In this 2021 report from the NACDL and the NYSACDL, the trial penalty in New York state is examined over several decades to consider its causes and consequences.
In this 2021 report from the NACDL and the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the trial penalty is examined in New York state. As of 2019, 96% of felony convictions and 99% of misdemeanor convictions in New York State were the result of guilty pleas. The report includes statistical analysis of the trial penalty and personal stories illustrating the impact of the trial penalty. The report also includes principles and recommendations for addressing the trial penalty in New York.
The report is based, in part, on the results of a survey of criminal justice practitioners across the state. More than three hundred criminal defense attorneys responded and shared how they and their clients experienced the trial penalty firsthand. NYSACDL and NACDL also conducted a statistical analysis of criminal case dispositions, including a sample of 79 cases from Manhattan criminal defense organizations with plea and conviction data to investigate the prevalence and impact of the trial penalty in the borough.
Access the full report here.