The discussion notes that the Office was created in 1972 as one of the first statewide public defense systems in the United States. The State has 11 public defense field offices. The public defense program coped with a 14.4- percent increase in added clients in fiscal year 1995 as compared with the previous year. These added clients have pushed the caseload levels of the staff public defenders to a level approaching double that of established national standards. In addition, the number of juvenile clients added to the caseload has increased by 93.1 percent from fiscal year 1991 to fiscal year 1995. The public defense program had 11,053 added clients and disposed 10,085 clients in fiscal year 1995. Assigned counsel had 4,438 added clients and disposed 3,856 clients during the year. Over the past several months, staff have experienced drastic budget cuts and workload increases as the result of new criminal enactments and being assigned to represent persons alleged to be in civil contempt in child support proceedings. Furloughs may be required by a proposed additional budget reduction. Figures, tables, and footnotes