The guilty plea discount: does pragmatism win over proportionality and principle?

Article


Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2007. "The guilty plea discount: does pragmatism win over proportionality and principle?" Southern Cross University Law Review. 11, pp. 205-223.
Article Title

The guilty plea discount: does pragmatism win over proportionality and principle?

ERA Journal ID36801
Article CategoryArticle
Authors
AuthorMackenzie, Geraldine
Journal TitleSouthern Cross University Law Review
Journal Citation11, pp. 205-223
Number of Pages19
Year2007
Place of PublicationLismore, Australia
ISSN1329-3737
Web Address (URL)http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/law/index.php/9/
Abstract

A discount in sentencing quantum is rroutinely provided to defendants who plead guilty to offences. This article examines the reasons for such a discount, and argues that there is little appropriate justification; and further that it creates, in effect, a penalty for defendants who exercise their right to trial. It is further argued that the existence of such a discount can provide an inappropriate incentive to enter a guilty plea for defendants who may otherwise have had a valid reason for exercising their right to trial.

Keywordssentencing; plea discount
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020500105. Legal ethics
440299. Criminology not elsewhere classified
440203. Courts and sentencing
Public Notes

Copyright of articles is retained by the contributors.

Byline AffiliationsSchool of Law
Permalink -

https://research.usq.edu.au/item/9yq08/the-guilty-plea-discount-does-pragmatism-win-over-proportionality-and-principle

Download files


Accepted Version
Mackenzie_2007_SCULR.pdf
File access level: Anyone

  • 2224
    total views
  • 1837
    total downloads
  • 0
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

A novel framework for distress detection through an automated speech processing system
Rana, Rajib, Gururajan, Raj, Mackenzie, Geraldine, Dunn, Jeff, Gray, Anthony, Zhou, Xujuan, Barua, Prabal Datta, Epps, Julien and Humphris, Gerald Michael. 2018. "A novel framework for distress detection through an automated speech processing system." 2018 IEEE/WIC/ACM International Conference on Web Intelligence (WI 2018). Santiago, Chile 03 - 06 Dec 2018 Los Alamitos, CA, United States. https://doi.org/10.1109/WI.2018.00-29
Automated screening for distress: A perspective for the future
Rana, Rajib, Latif, Siddique, Gururajan, Raj, Gray, Anthony, Mackenzie, Geraldine, Humphris, Gerald and Dunn, Jeff. 2019. "Automated screening for distress: A perspective for the future." European Journal of Cancer Care. 28 (4). https://doi.org/10.1111/ecc.13033
Medico legal issues
Mackenzie, Geraldine and Carter, Hugh. 2010. "Medico legal issues." Hovenga, Evelyn J. S., Kidd, Michael R., Garde, Sebastian, Hullin, Carola and Cossio, Lucay (ed.) Health informatics: an overview. Amsterdam, Netherlands . IOS Press. pp. 176-182
Staying focused on the big picture: should Australia legislate for corporate manslaughter based on the United Kingdom model?
Taylor, Des and Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2013. "Staying focused on the big picture: should Australia legislate for corporate manslaughter based on the United Kingdom model?" Criminal Law Journal. 37 (2), pp. 99-113.
Bargaining in the shadow of the law - using utility functions to support legal negotiation
Zeleznikow, John, Bellucci, Emilia, Schild, Uri J. and Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2007. "Bargaining in the shadow of the law - using utility functions to support legal negotiation." 11th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Law. Stanford, United States 04 - 08 Jun 2007 New York, NY, United States. https://doi.org/10.1145/1276318.1276365
Judges' attitudes and perceptions toward the sentencing process
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2006. "Judges' attitudes and perceptions toward the sentencing process." Sentencing: Principles, Perspectives and Possibilities (National Judicial College of Australia and ANU) (2006). Canberra, Australia 10 - 12 Feb 2006 Canberra, Australia.
Consistency in sentencing and discounts for guilty pleas
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2006. "Consistency in sentencing and discounts for guilty pleas." 20th Conference of the International Society for Reform of the Criminal Law (ISRCL 2006). Brisbane, Australia 02 - 06 Jul 2006 Vancouver, BC. Canada.
An enduring influence: Sir Samuel Griffith and his contribution to criminal justice in Queensland
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2002. "An enduring influence: Sir Samuel Griffith and his contribution to criminal justice in Queensland." QUT Law Review. 2 (1), pp. 53-63.
Soft on crime, not doing the time: the media, law and order and the criminal justice system
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2007. "Soft on crime, not doing the time: the media, law and order and the criminal justice system." 21st Conference of the International Society for Reform of the Criminal Law (ISRCL 2007). Vancouver, Canada 22 - 26 Jun 2007 Vancouver, BC. Canada.
The art of balancing: Queensland judges and the sentencing process
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2003. "The art of balancing: Queensland judges and the sentencing process." Alternative Law JournalĀ . 28 (6), pp. 288-291.
From prison hulks to penalties and sentences in Queensland: lessons learned or history repeated?
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2005. "From prison hulks to penalties and sentences in Queensland: lessons learned or history repeated?" Queensland Lawyer. 25 (4), pp. 181-192.
Achieving consistency in sentencing: moving to best practice
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2002. "Achieving consistency in sentencing: moving to best practice." University of Queensland Law Journal. 22 (1), pp. 74-90.
The Hanson trial: please explain?
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2004. "The Hanson trial: please explain?" Southern Cross University Law Review. 8, pp. 162-176.
What really happened versus what we can prove: tension between the coroner and the DPP
Mackenzie, Geraldine, Stobbs, Nigel and Thomas, Mark. 2007. "What really happened versus what we can prove: tension between the coroner and the DPP." Indigenous Law Bulletin. 6 (24), pp. 6-10.
Summary offences law and practice Queensland, 2006 ed.
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2006. Summary offences law and practice Queensland, 2006 ed. Sydney, Australia. Lawbook Co..
Summary offences law and practice Queensland, 2005 ed.
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2005. Summary offences law and practice Queensland, 2005 ed. Sydney, Australia. Lawbook Co..
Summary offences law and practice Queensland, 2004 ed.
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2004. Summary offences law and practice Queensland, 2004 ed. Sydney, Australia. Lawbook Co..
Summary offences law and practice Queensland, 2003 ed.
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2003. Summary offences law and practice Queensland, 2003 ed. Sydney, Australia. Lawbook Co..
Summary offences law and practice Queensland, 2002 ed.
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2002. Summary offences law and practice Queensland, 2002 ed. Sydney, Australia. Lawbook Co..
How judges sentence
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2005. How judges sentence. Annandale, NSW, Australia. Federation Press.
Criminal law in Queensland and Western Australia
Burton, Kelley Jean and Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2006. Criminal law in Queensland and Western Australia. Sydney, Australia. Butterworths.
Summary offences law and practice Queensland, 2007 ed.
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2007. Summary offences law and practice Queensland, 2007 ed. Sydney, Australia. Lawbook Co..
Sentencing
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2002. "Sentencing." The Queensland law handbook, 7th ed.. Brisbane, Australia. Caxton Legal Centre Inc..
Sentencing
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2005. "Sentencing." Hodge, Michael and Oosthuisen, Desire (ed.) The Queensland law handbook, 8th ed.. Brisbane, Australia. Caxton Legal Centre Inc.. pp. 643-653
Sentencing
Mackenzie, Geraldine. 2007. "Sentencing." Trevino, Joshua (ed.) The Queensland law handbook, 9th ed.. New Farm, Qld, Australia. Caxton Legal Centre Inc.. pp. 696-706
Decision support for criminal sentencing and plea bargaining
Mackenzie, Geraldine, Vincent, Andrew and Zeleznikow, John. 2007. "Decision support for criminal sentencing and plea bargaining." Galves, F. (ed.) 5th IASTED International Conference on Law and Technology (LawTech 2007). Berkeley, United States 24 - 26 Sep 2007 Calgary, Canada.