Why are people accused of crimes allowed plea deals?

Question

(ahem, Mike Vick)

Answer 1

Plea deals are often arranged for several reasons:

1. To save the time and money it costs to have a trial;

2. To secure a sentance when there may be insufficient evidence to win at trial.

3. To save witnesses and victims from having to deal with cross examination (mostly in child and sex assualt cases).

4. To secure a conviction against a co-accused.

Answer 2

All is not always as it seems. Under the Federal Sentencing guidelines:

The Guidelines determine sentences based primarily on two factors:

(1) the conduct associated with the offense (the offense conduct, which produces the "offense level"), and

(2) the defendant's criminal history (the "criminal history category").

The Sentencing Table in the Guidelines Manual shows the relationship between these two factors; for each pairing of offense level and criminal history category, the Table specifies a sentencing range, in months, within which the court may sentence a defendant.

For example, for a defendant convicted on an offense with a total offense level of 22 and a criminal history category of I, the Guidelines recommend a sentence of 41-51 months, considering the year of the offense to be the same as the year of the guidelines.

If, however, a person with an extensive criminal history (Category VI) committed the same offense in the same manner in the same modern timeline and not during the older guideline periods, the Guidelines would recommend a sentence of 84-105 months.

Even entering a plea prior to trial, in federal court, can reduce the amount of time to be served.

For more information you can refer to the many websites concerning Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

Answer 3

I think this, I think people are allowed Plea Bargins so that they law can get more information from that person or persons to help either solve a crime or things like that, take for an example remember Scott Petersons and Laci Peterson deal, Scott was offered a Plea Bargin but refused because he believes in his heart he did not kill his wife, he had an the option to give up information in order to avoid death row, well he did not plea, he did not give in, and because he did not and the law and people of his so called peers judged him and so he got death row. I supose thats the best answer I can give you, he may have avoided Death row had he come clean thats if you believe he did the crime with being now Physical Evidence ever hope you get the answer your looking for

Answer 4

Plea deals are used to entice the small fish to go after the big ones, as in the Mike Vick case. His friends took the deals as long as they testified against Vick.

Answer 5

Being accused of a crime is not the same as being found guilty of a crime.

The prosecutor may feel he may not have enough evidence to convict, or in the case of a henious crime (like murder), he may need a unanomous vertict by the jury (sometimes hard to get).

A lot of times the prosecutor is playing a game of chicken with the defendent------if I take you to trial and you're found guilty you could get 30 year, plea bargain, I'll give you 10.

Answer 6

Save the cost and time of going totrial with the possibility of losing the case

It's that whole "innocent until proven guilty" thing. Nobody loses with a plea deal.

Answer 7

The government gets a certain conviction, without the expense of a jury trial and the chance that the defendant will win a flike acquittal.

Answer 8

OH I get so furious with Mike Vick and anyone who is behind dog fighting. It's disgusting what they do to these animals and they should be ashamed of themselves. Dog fighting breaks my heart.

Answer 9

To save the government money so they don't have to pay for an expensive trial. And you are innocent til proven guilty so being "accused" means pretty much nothing on its own.

Answer 10

it's up to the district attorney and the defense lawyer to come up with the plea agreement (and plea agreements save tax payers money)