“The triumph of plea bargaining in the federal system, which has gathered pace in recent years, is nearly complete. Guilty pleas last year resolved 97% of all federal cases that the Justice Department prosecuted to a conclusion. That is up from 84% in 1990. During that period, the number of federal defendants nearly doubled amid a crackdown on crimes ranging from drug trafficking to fraud, while the number going to trial fell by nearly two-thirds. Behind the dominance of the plea bargain is the rapid growth in the number of federal criminal laws and the stiffening of sentences.”
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390443589304577637610097206808.html
Related posts:
U.S. to let spy agencies scour Americans' finances
Camera Catches NY Cop Stealing Pro-Gun Yard Signs
Embargoed EU Goods Actively Re-Imported to Russia via Belarus
European monitoring of civilians still far less than U.S., but growing
John Kerry: Syria war no time for 'armchair isolationism'
Oklahoma Student Expelled for Casting a Spell
Anthony Gregory: Newtown and the Bipartisan Police State
Living On Bitcoin For A Week: The Journey Begins
Trump warns UK that banning him would be an economic mistake
Silicon Valley Start-Up Company Powers Homes With Sound Waves
Austin Bitcoin mining company hits 1,000 unit sales milestone
Warren Buffett's bubble cash-out strategy revealed in 38-year-old letter
The U.S. economy is roaring, but the yield curve is flattening. What gives?
US sends Irish government arrest warrant for Snowden
China Orders Ban on New Government Buildings