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This always confuses me

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Politics & Debate
Why when someone admits an offence do they get spared jail ?

STORY
spared jail because he pleaded guilty, a court was told.
I just cannot understand the reasoning behind this, so because he pleaded guilty he doesent get a custodial sentence........dont seem right to me. Its not just this case but others too, because they plead guilty the sentencing is less.....is it just me or is this silly ?

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    BeckyBoo wrote:
    Why when someone admits an offence do they get spared jail ?

    STORY

    I just cannot understand the reasoning behind this, so because he pleaded guilty he doesent get a custodial sentence........dont seem right to me. Its not just this case but others too, because they plead guilty the sentencing is less.....is it just me or is this silly ?

    Plea bargaining - Its an easy and cheap way to get a conviction.......
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    BeckyBoo wrote:
    Why when someone admits an offence do they get spared jail?
    Because by admitting their guilt, that person has shown themselves to be a good character. That's not my opinion, it just seems to be how it works. Personally, I think it's a stupid theory.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    freethepeeps wrote:
    Plea bargaining - Its an easy and cheap way to get a conviction.......


    aye but its silly.........isnt it ?

    So i can go out tomorrow and steal from someone, hold my hands up to it and I get let off. I think it stinks tbh

    if people cant do the time then dont do the god damned crime.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I know why :p or at least my theory:

    By admitting they are guilty, they are making it easier for the court and the judge. Of course, everyone wants an easy life, so to encourage admissions rather than a lengthy expensive trial, anyone who admits gets a reduced sentence.

    So it's the Judges' way of making admitting you're guilty more attractive :) quite clever really - because if every case went to trial then the legal system would completely stop working.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    TheShyBoyInTheCorner wrote:
    I know why :p or at least my theory:

    By admitting they are guilty, they are making it easier for the court and the judge. Of course, everyone wants an easy life, so to encourage admissions rather than a lengthy expensive trial, anyone who admits gets a reduced sentence.

    So it's the Judges' way of making admitting you're guilty more attractive :) quite clever really - because if every case went to trial then the legal system would completely stop working.

    I just said that :yuck: well the first bit anyway ;)

    Would a non-functioning legal system look any different to the dysfunctional one we have now?

    :confused:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    freethepeeps wrote:
    I just said that :yuck: well the first bit anyway ;)

    Would a non-functioning legal system look any different to the dysfunctional one we have now?

    :confused:

    Slightly. Ours gets cases through very slowly.. if you think of it like a big steamwork contraption with cogs going round, it's gots lots of sand and grit slowing it down. By offering lighter sentences to people who save them work, some of this grit is removed :D so it does work a bit better. Although, I don't move in legal circles, so I can't say one way or the other for sure.

    Also, I know you kind fo said it, but I'm in a talkative mood :chin:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    As I understand it, other than it gets a cheep conviction, it's also a demonstration of remorse, and we like people to be sorry for what they've done, it's a better deterant than jail.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    As I understand it, other than it gets a cheep conviction, it's also a demonstration of remorse, and we like people to be sorry for what they've done, it's a better deterant than jail.

    Definately, I heard somehere 50% of people who go to prison re-offend. Then someone replied to that saying it was cos everyone in prison was a drug addict :chin: I don't know :p lol
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    TheShyBoyInTheCorner wrote:
    Definately, I heard somehere 50% of people who go to prison re-offend. Then someone replied to that saying it was cos everyone in prison was a drug addict :chin: I don't know :p lol

    Its more than 50% .....

    And, according to the Howard League, more people are jailed for alcohol related offences than for drug related ones.

    :wave:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The reason why those who admit crime get lesser sentences is two-fold.

    1. It shows remorse and honesty (at last), and both of these are desirable qualities and, therefore, deserve shorter sentences.

    2. People need an incentive to plead guilty. If you got the same sentence regardless, you might as well plead innocence, cost the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of pounds, and take the risk that a jury would acquit.

    You need to think things through more laterally, Becky. It's the same with "ending early release"; people won't be "inside" for longer, because at the minute a judge sentences someone to, say, five years knowing that they'll only do three. If this was removed, that person would only be sentenced to three years, and a valuable carrot would be taken from prison officers.
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    SkiveSkive Posts: 15,286 Skive's The Limit
    Fiend_85 wrote:
    As I understand it, other than it gets a cheep conviction, it's also a demonstration of remorse, and we like people to be sorry for what they've done, it's a better deterant than jail.


    Exactly. It's all about remorse.
    And anyway it doesn't always pay to plead guilty and hold you hands up. There were six of us court once for a quite a serious offence and I was the only one to plead guilty. When they came to be convicted they were dealt punishments which were only half as harsh as mine.
    What was the point in owning up and saying sorry? None.
    Weekender Offender 
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    This IMO is one of those situations where the mindless masses (us :p) get confused because it seems contradictory / conflict of interests / something like that but the people who do the job know exactly what they're doing - and they know it works. They're the people who work with them every day of every week of every year and if they say that it's the way things work, we've got to trust them...

    Still, it's our duty as the mindless masses to challenge them :p and make sure things are working the way that they do them. (I read somewhere that the duty of the electorate in a democracy is to keep the leadership in check, or something)
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    SkiveSkive Posts: 15,286 Skive's The Limit
    freethepeeps wrote:
    And, according to the Howard League, more people are jailed for alcohol related offences than for drug related ones.

    Alcohol is certianly responsible for a greater number of violent crimes including rape and murder.
    Weekender Offender 
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