Description
Over 95% of criminal convictions are by guilty plea. Trials are the rarity, and while much has been written on jury decision making and various parts of the trial process, the field has been largely silent on the practice that is most likely to affect an individual charged with a crime: plea bargaining.A System of Pleas: Social Science's Contributions to the Real Legal System brings together into one resource the burgeoning body of research on plea bargaining. Drawing attention to the fact that convictions today are nearly synonymous with guilty pleas, this contributed volume begins with an overview and history of plea bargaining, with chapters focusing on defendants, defense attorneys and prosecutors and plea bargains; influences on plea decision-making, including race, juvenile justice system involvement, and innocence; and the results of a "system of pleas", such as sentencing disparities and mass incarceration, collateral consequences, and disenfranchisement. A concluding chapter by the volume's editors examines ways to move forward within an entrenched system. An excellent reference tool for furthering both research and practice, A System of Pleas is a must-have for academics and legal professionals interested in the fields of criminal justice, psychology and law, and related disciplines.
Table of Contents
About the ContributorsIntroduction: A System of PleasVanessa A. Edkins and Allison D. RedlichSection 1: The System of Pleas and its PlayersChapter 1: Arriving at a System of Pleas: The History and State of Plea BargainingLucian E. DervanChapter 2: Defendant Decision Making in Plea BargainsShawn D. BushwayChapter 3: Defense Attorneys and Plea BargainsKelsey S. HendersonChapter 4: Prosecutors and Plea BargainsBryan C. McCannonSection 2: Influences on Plea Decision-MakingChapter 5: Race and Plea BargainingBrian D. Johnson and Rebecca RichardsonChapter 6: Juvenile Justice and Plea BargainingAllison D. Redlich, Tina Zottoli, and Tarika Daftury-KapurChapter 7: Innocence and Plea BargainingMiko M. Wilford and Annmarie KhairallaSection 3: Results of a System of PleasChapter 8: Sentencing Disparity and Mass IncarcerationRhys HesterChapter 9: Collateral Consequences and DisenfranchisementVanessa A. EdkinsConclusion: Moving Forward in a System of PleasAllison D. Redlich and Vanessa A. Edkins
