Pleading Out: How Plea Bargaining Creates a Permanent Criminal Class *Book
A blistering critique of America’s assembly-line approach to criminal justice and the shameful practice at its core: the plea bargain Most Americans believe that the jury trial is the backbone of our criminal justice system. But in fact, the vast majority of cases never make it to trial: almost all criminal convictions are the result of a plea bargain, a deal made entirely out of the public eye. Law professor and civil rights lawyer Dan Canon argues that plea bargaining may swiftly dispose of cases, but it also fuels an unjust system. This practice produces a massive underclass of people who are restricted from voting, working, and otherwise participating in society. And while innocent people plead guilty to crimes they did not commit in exchange for lesser sentences, the truly guilty can get away with murder. With heart-wrenching stories, fierce urgency, and an insider’s perspective, Pleading Out exposes the ugly truth about what’s wrong with America’s criminal justice system today—and offers a prescription for meaningful change. Read more
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Why Must Read Pleading Out: How Plea Bargaining Creates a Permanent Criminal Class?
As an American citizen deeply concerned about the school-to-prison pipeline and the for-profit prison industry, Canon's whistleblowing alarms me. There seems to be no justice as fairness in the system he describes, which is very different than what I learned in Civics class long ago. In the cases I have been a part of over the years as a pastoral counselor, it seems the rich indeed get richer as the poor continue to get prison - with Justice going to the highest bidder with the best lawyer. I have to wonder if this is the process truly due a citizen deemed innocent until proven guilty. Americans denied their due process because of backroom deals doesn’t seem like what the Founders intended. A lot of food for thought here - and I hope the book sparks much needed reform.
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