There are big changes coming to the state's probation system.

Governor Bev Perdue signed a law Thursday that gives police more power and more information on probationers.

The legislation was originally introduced after the death of UNC student body president Eve Carson; the suspects in her murder both should have been in jail for probation violations.

Governor Perdue says the new law is sending a strong message to probationers all across the state.

"You're still a ward of the system," she said. "And we'll put you back in in a skinny minute if you play outside the box."

Among the new rules: law enforcement officers can conduct warrantless searches of people on probation as long as they have reasonable suspicion that there's criminal activity.

And that's not all.

"It also gives law enforcement officers limited access -- and this is a biggy, this is historic -- to juvenile records," said Perdue.

Some critics say the new law is unnecessary and goes too far.

"In most circumstances, if there's a real concern, and the officer has probable cause, they can already do pat downs and searches of vehicles," said Sarah Preston, legislative council for the ACLU. "And if it's not an emergency circumstance, they should follow the constitution and what the fourth amendment demands and get a warrant."

The law is just part of the new streamlined probation system.

Also this week, law enforcement officers statewide will have access to probation and parole records through laptops in their patrol cars, on bicycles, even on horseback -- stowed away in a saddlebag.

"So far we have provided data on more than 38,000 queries, and officers have identified more than 500 probation absconders," said Alvin Keller Jr., Secretary of the Department of Corrections. "Now folks, that is putting technology to work to enhance public safety."

And finally, the state's also putting a priority on arresting probation violators, with the governor saying no warrant should be deemed "routine."

It's not all necessarily getting tougher for people on probation; lawmakers have approved a bill allowing low-risk probationers to go unsupervised in order to lighten the caseload for officers.

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