Common Sense Soapbox

What percentage of criminal cases go to trial?

2 years ago | [YT] | 826



@tylerbrandt7702

Wow... People say the American justice system is bad but this really proves it.

2 years ago | 68

@beholdapalehorse7700

We need to remove incentives based on conviction rates for DAs and prosecutors- high conviction rate= promotion, political aspirations, etc. this would help remove a lot of corruption, errors, and wrongful convictions.

2 years ago | 56

@kevind411

My first hand experience with the justice system left me with little to no faith in it.

2 years ago | 47

@machaiarcanum

My thinking was along the lines of "It's definitely not 90% or 55%, but surely it's not 5%, that would be ridiculous."

2 years ago | 10

@kfcreviewer2310

The thing is, this isn't even any better in other countries. I would bet good money that Germany has similar statistics, or even worse, if you consider how many cases are dismissed when it comes to deportation, criminal refugees, etc.

2 years ago | 3

@williamjudge4913

And if those that go to trial 90+% of federal charges and a majority state (jurisdiction depending, huge majority) end in convictions.

2 years ago | 10

@rozemarjin

Prosecutors should be sentenced to life in prison for prosecutorial misconduct which is rampant

2 years ago | 21

@CommonSenseSoapbox 

In our latest episode, we explain how the US Justice System is RIGGED. Watch now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG8F7cTOJQc

2 years ago (edited) | 11

@Zundfolge

The entire system of plea bargaining is broken. More often than not it ends with one of two outcomes; Either a real bad criminal gets off light, or an innocent person gets convicted of a crime they didn't commit because they're too afraid of our fickle system to risk actually going to trial and proving their innocence (which they shouldn't have to do in the first place since the burden of proof is supposed to be on the state).

2 years ago | 9

@problematicspaghettios

I won't lie, I knew it was low but I didn't know if was THAT low.

2 years ago | 19

@iyfan2961

What should happen is every time a prosecutor has forced an innocent man guilty, because they use such evil tactics they should have to share in the sentence. That would make them very careful about trying to bully people into pleading down and not fighting just to pad their number of convictions. For every day an innocent man spent in jail they spend the same, and if they suffered the death penalty then should face the same.

2 years ago | 3

@TheAntManChannel

5%?!?! The judicial system is broken.

2 years ago | 2

@winstonsyme7672

Everyone is afraid of getting arrested until they are and they find out prosecutors don't do anything. Then they're not afraid anymore and a repeat offender is born.

2 years ago | 1

@ScientiaUniversal

The CJS is a money machine.

2 years ago | 1

@metazare

The fact that there is an entire profession dedicated to studying the law to defend or prosecute someone. That is a disservice to the citizen by itself. The justice system was never intended to be so confusing and twisted, that the average person would be unable to defend themselves in a court.

2 years ago | 3

@shadowweaver1599

Wow I can't believe it's that low. but knowing criminals have more rights then law abiding citizens this isn't a surprise. The justice system has been broken For a very long time that's just sad to see that it's only been getting worse as the years go by.

2 years ago | 0

@WTFFN

In the feds it's only 2 percent giving them only a 50% conviction rate. 98 perhaps of the cases end in please bargains.

2 years ago | 1

@CasshernSinz1613

That's horrifying. Add onto the fact that people will have their names, faces, and addresses blasted all over the local news and you effectively ruin thousands of innocent lives all because prosecutors want a promotion.

2 years ago | 2

@MrX3rt

This just tells us how bad our police and government is.

2 years ago | 4

@d46512

I didnt know this until I learned this answer from your latest video.

2 years ago | 0