California ? Lawyers for the poor, who say they already are stretched to the breaking point by huge caseloads and dwindling staff, face layoffs across the country as local governments slash spending in these hard times.

Nowhere is the threat to public defenders more apparent than in California, the state with the biggest population — at 38 million– and the largest deficit — $24.3 billion and counting.

There’s far more at stake than cutting jobs, say prosecutors and defense lawyers alike. Eliminating attorneys for the indigent may actually cost more money than it saves.

Unlike any other public service, court-appointed counsel cannot be scaled back. According to the Constitution, every criminal defendant, rich or poor, gets one. If the defendant can’t pay, the government does. And if public defenders aren’t available, private attorneys must be hired, at rates costing at least twice as much and often more.