Why Is Plea Bargaining Effective

Around 95 percent of cases are plea bargained. Without plea bargaining, the court system would be drowning in cases and the right to a speedy trial under the 6th amendment would be virtually impossible. The court system in the United States is already overloaded with cases waiting to be heard, and the added cases resulting in the elimination of plea bargaining would be catastrophic for the criminal justice system. What plea bargaining does is allow the prosecutor to offer a lesser charge and, in turn, the defendant waives their right to a trial. It allows the court system to move along faster and deal with the offenders who commit more serious, heinous crimes. This is why plea bargains are a good thing and should be kept in the criminal justice system. While they are not …show more content…
In fact, it has its problem areas. While it does keep the court system flowing more easily, it also allows for some discrimination against certain persons. Those who are innocent may feel pressured to plea in order to avoid the risk of trial. They fear that a trial court will find them guilty and that they will get a harsher punishment than if they just take the plea. Those who are poverty-stricken may be more likely to plea because they cannot afford to go to trial. Legal fees can be incredibly expensive and it is often easier for those who are poor and in tight situations. Those who are of a colored-race may feel the need to plea bargain because they feel the trial will be discriminatory. That is, if they are even offered a plea bargain because findings say that those who are black and Hispanic have a less likely chance to be offered a plea bargain. Lastly, those who are the victims of defendants who plea bargain may feel as though their offender got away with it. They never get the chance to have a trial jury or judge hear how the crime impacted their life and why they believe the defendant should get a harsher