Because I practice DUI defense here in Charlotte, I don’t need DUI arrest statistics. Rather, I know what is going on as I see what is happening in Mecklenburg County court. So here is what I see trending now.
DUI Arrest Statistics in Charlotte
Since DUI arrests are down, the usual DUI hysteria is also not as prominent in the news lately. Consequently, what is the cause and what is the effect? Rather, are people acting more responsibly (not likely) or are police just not making as many arrests? Sadly, our experience is that arrests are down for the wrong reasons. While I appreciate the reasons, it is tragic that DUI only makes news when someone dies in an accident. So why are arrests down? Because DUI arrests are difficult, time consuming, and takes significant court time.
Because Charlotte is a large metropolitan city, the police need more resources, and court processes needs streamlining. Since I practice in both North Carolina and South Carolina, I often compare the two systems. Between the two, South Carolina is much more efficient for both sides. First of all, There are only two court appearances, not the usual 4 or 5 like in North Carolina. In addition, prosecutors mail the evidence for review. In addition, there are mandatory video laws that record specific events. And finally, prosecutors can plea bargain cases based on individual facts and circumstances. As a result, cases resolve much more quickly and justly.
Too Few Resources, Too Many Court Appearances
Because of the complexities of a DUI arrest, Charlotte needs more specialized DWI Task Force members. After all, a city of our size should expect more police resources. Certainly, we pay plenty of taxes to pay for it. Also, let’s keep officers on the street patrolling, not sitting in court waiting for nothing. Rather than have seemingly unlimited court continuances, let’s streamline the process and resolve cases. While some lawyers will say more time is necessary, in fact, it is not. Once you have the evidence, lawyers should review it as quickly as possible so that their clients can get answers. And then, whether it’s a plea or trial, clients want closure. Since they have to live with this anxiety every day, the quicker their case is over, the better. Furthermore, isn’t this the promise we make to our clients? So let’s do our job and keep our promises.
