Coercion in the Courtroom

Unpacking the Reality of False Guilty Pleas in Canada

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/wclawr124

Keywords:

False Guilty Pleas, Plea Bargaining, Coercion, Procedural Fatigue

Abstract

Despite a significant growth of scientific knowledge on wrongful convictions and miscarriages of justice, the phenomenon of false guilty pleas remains largely understudied in Canada. Drawing from data obtained through the responses of a questionnaire administered to 55 defendants and 11 in-depth semi-directed interviews, this article explores the profile of the individuals who enter false guilty pleas and the reasons why they do so. The context and circumstances behind false guilty pleas are ranked by their prevalence (in the survey) and describe with interviewees stories. Finally, the article discusses the perception of the person entering a false guilty plea regarding the coerciveness or voluntariness of their decision.

Author Biographies

Chloé Leclerc, Université de Montréal

Professor, School of Criminology, University of Montréal

Elsa Euvrard, Université Laval

Associate Professor, 

School of Social Work and Criminology, Université Laval

Meritxell Abellan-Almenara, University of Montréal

PhD candidate

School of Criminology, University of Montréal

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Published

2025-06-06

How to Cite

Leclerc, C., Euvrard, E., & Abellan-Almenara, M. (2025). Coercion in the Courtroom: Unpacking the Reality of False Guilty Pleas in Canada. The Wrongful Conviction Law Review, 6(1), 68–85. https://doi.org/10.29173/wclawr124

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Section

Articles