Date of Project
3-28-2025
Document Type
Honors Thesis
School Name
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Sociology
Major Advisor
Dr. Heather Pruss
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of how criminal prosecutors and defense attorneys describe the negotiation process of plea-bargains, and the roles and discretion they exercise during it. Additionally, plea-bargaining is not well understood by many members of the public, so this research allows the public to gain insight and knowledge into the process. This study consisted of in-depth, qualitative interviews with both prosecutors and defense attorneys. The results of the study were analyzed through a content analysis. Overall, it was found that the way the plea-bargaining process is described through the existing literature differs from the lived experiences of those who develop and negotiate plea-bargains every day, prosecutors and defense attorneys.
Recommended Citation
Edelen, Sarah K., "Attorney Perceptions of Plea-Bargaining" (2025). Undergraduate Theses. 164.
https://scholarworks.bellarmine.edu/ugrad_theses/164
Included in
Courts Commons, Criminal Law Commons, Criminal Procedure Commons, Criminology Commons, Criminology and Criminal Justice Commons, Legal Profession Commons, Quantitative, Qualitative, Comparative, and Historical Methodologies Commons