Mentors: Travis Jordan (Attorney), Leslie Perez (Victim Advocate), Kristen Frame (Victim Advocate) in the Hall County Courthouse District Attorney’s Office
Throughout my life I have always been interested in the law field and becoming a criminal attorney. The law field continues to impact our lives and continues to change. During my high school years every opportunity that arose I jumped at the chance to learn and help better my experience into the world of law. I was given the opportunity to intern at the Hall County District Attorney's Office my senior year. During the whole of my internship, I learned many things and gained a lot of experience required for the future. For instance, I learned that plea bargaining is a huge part of the judicial system. I made it a mission to learn more about how it works and why it is done. In fact, about 97 percent of federal cases and 94 percent of state cases end in plea bargains, with defendants pleading guilty in exchange for a lesser sentence. Frequently, plea bargains are done in order to avoid losing time on serious cases that will go to trial. When cases go to trial they are commonly serious felonies, you also have to prepare a lot to go to trial. Criminal prosecutors need to find witnesses and physical evidence of crimes. They also have to keep the victims and other additional parties informed on what is going on. However, if the convicted is offered a plea they still get punished. My research concluded that the concept of plea bargaining is an alternative remedy to the long and tortuous process of trial in courts which has been introduced to ensure speedy disposal of cases and to reduce congestion in prisons.
Project Website: https://jovannaceves.wixsite.com/pleabargain