Prosecutorial Predicament: An Examination of Psychological Processes Influencing Decision-Making in Plea Bargains

Much research has focused on factors that may influence prosecutors' decision-making in plea negotiations and the effects of said negotiations.However, few studies have explicitly focused on the psychological processes that guide prosecutorial discretion about plea bargains.The present literature review comprehensively examines three specific psychological factors influencing prosecutors: the certainty effect, confirmatory information processing, and compliance.These three psychological processes suggest prosecutors' willingness to offer a plea and the level of lenience a plea grants are often influenced by similar, separate psychological processes.Additionally, this article highlights gaps in existing research, proposing options for future studies.