PLEA BARGAINS WITHOUT BARGAINING - ROUTINIZATION OF MISDEMEANOR PROCEDURES (FROM CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS - A READER, 1976 BY WILLIAM B SAUNDERS AND HOWARD C DAUDISTEL - SEE NCJ-34969)

• NCJ Number: 34975
• Author(s): R G MENDES; J T WOLD
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: Praeger Publishers
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ANALYSIS OF THE PLEA BARGAINING PROCESS IN DIVISION 81 OF THE LOS ANGELES MUNICIPAL COURT FOCUSING EXCLUSIVELY ON MISDEMEANOR NEGOTIATIONS CONDUCTED IN A HIGHLY FORMALIZED SYSTEM.

Abstract

THE RECENT HISTORY OF DIVISION 81 AND ITS SETTING IN THE COURT SYSTEM IS DESCRIBED. THE SIGNIFICANT FEATURES OF MISDEMEANOR PLEA BARGAINING ARE EXAMINED AND THE ROLES OF VARIOUS PARTICIPANTS ASSESSED. INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED THROUGH IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS AND DIRECT OBSERVATION IN ADDITION TO A LIMITED AMOUNT OF AGGREGATE MATERIAL AVAILABLE FROM DIVISION 81 INTERNAL RECORDS. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT THE PLEA BARGAINING SYSTEM IN DIVISION 81 MAY INDEED DETER OR REFORM MANY MISDEMEANANTS, PROVIDING A SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.