Poll Only: What percentage of convicted folks do you think really did the crime(s)?

[Papa Deuce]

No need to reply with an answer, please. If you would just click a poll answer, that would be appreciated. Thanks!

This applies to the USA only.

 

[N.Bailey]

I am not responding with my answer, but want to state where someone may actually read it, over 90% of all cases end in a plea deal. While there are no hard and fast rules to ascertain that 90% of those end up as inmates in our prison system, it's a reasonable conclusion based on statistics alone. Statistically speaking then, it has to be over 90%.

 

[dcentity2000]

Bump!



Rich::

 

[shortbun]

interesting question for a poll. I'm going to watch this one.

 

[phorsenuf]

Didn't you already do this?

 

[redrosesix]

I responded to this thread even though it says US only and I'm in Canada. Most of the papers I've read on this topic are from the US.

Even if there is a plea bargain, often the charged person is guilty of something even if they are not actually guilty of the crime they are pleading to (sometimes it's a worse crime and they are avoiding incriminating themselves for that one but often they plead guilty because they have no defense and are taking the lesser amount of time).



So, I'm actually qualifying my response and saying that up to 10 percent are not guilty of the charge that they are convicted of --

 

[bavaria]

Didn't you already do this?

Yes, but several of us non-Americans entered into a discussion.

Oops, I did it again - I responded to the thread when we weren't supposed to. Sorry. We are both bad for having responded. ESL is my excuse - what's yours?

 

[pogo791]

No need to reply with an answer, please. If you would just click a poll answer, that would be appreciated. Thanks!

This applies to the USA only.

I didn't toss in my two bits to the previous thread, so I'll do it now.

The answer depends on what type of offense you're talking about. If you mean all the pennyante stuff that clogs up our courts (thefts, assaults, drug offences and so on), I would be fairly certain that 95 + percent of the folks found guilty are indeed guilty of the offense in question.

But if you ask about the more serious stuff - the felonies - I'd shade my figure down somewhat, to perhaps 90 %. Plea bargains are great for unclogging the court systems, but they are not necessarily fair to the many defendants who have a lazy, incompetent or just plain overworked public defender. They often are facing a choice between a bargain that puts them behind bars for five to ten years for an offense they didn't commit, or risk going to trial and getting twenty to thirty years.

But then turn it around again: if you ask whether the people convicted are guilty of an offense, then my guess would go back up to 95 + percent. The people picked up by the police usually have a long arrest record, and have in fact been guilty of offenses. They just are not necessarily guilty of the offense for which they are standing trial.

(And oh, yes, Redrosesix and Bavaria, the way the question is phrased, Papa Deuce is asking about convictions in the U.S. You needn't necessarily be a U.S. citizen to answer that one - everyone probably has their opinion of good ol' American justice.)

 

[bavaria]

You're being generous. I had the distinct feeling on the other thread that foreigner opinions were not wanted. I actually can understand that, because I don't see how someone can post that the American educational system is the 'best in the world' or the legal system is the 'best in the world' if they haven't studied and experienced the systems in other countries.

I am certainly not so arrogant as to assume that everything German is the best in the world, but often I read here how American systems are better than any other. The two examples above are just from the past few weeks.

I also don't feel that the vast majority of readers here are qualified to critique the Italian justice system either, unless they have worked with it, lived there, or otherwise experienced it first hand. But many did just that. It goes both ways; if 'foreigners' cannot comment on the US system then Americans shouldn't comment on the other systems in the world.

But we have both violated the OP's rule and have posted a response, which is apparently what prompted the second thread on the same topic.

I refuse to post in a poll where my opinion can be seen if I am not permitted to explain my vote with a post.

 

[N.Bailey]

I hope you don't get upset PD, but since the thread has all but died, I thought it would be interesting to post this.

Man Who Spent 3 Years in Prison Cleared after Woman Recants Rape Claim
http://www.1010wins.com/Man-Cleared-after-NJ-Woman-Recants-Rape-Claim/5865015

I hope she gets the full 7 years (though I doubt she will), but what I find even more appalling than this woman accusing someone of a crime they did not commit (a crime no one committed) is, the jurors found this man guilty when it's obvious that there was never enough evidence to convict. I get so angry when I hear that jurors don't hold the state to their burden of PROOF. This had to turn into a guessing game on the DA's part as the case was presented, AND the jury's part when they obviously did not demand proof.