If you do some basic research, a lower and lower percentage of criminal cases are going to trial. There is a pattern of people being in essence severely punished for not taking a plea deal. I was reading another forum where 2 year plea deals turned into 8+ years after going to trial. If someone is charged with a crime, it's an overworked public defender versus the full resources of the government. We don't seem to live in an innocent until proven guilty society anymore.