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Why might a crime victim prefer a plea bargain to testifying at trial?
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Plea bargaining
A scene of the trials in Salem Village, Massachusetts Bay Colony, hand-colored engraving.
Victims of crimes may prefer a plea bargain over a trial for several significant reasons:
- Avoiding Emotional Trauma: Testifying in court can be a frightening or upsetting experience, particularly for victims of violent crimes. Plea bargaining allows them to bypass the need to provide testimony in a public forum.1
- Gaining Certainty: Victims may find comfort in the certainty that a plea bargain provides. By avoiding a trial, they do not have to endure the emotional distress or uncertainty associated with the potential acquittal of a defendant they believe is guilty.1