Many Mecklenburg court leaders doubt Charlotte will ever get a fair shake under a state-run system. We're at the point where one size doesn't fit all,'' says Shirley Fulton, Mecklenburg's senior resident Superior Court judge. Critics also question the state's spending priorities. North Carolina spends relatively little on prosecutors and courts, yet more per inmate on prisons than any other Southern state. But it's all being wasted by an inefficient prison system.
Trouble awaits Recent changes have eased some of the pressures on the state's courts.
Structured sentencing has kept violent and repeat criminals incarcerated longer, and has reduced prison crowding by using alternative punishments for many drug and property offenders. New prison construction has meant fewer early releases for violent criminals. Lower crime rates have provided some additional relief. But trouble looms. Experts cite demographic and economic trends that may soon raise crime rates.