It's interesting that you bring these points up. Before I spent time locked up I didn't realize how little sleep prisoners get. That definitely affects their ab

It's interesting that you bring these points up. Before I spent time locked up I didn't realize how little sleep prisoners get. That definitely affects their ability to understand the proceedings. I did eight years with an average of about four hours sleep a night during that time. If you are locked in a facility awaiting trial, it is very unlikely you will ever see any of the evidence against. For instance, until very recently in Illinois it was illegal for your attorney to share any of the evidence with you if you were in jail. How can you make an informed decision about whether to risk trial or take a plea deal if you can't know what the case is? This is why so many innocent people faced with a death penalty following trial will accept a life sentence plea deal.