Are violent offenders` cases more likely to be settled by a jury trial, a bench trial, or a plea bargain?
In general, the more severe the crime, the more likely it is that a case will be settled in a jury trial. The basic logic for this is that as the severity of the crime is increased, the penalties associated with that crime are also increased. Thus, the benefits of plea bargaining are reduced, as the plea will still earn an offender a hefty sentence. Basically, the more severe the crime, the more apt the accused is to gamble on a trial, as plea bargaining really does not greatly reduce sentencing as drastically as it does in lesser crimes. Consequently, juries should expect a higher proportion of cases to involve violent crimes, and should be prepared accordingly (see Figure 6). Figure 6 Source: “Felony Sentences in State Courts,” 2000, Bureau of Justice Statistics.
