Pleading Out: How Plea Bargaining Creates a Permanent Criminal Class

By Dan Canon

Book Overview

A blistering critique of America's assembly-line approach to criminal justiceand 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, butitalso 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 systemtoday--and offers a prescription for meaningful change.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1541674677
• ISBN13: 9781541674677
• Release Date: March 2022
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.0" x 9.4"