Valuate the pros and cons of plea bargaining. State your position, are you for or against it? Why or why not?
All assisgnments must be a minimum of 300 words and written in APA format. Two references are required
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Plea bargaining is a process in which the prosecution and the defense negotiate an agreement to resolve a criminal case without going to trial. It involves the defendant agreeing to plead guilty to a lesser charge or receive a reduced sentence in exchange for providing information or cooperation. While plea bargaining is a common practice in criminal justice systems worldwide, it has both pros and cons.
Pros of Plea Bargaining:
Efficiency and Resource Management: Plea bargaining helps reduce the burden on the criminal justice system by resolving cases quickly and efficiently. It saves time, resources, and costs associated with lengthy trials, allowing courts to focus on more serious or complex cases.
Closure for Victims: Plea bargains can provide closure for victims by ensuring that the defendant is held accountable and justice is served. Victims may prefer a guaranteed outcome through a plea bargain rather than the uncertainty and emotional toll of a trial.
Increased Convictions: Plea bargains often result in convictions that might not have been possible through a trial due to limited evidence, witness availability, or legal technicalities. This ensures that guilty defendants are held accountable for their actions.
Cooperation and Information: Plea bargaining can incentivize defendants to cooperate with law enforcement, provide valuable information, or testify against other individuals involved in criminal activities. This can lead to the apprehension of other criminals, disruption of criminal networks, and enhanced public safety.
Reduced Sentences: Defendants who accept plea bargains can receive reduced sentences compared to what they might have faced if convicted at trial. This can help alleviate prison overcrowding and allow individuals to rehabilitate and reintegrate into society sooner.
Cons of Plea Bargaining:
Inequality and Coercion: Plea bargaining can perpetuate inequalities in the criminal justice system. Individuals without financial resources or access to competent legal representation may feel pressured to accept plea deals even if they are innocent or have a weak case. This coercion undermines the fairness and integrity of the justice system.
Lack of Transparency: Plea bargaining often occurs behind closed doors, away from public scrutiny. This lack of transparency can lead to suspicions about favoritism, bias, or corruption in the negotiation process, eroding public trust in the criminal justice system.
Risk of Wrongful Convictions: When defendants accept plea deals, there is a risk that innocent individuals may plead guilty to lesser charges or receive harsher sentences than they deserve. This risk is particularly concerning when defendants are coerced into accepting plea bargains due to inadequate legal representation or fear of the potential consequences of going to trial.
Undermines Deterrence and Rehabilitation: Critics argue that plea bargaining can undermine the deterrent effect of punishment and the potential for rehabilitation. Defendants who receive lenient sentences through plea bargains may not fully understand the consequences of their actions or be motivated to change their behavior.
Lack of Closure for Victims: Some victims may feel that plea bargains do not provide them with a sense of justice or closure. They may believe that defendants are receiving lenient punishments or that critical information is being withheld as part of the negotiation process.
Position:
As an essay writer, I do not have a personal position on plea bargaining. However, it is important to note that plea bargaining is a complex issue with valid arguments on both sides. The decision to support or oppose plea bargaining depends on one’s perspective and the specific circumstances of each case.
Supporters argue that plea bargaining is a practical solution that helps manage caseloads, increase convictions, and provide closure for victims. They emphasize the benefits of efficiency, resource management, and cooperation in resolving cases.
Opponents, on the other hand, highlight concerns about fairness, transparency, coercion, and the risk of wrongful convictions. They emphasize the importance of due process, protecting defendants’ rights, and ensuring equal access to justice.
References:
Bibas, S., & Bierschbach, R. A. (2012). Integrating substantive criminal law and criminal procedure: Observations on theory and practice in a time of change. The University of Chicago Law Review, 79(1), 1-62.
Neubauer, D.W., & Fradella, H.F. (2020). America’s courts and the criminal justice system (14th ed.). Cengage Learning.
