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Teenagers are more likely to plead guilty to crimes they did not commit because they are less able to make mature decisions, new research shows.
Experts have called for major changes to the criminal justice system after finding innocent younger people are far more likely admit to offences, even when innocent, than adults.
Those who carried out the study say teenagers should not be allowed to make deals where they face a lesser charge in return for pleading guilty. The study suggests young people are more likely to be enticed by these deals, and take what they see as an advantageous offer even when they have done nothing wrong.
Most criminal convictions in the UK and the USA occur as the result of guilty pleas, rather than trial. This means the majority of convictions are the result of decisions made by people accused of crimes rather than jurors.
The research was carried out in the USA, where a system known as "plea bargaining" is utilised, but the academics say their discovery has implications for countries across the world that allow teenagers accused of crimes to receive a sentence or charge reduction by pleading guilty. Specifically, the researchers recommend restricting reductions that may entice innocent teenagers into pleading guilty and making it easier for teenagers to change pleas after they have been entered.
Other research has found adolescents are less able to perceive risk and resist the influence of peers because of developmental immaturity.
https://phys.org/news/2018-03-teenagers-guilty-crimes-didnt-commit.html
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(Score: 5, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Saturday March 17 2018, @04:51PM
The kid is caught doing something wrong. In reality, it's a minor offense. But the prosecutor sees an opportunity, so he and the cops conspire to bury the kid in dozens of charges. The kid is dumb, and thinks that he WILL be buried, so he takes the plea deal. Instead of the single stupid minor offense, he has just become a felon.
The whole plea deal arrangement is dirty. The prosecutors let real felons walk, in exchange for information. They lock up innocent citizens over bullshit. It's just dirty.
Judges should intervene in these plea deals, and put a stop to them. Judges should be wise enough to know that many adults don't know better, and kids certainly don't.
And, no, this isn't something that is taught even in decent school systems. Just maybe in really excellent school systems, that produce citizens who are actively engaged in their government. Hell, we don't even have civics classes anymore, do we? We've replaced a decent system, with a pure shit system. Few high school grads can name their own state capital it seems.
“Take me to the Brig. I want to see the “real Marines”. – Major General Chesty Puller, USMC