...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...
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...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...
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...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...
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...Plea Bargaining Melinda Romayor CJA/224 January 3, 2014 David Manweiler Plea Bargaining Plea bargaining is important in the criminal justice system. It is an essential tool that benefits not only the prosecutor but the defense attorney and the defendant. Plea bargaining allows attorneys to decide cases without needing the judge or a jury to decide the case. It can be beneficial to both the prosecutor and the defense attorney because the prosecutor will have a conviction and the defense attorney would have gained a lesser charge for his client. Throughout this paper I will lead you through the process of plea bargaining, the pros and cons, and how it reflects on crime control and the due process model. History of Plea Bargaining Plea bargaining can be dated back to the nineteenth century. One of the earliest cases reported Commonwealth v. Battis. In this case the defendant who was charged in a capital crime was given time to think about the guilty plea he had entered. The court was reluctant in accepting the plea and was satisfied only after insuring that there had been no tampering, promises, or any persuasions to the defendant. Following the Commonwealth v. Battis case there were other cases that began to be reported that had some level of plea bargaining. It seemed that plea bargaining became more common in the mid 1900’s. The reasoning behind it becoming more common was back in the early days of the English justice system, juries would hear up to 20 cases in a...
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...Running Head: Plea Bargaining 1 Plea Bargaining Brandi D. Greenfield CJA/224 October 22, 2014 Ali Shakoor Running Head: Plea Bargaining 2 To many there are advantages and disadvantages to plea bargaining. Some may argue that if you accept a plea bargain you are admitting to the crime that you are being charged with, even if you are innocent or intend to plead not guilty. There is no true definition of plea bargaining but according to (Black’s Law Dictionary) plea bargaining is defined as “the process whereby the accused and the prosecutor in a criminal case work out a mutually satisfactory disposition of the case subject to court approval that usually involves the defendant’s pleading guilty to a lesser offense or to only or some of the counts of a multi-count indictment in return for a lighter sentence than the possible for the graver charge.” (University of Phoenix, 2011). There are two types of plea bargaining known as charge bargaining and sentence bargaining. “Charge bargaining refers to the prosecutor’s ability to negotiate with the defendant in terms of the charges that could be filed.” (University of Phoenix, 2011). “Sentence bargaining occurs when a defendant agrees...
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...Plea Bargaining Glenn Friedlander CJA/224-Introduction to Criminal Court Systems October 22, 1013 Deborah Carr Plea Bargaining Plea Bargaining is a process in which the prosecutor and the defendant via the defense attorney comes to an agreement during a multi-charge case for the defendant to bargain with the prosecutor after being informed by his or her defense attorney of the consequences of one or more charges for a lesser sentence rather than going to trial and possibly receive the max sentence he or she are facing (Siegel, Schmalleger, & Worral, 2011). This is normally used when a defendant and his or her defense attorney knows there is no way for the defendant to get off based on the charges he or she is being charged with and the evidence against them. More often than none, the defendant’s attorney is highly aware of the possibility of losing the case based on the results of the investigation that was conducted after the crime was committed. This process is also designed to save tax payers money by avoiding a lengthy trial that was probable based on the crime committed. Charge Bargaining This is a process in which the prosecutor can negotiate with the defendant to make it seem like the prosecutor is on the defendant’s side. This is done by telling him or her they will avoid adding additional charges if the defendant chooses to plea bargain with the prosecutor at that particular time or whichever time the prosecutor provides for the defendant to discuss the...
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...Plea Bargaining For Company Management By Name Presented to ------------------------ Date Plea Bargaining A plea bargain is a negotiation between the defense attorney and the prosecutor that is presented to the defendant. Plea bargaining is vital in keeping the courts from being overwhelmed with trials. There are two different types of plea bargaining: charge bargaining and sentence bargaining. There are advantages and disadvantages to both the defendant and the prosecution in plea bargaining. Crime control advocates and due process advocates do not see plea bargaining in the same fashion. A guilty verdict doesn’t always result from a trial. It mostly results from a voluntary plea by the defendant. A plea bargain is when a prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty to the original charge or a lesser charge for a lesser than the maximum sentence. For a plea bargain to be negotiated; the prosecutor needs to offer the defendant a reeducation of severity of the charges, reduction of the number of charges or a reduction in sentence. Unless one or more of these items are met, there will not be a plea bargain. A plea bargain is between the prosecutor and the defense attorney. Once the prosecutor presents the offer to the defense; it has to be taken to the defendant for approval. Once the pros and cons are discussed and the defendant agrees and accepts the plea, it is presented to the judge. Plea bargains...
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...“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...
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...Plea-bargaining, used in ninety percent of criminal convictions in the United States criminal justice system today is the exchange of prosecutorial and legal concessions for pleas of guilty. Generally, a defendant in a criminal trial will enter “one of three pleas: guilty, not guilty, or nolo contendere.” Nolo contendere, otherwise known as no contest has the same effect as a guilty plea, which means the defendant is convicted and accepts punishment but does not admit guilt (lawyers.com). But in the plea-bargaining process, which aims to avoid trial because of costs and time, a defendant and his or her defense attorney may negotiate with the prosecutor for one of four different bargains. In the first type of deal, the prosecutor may reduce...
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...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...
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...| 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...
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...Plea Bargaining Paper Daniel Herrera CJA/224 Introduction to Criminal Courts Dr. Beverly Spencer 9/1/2014 Plea Bargaining Paper Plea bargaining is one of the most important pieces of criminal court proceedings that can occur. Plea bargaining is that chance in which a defendant can choose to not be punished or charged as harshly as they should be. Plea bargaining is a very common thing used within the courthouse and even though it can be good for an individual it can also be bad if not completely understood. The thing with a plea bargain is that at any time a judge can overthrow a bargain and still send the case through strenuous court hours. Plea bargaining is however very important because over ninety percent of all criminal cases are built and completed due to plea bargaining. Plea bargaining can be defined as an agreement between a prosecutor and a defendant whereby the defendant is allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge rather than risk conviction for a graver crime in order to avoid a protracted trial or to win the defendant’s cooperation as a witness (“Plea Bargaining”, 2014). Now a plea bargain can mean everything to nothing towards a case. The prosecution would use these types of bargains for leverage against the defendant. What is meant by this is that the defendant can be offered to give a testimony of the events which can eventually lead into a charge and conviction into a higher profiled case. This is the case most of the time; usually the prosecution...
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...Compare and Contrast Karen Hovenga CJA/464 August 12, 2013 Ruth Ebner The Due Process and Crime Control Model are an account of two structures absolutely different from one another and are in competition with one another to be a 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...
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...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...
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...Plea bargains play a major role in the criminal justice system. The use of plea bargains has become quite controversial with valid points argued by those who support and those who oppose their use. Before making a decision to agree or disagree, one must compare the arguments regarding the use of plea bargains as well as understand the purpose of the plea bargain, types of plea bargains, and the positive and negative aspects of each type of plea bargain. Purpose of Plea Bargains A plea bargain is an arrangement made for a criminal case in which the prosecution proposes a deal to the defendant in exchange for a guilty plea. A plea bargain allows individuals who have been accused of criminal activity the ability to dodge a possible conviction during a trial for a more serious charge. The prosecution will typically offer the defendant a sentence for a lesser charge, or the original charge will remain with an additional recommendation for a lighter sentence (Meyer & Grant, 2003). These types of incentives allow the courts to save time and money by settling cases quickly and effectively. Plea bargains are initiated by either the defense or prosecuting attorney. Both parties are involved throughout the process of negotiations. This process can either be speedy or consist of several lengthy meetings that involve changing the conditions of the plea agreement until an agreement is reached. The prosecution and defense must be in complete agreement regarding the conditions...
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