PROSECUTORS FACING INCREASED WORKLOADS

With few increases in staff, area prosecuting attorneys have handled double the number of cases they did a decade ago.

And because of the greater job demands, two prosecutors in Southeast Missouri will resign next month.

Gary Stevenson, a 19-year veteran of the St. Francois County prosecuting attorney's office, will leave Oct. 1; Washington County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Akers, who has served seven years, will leave the middle of the month.

Both men have sent resignation letters Gov. Mel Carnahan, who must appoint someone to serve out their terms.

"After 19 years, I reached a point where I felt I had to move on," Stevenson said. "I have loved what I did, but now there are a lot more pressures than there used to be."

Stevenson filed about 350 cases his first year; last year he filed more than 2,700 cases.

"I'm beginning to think people like to commit crimes here," he joked.

He plans to begin a private law practice in October, probably defending people instead of prosecuting them.

"But after a while, I'll probably forget about the pressures and really miss prosecuting," he said.

Carnahan spokesman Chris Sifford said the governor handles many replacement appointments for officeholders who have resigned before their terms expire.

"Lately, we are seeing the resignation of more prosecutors because the workload is extremely heavy and the pay isn't that great for many counties," he said.

Sifford said besides the vacancies in St. Francois and Washington counties, the governor must appoint a prosecutor in Holt County, in Northwest Missouri.

A spokeswoman for the Holt County prosecuting attorney's office said Robert R. Shepherd left office in August after 12 years.

Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said his office has added a full-time lawyer, investigator and a bad check administrator among other personnel in the past 10 years.

He said the number of cases filed in 1995 will more than likely be double those filed in 1985.

"Because of the increasing workload, I can see how it can get somewhat depressing because you're not as prepared for the job some days," said Swingle, who has been with the prosecutor's office since 1982. "I don't feel the burnout those other prosecutors feel, because I feel there are so many rewards in prosecuting."

Cape Girardeau County filed more than 1,600 cases in 1994, 76 percent more filings than a decade earlier.

Scott County Prosecuting Attorney Cristy Baker-Neel will file more than 1,600 cases this year, double what the prosecutor filed 10 years ago. Although Scott County files almost as many cases as Cape Girardeau County, only two part-time lawyers handle cases. Cape Girardeau County has four full-time prosecutors.

Baker-Neel said Scott County couldn't hire a full-time prosecutor because of a state law that limits third-class counties to only part-time prosecutors. Cape Girardeau County, a second-class county, is allowed full-time prosecutors.

"The county commission has approved an additional part-time lawyer," Baker-Neel said. "I hope to hire someone after the next fiscal year."

She said she doesn't want any sympathy. She knew what hard work the job demanded when she ran for office three years ago.

"I like the job," she said. "It's a lot of work, but I find it rewarding. I've always had an interest in criminal law. I find it more interesting than other areas of law."

Sifford didn't offer much hope for prosecutors facing increasing workloads, low pay and a small staff, saying that many counties were suffering because of "budget tight" years.