One analysis, using the Prosecutor Management Information System (PROMIS), indicates that over 30 percent of all convicted felons in Alaska were found guilty of lesser offenses than their initial charges. The study also finds that persons who went to trial received longer sentences than those who pled guilty. Another study suggests that a nolo contendre plea signifies that bargaining has occurred. The interviewees seem to agree that charge bargaining is very common in the cities and occurs even more frequently in rural areas, where it is more difficult to prepare cases. The questions asked by the interviewer focused on how the respondents knew there was plea bargaining, what kinds of bargains were being made, and how the personal views of judges affect sentencing. However, unique Alaskan characteristics including the sense of cohension in the system, the pressures for uniformity in sentencing, and the change in economic conditions make it difficult to extrapolate findings from Alaska to other States.