The former president of the Missouri Bar today told the group's Board of Governors of the problems plaguing public defenders across the state, calling it a crisis. Doug Copeland says in addition to being overwhelmed with caseloads, public defenders are sorely lacking in resources.

"We've got the lowest per capita spending amongst all the public defender systems in the country that's an indication that we're not giving them enough resources what are we, the Meth capital of the world? We've got lots of crime in Missouri, so it's not like we're a crime-free state."

Meanwhile, Jennifer Joyce, the prosecuting attorney for St. Louis, acknowledges that the public defender system has problems that need addressing. But she says any legislative solution should address Missouri's entire criminal justice system. © Copyright 2012, KBIA