Longitudinal Guilt: Repeat Offenders, Plea Bargaining, and the Variable Standard of Proof

26 Pages Posted: 7 Feb 2011

See all articles by Russell D. Covey

Russell D. Covey

Georgia State University College of Law

Date Written: 2011

Abstract

The Article introduces a new concept - “longitudinal guilt” - which invites readers to reconsider basic presuppositions about the way our criminal justice system determines guilt in criminal cases. In short, the idea is that a variety of features of criminal procedure, most importantly, plea bargaining, conspire to change the primary “truthfinding mission” of criminal law from one of adjudicating individual historical cases to one of identifying dangerous “offenders.” This change of mission is visible in the lower proof standards we apply to repeat criminal offenders.

The first section of this Article explains how plea-bargaining and graduated sentencing systems based on criminal history effectively combine together to lower the standard of proof for repeat criminals. The second section describes several additional procedural and evidentiary rules that further effectively reduce the standard of proof for recidivists. The third section argues that the net effect is a criminal justice system that is primarily focused on the identification of a class of “dangerous offenders” based upon their repeated interactions with the system over time rather than the accurate resolution of specific allegations of wrongdoing in individual cases, as is conventionally supposed. In a phrase, we have moved toward a system that constructs guilt “longitudinally.” The Article concludes with a few brief thoughts on the merits and demerits of longitudinal guilt.

Keywords: criminal law, longitudinal guilt, guilt, plea bargain, criminal justice, repeat offenders, evidence, criminal procedure

JEL Classification: K14, K40, K49

Suggested Citation

Covey, Russell D., Longitudinal Guilt: Repeat Offenders, Plea Bargaining, and the Variable Standard of Proof (2011). Florida Law Review, Vol. 63, No. 1, 2011, Georgia State University College of Law, Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2011-03, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1753262

Russell D. Covey (Contact Author)

Georgia State University College of Law ( email )

P.O. Box 4037
Atlanta, GA 30302-4037
United States
404-413-9182 (Phone)
404-413-9225 (Fax)

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