The Role of Plea-Bargaining in the American Criminal Justice System

The process of plea-bargaining is an issue viewed in various lights based on the individual's role in this judicial process. Plea-bargaining may be beneficial to the rightfully accused allowing them a lighter sentence; however, if wrongfully accused, it could afford them their freedom.
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case where a prosecutor and a defendant arrange to end the case against the defendant before it goes to a judge or jury trial. The defendant agrees to plead guilty to a more minor offense than charged or to a smaller number of offenses than charged in exhange for a more leniant sentence or fine. Since the early 19th century, plea bargaining has played an essential part of the American criminal justice system. Research has shown that more than 90% of all felony criminal cases in urban areas of the United States are settled by plea bargain rather than by a jury trial. ("Plea Bargains: Why and When They're Made." 2002. FindLaw. 10 Mar 2004. http://criminal.findlaw.com/articles/1489.html>).
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