Graduation Year

2024

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Legal Studies

Second Department

Psychology

Reader 1

Jennifer Groscup

Reader 2

Jillian Janowiak

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Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Abstract

This research addresses the enduring concerns about the ethical and legal intricacies of coercion in plea bargaining within the U.S. criminal justice system, with a focus on its correlation with racial disparities. This study acknowledges an existing research gap in comprehending the subtle dynamics of coercion and its differential impact on Black and Latin individuals. By employing the Cumulative Disadvantage Theory and Dual Processing Theory, the research aims to investigate the differential susceptibility to coercion during plea bargaining among individuals from Black and Latin communities compared to their white counterparts. Variables such as the severity of criminal charges, the quality of legal representation, and the lengths of pretrial detention are scrutinized through the lens of ideal, worst-case, and randomized vignettes based on racial identities. The study, requiring 333 participants, strives to offer a holistic understanding of coercion within the plea-bargaining process. The hypothesized outcomes suggest plea bargaining is inherently more coercive for Black and Latin individuals, with factors like charge severity and pretrial detention length influencing plea bargain acceptance rates. Anticipated findings include heightened coercion and plea deal acceptance within Black and Latin participant groups. The research's significance lies within its potential to shed light on the underpinnings of coercion within the criminal justice system and provide valuable insights into racial biases found within the legal system and racial disparities in plea bargaining, thus contributing informed perspectives to policy debates and advocating for a properly just system.

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