In my younger days, I was offered a plea bargain to plead nolo contendre (no contest, as in "I do not contest the charge nor do I admit guilt") to a lesser char

In my younger days, I was offered a plea bargain to plead nolo contendre (no contest, as in "I do not contest the charge nor do I admit guilt") to a lesser charge in exchange for: probation, adjudication withheld (no conviction on my record) and, once probation was served, record expungement. I got the impression it was because the state's attorney felt I would best learn my lesson with that outcome than the otherwise mandatory sentence for the crime with which I was originally charged — non-violent, mind you; it was a bounced check. Yes, really. So in some cases, plea bargaining is a "way out" of otherwise too-harsh sentencing. Yes, the sentencing guidelines should be overhauled, but in today's legislative climate, the path of least resistance is simply to allow the prosecution the flexibility to charge a defendant with a lesser crime.