Why Are Sentences Usually Reduced For A Guilty Plea? Are Plea Bargains Available In All Cases?

A: Sentences are usually reduced when taking a plea because you’d have to be crazy to take it otherwise. If the consequence of losing at trial is exactly the same as the consequence of a plea, why not roll the dice? Better a 1% chance of winning than a 0% chance. Some kind of plea bargain is available in almost all cases; the real question is whether it is a bargain you want to take.