An Experimental Analysis of Individual Differences, Offer Characteristics, and Pleading Guilty

• In Event: Variation in Guilty Pleas and Suspended Sentences

Abstract

As researchers are moving towards a more comprehensive understanding of plea bargaining, there is an increased need to understand all parties to the plea bargain. Some work has assessed how prosecutors decide whether to and what type of plea to offer a criminal defendant. To add to this body of work, the current paper uses an experimental approach to examine what factors affect a criminal defendant’s likelihood of accepting a plea offer. We consider a number of individual differences as well as the characteristics of the offer itself. Preliminary results suggest that many of these factors are important predictors of defendant decision-making, adding to a growing body of research working to open the “black box” of plea bargaining.

Authors

• Jacqueline Lee, Boise State University

• Chae Jaynes, University of South Florida

• John Ropp, Boise State University