researching references to -- plea bargain
Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:10 am
researching references to -- plea bargain
HHS
child welfare info gateway
http://216.109.125.130/search/cache?p=p ... 1&.intl=us
Plea Bargaining
Once the prosecutor's office has decided to file criminal charges against an alleged child abuser, plea negotiations may begin. The prosecutor and the accused's attorney will discuss a possible settlement of the case without a trial. Avoiding a trial may be especially desirable when the victim is a child, because the child will experience anxiety while the trial is pending, and would very likely be required to testify and be cross-examined with the defendant present.
Certain plea bargain options offer the defendant an incentive to seek rehabilitation or to reform his/her behavior in other ways. For example, the defendant's probation may be subject to his/her continued participation in treatment, or prosecution of the charges may be deferred, with dismissal conditioned on the defendant's good behavior for a specified period.
Of course, just as in civil settlements, there may also be negative consequences to a plea bargain. Child victims may feel betrayed or disbelieved, or may feel unsafe, depending on the sentence. Particularly in the criminal context, plea bargaining with a child abuser may convey the impression, to the public as well as to the perpetrator and the victim, that child abuse is not as serious as other crimes.
HHS
child welfare info gateway
http://216.109.125.130/search/cache?p=p ... 1&.intl=us
Plea Bargaining
Once the prosecutor's office has decided to file criminal charges against an alleged child abuser, plea negotiations may begin. The prosecutor and the accused's attorney will discuss a possible settlement of the case without a trial. Avoiding a trial may be especially desirable when the victim is a child, because the child will experience anxiety while the trial is pending, and would very likely be required to testify and be cross-examined with the defendant present.
Certain plea bargain options offer the defendant an incentive to seek rehabilitation or to reform his/her behavior in other ways. For example, the defendant's probation may be subject to his/her continued participation in treatment, or prosecution of the charges may be deferred, with dismissal conditioned on the defendant's good behavior for a specified period.
Of course, just as in civil settlements, there may also be negative consequences to a plea bargain. Child victims may feel betrayed or disbelieved, or may feel unsafe, depending on the sentence. Particularly in the criminal context, plea bargaining with a child abuser may convey the impression, to the public as well as to the perpetrator and the victim, that child abuse is not as serious as other crimes.