How common is plea bargaining in criminal cases in the United States?

Plea bargaining is an extremely common practice in the United States, serving as the primary method for resolving criminal cases. The great majority of criminal cases in the U.S. involve some form of plea bargaining.12

The prevalence of this practice has grown significantly over time. While plea bargains were rare in early American history, they became routine in many jurisdictions by the mid-19th century. By the early 20th century, the practice had become widespread; for example, in Cook County, Illinois, 96 percent of felony prosecutions resulted in guilty pleas by 1926. Today, the U.S. Supreme Court recognizes plea bargaining as an essential and highly desirable component of the law, as it allows the court system to function efficiently by preserving scarce resources and avoiding the time-consuming and costly nature of trials.31