Race and Plea Bargaining

Abstract

This chapter provides an introductory overview of contemporary theory and research on race and plea bargaining. It reviews theoretical explanations for racial disparities in plea bargaining, summarizes current research on race and guilty pleas, and identifies key limitations in existing scholarship on the topic. The chapter considers how guilty plea processes may contribute to broader patterns of cumulative racial disadvantage. The chapter concludes with an overview of promising new directions for future research in this highly consequential and understudied area of the American court system.