How is it possible that Japan has a 99% conviction rate?
In: 3178
Simply, Japanese prosecutors only take cases to trial when they’re certain they can win. If there’s any amount of risk or ambiguity, they’ll defer prosecution (60% of cases), or attempt to secure a plea agreement or summary judgment (30% of cases). For every 100 persons charged with a crime, only 10 will go to a full trial.
It’s easy to keep a high win-rate when you stack the deck in your favor. The downside is that many persons charged with crimes end up “getting away with it” because the case is risky enough to put the prosecutor’s conviction rate in danger.
Latest Answers