New technology in NC courtrooms hopes to reduce wait times, streamline process

A new courtroom technology system rolling out county by county around the state aims to save taxpayers money, and save defendants and court officials time.

Courtroom Audio Visual Experience (CRAVE) is a system of high-quality cameras and monitors that enables defendants to make first appearances, virtually, from jail, and allows expert witnesses to join trials remotely. CRAVE is currently in at least 80 counties, including Wake County, where officials with the Administrative Office of the Courts said it was installed within the last few weeks. Johnston, Orange and Nash counties are slated to get the technology soon.

Cabarrus County is among those that embraced it.

"I think people dislike courts largely because of how long it takes to do things," said Cabarrus County Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Marty McGee.

CRAVE allows inmates to join court proceedings from jail, only steps away from their cell, rather than going through the sometimes lengthy process of being transferred to the courtroom.

That saves time for detention officers, too - especially important as many Sheriff's Offices are understaffed. The system started rolling out in 2022.

"We give them a set time to appear," Judge McGee explained. "So folks don't sit and wait. I think over the last few years that's saved probably hundreds of thousands of dollars."

The ability to appear virtually to testify has significantly helped analysts at the State Crime Lab.

A spokesperson says they have saved 245 hours of travel time and more than 13,000 miles on the road, thanks to various virtual systems.

One thing that is unique about CRAVE is its ability to connect across counties. That means, if an inmate in Cabarrus County is supposed to have an appearance in Durham County, there's no need to travel - the appearance can occur virtually.

"Every law enforcement agency, not only in the state but in the nation, they’re really just hurting for manpower," Tessa Burchett, Chief Deputy at the Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office said. "So that is less hours that we have to send our overworked employees out on the road transporting an inmate to another courthouse, another county."

For that reason, the system will work best once all counties start using it.

"In a sense, it's customer service," Judge McGee said. "Trying to serve people better. Trying to provide better access to justice."

CRAVE is currently in use with defendants in custody, but the hope is to one day expand to include those out of custody as well.

The Administrative Office of the Courts has funding available to provide equipment to every county in the state. Each county, though, does need to put up some of its own funding for the wiring of it.