Background
Welcome to the Module 4 SLP! Again, you will be examining the jurisdiction you chose in the first module.
Required Reading
Refer to the required and optional readings on insanity defense and plea bargaining, the theme for this module.
Assignment
Please write a 2-3 page paper, not including cover and reference pages, in which you:
- Summarize the purpose of plea bargains in general, and the purpose plea bargains serve in your jurisdiction.
- Provide examples of types of plea bargains that have recently been agreed upon in your jurisdiction.
- Assess what the role of attorneys, medical and mental health professionals and law enforcement professionals is (or should be) in determining the state of a defendant's sanity and ultimately accountability for the crime with which the defendant is charged. Should these stakeholders influence when or if a plea bargain is offered as an option?
- Analyze the arguments for and against the use of plea bargains, and make a case for which side you take (for or against).