Many Americans think prosecutors have the final say on plea deals
Core finding
Nearly half of Americans (45%) say the prosecutor has the final say on whether a plea deal is offered, according to an October 2024 Verasight survey.
About a quarter (27%) are unsure, and 20% instead name the judge. Beyond them, few point to the grand jury (4%), someone else (2%), the victim of the crime (2%), or the police (1%).
Topline distribution
Many Americans think prosecutors have the final say on plea deals.
In your local community, who has the final say on offering a plea deal in criminal cases?
n = 1,000 · Oct 1–11, 2024 · MoE ±3.4%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | Oct 1–11, 2024 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.4% |
| Module | educ_pol |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- verasight-apsa-2024.tiiny.co
In your local community, who has the final say on offering a plea deal in criminal cases?
Cite this question
Verasight APSA Omnibus Survey #2024-103, fielded October 1-11, 2024, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.4%.