Question

CASE 12.2 Guilty pleas are the bread and butter of the American criminal courts. Between 85 and 95 percent of all state and federal felony convictions are obtained by a defendant entering a negotiated plea of guilt (Covey, 2008; Hashimoto, 2008; United States Sentencing Commission, 2015). Plea bargaining can best be defined as the process through which a defendant pleads guilty to a criminal charge with the expectation of receiving some consideration from the state. What are the three most common types of plea bargains?

Answer 1

Answer: The three most common types of plea bargains are;

1. charge bargaining.
2. count bargaining
3. sentence bargaining

As rightly defined in the question, Plea bargaining can best be defined as the process through which a defendant pleads guilty to a criminal charge with the expectation of receiving some consideration from the state.

In CHARGE BARGAIN, there is oppurtunity to negotiate for a lesser charge or accusation.

In COUNT BARGAIN, there is opportunity to negotiate/plead guilty for fewer charges.

In SENTENCE BARGAIN, there is an opportunity to negotiate for a lesser sentence as against what is originally deserved.