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PBI Founding Director Discusses Plea Bargaining at U.S. State Department

Article by Plea Bargaining Institute
Mon 28 Oct 2024
2024 Presentation at U.S. State Department

Plea Bargaining Institute Founding Director Lucian Dervan was recently invited to the U.S. State Department to speak to a delegation from Ukraine regarding plea bargaining. This was an important opportunity for the PBI to engage in outreach and education regarding plea bargaining best practices and academic research.

During the presentation, Professor Dervan discussed the history of plea bargaining in the United States and the role of plea bargaining in the current U.S. criminal system. The presentation also examined plea bargaining best practices, including discussion of the 14 Principles of plea bargaining adopted by the American Bar Association in 2023. The discussion of best practices included analysis of academic research regarding plea bargaining to better understand defendant decision-making and the phenomenon of false pleas of guilty by the innocent.

“This was a wonderful opportunity for the PBI to engage with thought leaders from Ukraine on best practices for the use of their relatively new system of pleas,” said Professor Dervan. “There is much to learn from the U.S. experience with plea bargaining over the last century and the recent recommendations from the American Bar Association Plea Bargain Task Force.” He went on to say, “This is exactly the type of work that the Institute seeks to do through its global outreach and engagement efforts. By presenting to those developing plea systems around the world, the PBI can help ensure that practitioners and policymakers have access to important research that informs their work and guides their use of the trial waiver process.”

Pursuant to the PBI mission, the Institute seeks to create opportunities for dialogue and collaboration between academics, practitioners, and policy makers. The PBI wishes to thank the U.S. State Department and the Ukraine delegation for the opportunity to engage in this important discussion.