[krapp]

On the other hand, Japan's justice system has a 99% conviction rate. That doesn't happen without blatant, systemic corruption.

I'd rather deal with cops who might shoot me than cops who will definitely get a confession out of me if they want one.

[quantumf]

USA has 93%. Both figures include plea bargains. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conviction_rate

[SolaceQuantum]

AFAIK a big chunk of the 99% conviction rate is because police will not pursue a case that isn't easy open and shut.

[Trill-I-Am]

It's very disturbing to me that there are any qualifiers that could make that statistic acceptable. It's like explaining the FISA court's approval rate.

[joesmo]

Not very different from the US.

"For 2012, the US Department of Justice reported a 93% conviction rate." -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conviction_rate

In the US you can have your cake and eat it too: get shot by cops and have to plead guilty to avoid spending a huge chunk of your life in jail in favor of spending a slightly smaller chunk of your life in jail. America's the greatest country in the world (when it comes to injustice by the numbers).

[DrScump]

   Not very different from the US.

It's extremely different. That 93% figure is limited to federal criminal cases. The vast majority of offenses are state and local. This same wikipedia article says, "In recent years, the conviction rate has averaged approximately 84% in Texas, 82% in California, 72% in New York, 67% in North Carolina, and 59% in Florida."

So, you're talking anywhere from (roughly) seven times as frequent acquittals to over 40 times as many.

"Not very different", you say?

[throwaway_exer]

No, they only try cases they can win.

[SerLava]

They also get to basically torture you for 22 days without charges.