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Plea Bargaining: A Process In The Criminal Justice System

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Plea bargaining is all too common a process in the criminal justice system. Often, the defense negotiates with the prosecution to have a defendant plead guilty to a criminal charge with the expectation of receiving a lighter sentence. The problem with this quick-fix tactic is that serious felons are pleading guilty to misdemeanors and keeping a cleaner record and getting reduced punishment. Plea bargaining is necessary; however, defendants tried on felony charges should not be able to plead down to misdemeanor charges.

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