A System of Pleas

Over 95% of criminal convictions are by guilty plea. Trials are the rarity, and while much has been written on jury decision making and various parts of the trial process, the field has been largely silent on the practice that is most likely to affect an individual charged with a crime: plea bargaining. A System of Pleas: Social Science's Contributions to the Real Legal System brings together into one resource the burgeoning body of research on plea bargaining. Drawing attention to the fact that convictions today are nearly synonymous with guilty pleas, this contributed volume begins with an overview and history of plea bargaining, with chapters focusing on defendants, defense attorneys and prosecutors and plea bargains; influences on plea decision-making, including race, juvenile justice system involvement, and innocence; and the results of a "system of pleas", such as sentencing disparities and mass incarceration, collateral consequences, and disenfranchisement. A concluding chapter by the volume's editors examines ways to move forward within an entrenched system. An excellent reference tool for furthering both research and practice, A System of Pleas is a must-have for academics and legal professionals interested in the fields of criminal justice, psychology and law, and related disciplines.

Vanessa A. Edkins is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Florida Institute of Technology. Her research has been published in Law and Human Behavior, and Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. Her work has also received coverage in the Wall Street Journal and The Economist. Allison D. Redlich is a Professor of Criminology, Law and Society at George Mason University. The author/editor of five books, she is an internationally recognized expert on confessions and interrogations, guilty pleas, and mental health courts, and publishes extensively in these areas.

About the Contributors
Introduction: A System of Pleas Vanessa A. Edkins and Allison D. Redlich
Section 1: The System of Pleas and its Players
Chapter 1: Arriving at a System of Pleas: The History and State of Plea Bargaining Lucian E. Dervan
Chapter 2: Defendant Decision Making in Plea Bargains Shawn D. Bushway
Chapter 3: Defense Attorneys and Plea Bargains Kelsey S. Henderson
Chapter 4: Prosecutors and Plea Bargains Bryan C. McCannon
Section 2: Influences on Plea Decision-Making
Chapter 5: Race and Plea Bargaining Brian D. Johnson and Rebecca Richardson
Chapter 6: Juvenile Justice and Plea Bargaining Allison D. Redlich, Tina Zottoli, and Tarika Daftury-Kapur
Chapter 7: Innocence and Plea Bargaining Miko M. Wilford and Annmarie Khairalla
Section 3: Results of a System of Pleas
Chapter 8: Sentencing Disparity and Mass Incarceration Rhys Hester
Chapter 9: Collateral Consequences and Disenfranchisement Vanessa A. Edkins
Conclusion: Moving Forward in a System of Pleas Allison D. Redlich and Vanessa A. Edkins