Problem:
I do not think plea bargaining is an effective alternative process in our current criminal justice system. I do agree with the mere idea of plea bargaining, but in our current system it has become the norm in every local, state and federal court system. This has made it so defendants who are charged with a crime expect a lesser punishment for their offenses and it does not give proper justice to the victims of these crimes. The reason this has become such an abundant practice is that it relieves pressure on prosecutors to go through with a potentially lengthy trial. The ability to settle more cases in a shorter amount of time tends to work better for the prosecution, despite most of these plea agreements not meeting the moral sentencing standard most people would want. There is also another angle to look at when analyzing why this has become such a popular practice. Many prosecuting attorneys are in their positions and see their positions as a steppingstone in their career. To look better to private firms who will potentially hire them, they want to have a high conviction rate on their resume to show how effective they are as an attorney. This leads many cases to be settled outside of court through the plea-bargaining process, despite the lack of actual justice being served on behalf of the victims. Does plea bargaining save time and money in the criminal justice process? Yes, it does, but it is also a disservice to our society. (what should I reply to my peer?