Prosecutor shortage fueling backlog in Alabama courtrooms

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - The increase in violent crimes is also taking its toll on the judicial system in the form of a backlog.

However, it’s not just an increase in cases; a nationwide shortage of prosecutors is also fueling the delays.

“Unfortunately, as we’ve seen after this past weekend, they keep coming,” said Montgomery District Attorney Daryl Bailey.

Montgomery County currently has almost 300 cases pending. The pandemic really hurt an already overloaded system.

Violent crimes are the top priority for prosecutors. Montgomery District Attorney Daryl Bailey says prosecutors deal with much more than just the workload.

“What we have noticed is that there are a lot of suicides are up among prosecutors. Prosecutors are leaving the profession,” said Bailey.

“We see things the average person never sees, whether it be dead bodies, nasty pictures of children,” said Bailey.

Bailey says his office is down four prosecutors, and Montgomery isn’t alone... it’s a nationwide shortage.

Now serving as the Alabama District Attorney’s Association president, Bailey says the lower numbers were at the top of the agenda at a recent national meeting.

To help, the NDAA launched an initiative focused on prosecutor well-being, but the only way Bailey says district attorney offices will stay afloat is if state legislators start making changes to keep violent criminals behind bars.

“I think creating mandatory time for violent criminals will help. It will make sure that when a judge hands out a sentence, that’s the sentence they will serve,” said Bailey.

Bailey says recent laws like Aniah’s law are helping to keep bonds on suspects in place, but he says more needs to be done.

He says parents have a huge role too. Bailey says parents must communicate with their kids, know where they are, and who their friends are.

Daryl Bailey is also the National District Attorney Association President in Alabama.

He says the group will meet this summer in Nashville to discuss possible solutions.

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