interesting facts about the 95% conviction rate being thrown around. seems like its not quite 95%. only 4 percent of federal indictments end up going to trial.
Cases were terminated against 83,391 defendants during 2004, 73,138 (88%) of whom were felony defendants.
Ninety percent of all defendants, (92% of all felony defendants, and 71% of misdemeanor defendants) were convicted.
Most defendants who were convicted pleaded guilty. Overall,
96% of those convicted pleaded guilty, while only 4% were convicted at trial. For felony offenses 96% of convicted defendants pleaded guilty to their charges.
During 2004 only 4% (3,346) of the 83,391 defendants in cases terminated exercised their right to a trial.
Of defendants who exercised their right to a trial, 2,630 (79%) were convicted either by a jury or a bench trial.
The felony trial conviction rate was 80%, while the misdemeanor conviction rate was 64%. Among felony offenses,
trial conviction rates ranged from 74% for violent offenses defendants to 85% for immigration defendants.
1 in 5 chances sounds a lot better than 8 out of 100.
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/pdf/cfjs0404.pdf