Summarize the process of plea bargaining. The prosecutor’s office has the responsibility for trial preparation and bears the costs associated with gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and...

Summarize the process of plea bargaining.

The prosecutor’s office has the responsibility for trial preparation and bears the costs associated with gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and overseeing other pretrial arrangements. Plea bargaining plays an essential role in saving the courts time and money. Plea bargaining can focus on a reduction in the charges or the defendant’s length of sentence. As a result of the pleabargaining process, a prosecutor may allow a defendant to plead guilty to lesser charges to avoid a trial. Sentencing for defendants who go to trial is more severe than sentences given to those who accept a plea offer.

1. Explain why plea bargaining is so crucial to the criminal justice system.

2. Cite reasons a prosecutor might offer a plea bargain to a career criminal.

3. Who is responsible for approving a plea agreement?