citizens. The U.S Constitution was designed to avoid too much power in the system of checks and balances. As years went by, the Constitution beganRead MorePlea Bargainning Essay1250 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is plea bargaining? Plea bargaining is the pre-trial negotiation, which takes place in a criminal procedure. During this procedure the defendant and has his attorney sits on one side, and the prosecutor is on the other. The defendant either agrees to plead guilty or no contest to a crime. Another element for plea bargaining would also be because the defendant reveals information such as location of stolen goods, names of others participating in the crime or admission of other crime(s), suchRead MorePlea Barg ain1613 Words   |  7 PagesOver the years plea bargaining has become the way for the Administration of Justice in America and Canada’s criminal trials. Accused criminals are giving up the rights to a fair trial, to indeed plead guilty, in order to receive a much lesser charge, more comfortable prison, or even to agree to testify against someone else. Fewer than ten percent of criminal cases brought up by the federal government even make it to the federal courts to be tried before juries each year. â€Å"According to one legalRead MoreWhat is plea bargaining? Essay890 Words   |  4 Pageswith each other. In a nutshell, this is plea bargaining. Imagine that the person a few spots ahead of you is a prosecutor and the cashier is the defendant in court. It is the exact same thing. Plea bargaining is a term used when the two parties reach a mutual agreement in a court of law. Usually it involves a little bit of give, and a little bit of take from both parties, but in the e nd both sides are able to reach a mutual agreement. If people think of plea bargaining as a negative impact on our