Yeah, the US (mis)uses the plea deal to an appalling extent. It's amazingly fucked.
Most other countries don't have the concept, or if they do, its use is generally fairly minimal, and heavily regulated - oftentimes, it might be "plead guilty to this one murder" in the case of a multiple homicide, to avoid having three separate costly trials.
I think a big part of the problem is if a person goes to trial in the US, if they still get a charge, even if it is much lower than what they were originally charged with, they are on the hook for all the court costs on top of all the fines and fees and jail costs and 10 different line item charges they will get already. And most people balk at the exorbitant costs when it is presented.
Hah, in Florida, if you spend time in jail, even if charges are dropped or you are found not guilty, you will still be billed for your incarceration. And failure to pay this is a ... you guessed it ... criminal offense.
Most other countries don't have the concept, or if they do, its use is generally fairly minimal, and heavily regulated - oftentimes, it might be "plead guilty to this one murder" in the case of a multiple homicide, to avoid having three separate costly trials.