The Thomson and Houlton guideline range of 10-25% for the utilitarian value of a guilty plea does not create a presumption of or entitlement to a particular discount. A sentencing judge may give a combined discount for 'all elements' of the plea (utilitarian value, sparing witnesses, and remorse reflected in the bare fact of the plea) while separately accounting for the offender's broader expressions of genuine contrition in the overall sentencing exercise. Where the plea is part of a broader course of rehabilitative conduct, it may not be appropriate to separately quantify the utilitarian discount.
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