Explain the reasons that some defendants plead guilty

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

To understand plea bargaining, it is important to recognize that it is often in the defendant's best interest to give up the right to be presumed innocent at a trial. The primary benefit of a plea is the possibility of a lenient sentence. Around the courthouse, it is a common perception that defendants who refuse to plead guilty receive harsher sentences. For defendants who are unable to post bail, a guilty plea can mean an immediate release. Ultimately, defendants must decide whether to go along with the plea bargain or to take their chances at trial. Few defendants are in a position to make a reasoned choice between the advantages of a plea and those of a trial; most are poor, inarticulate, and have little formal education. For these defendants, the experience in the courts is like their life on the streets: They learn to go along. Often softened up by the experience in jail awaiting trial, many defendants find that entering a plea is the best way to go along and avoid the possibility of even harsher penalties.