It is the policy of this state to provide the constitutional guarantees of the right to counsel and equal access to the courts to all its citizens in criminal cases and to provide:

(1) Adequate defense services for indigent persons accused of crime;

(2) Adequate compensation for counsel who represent indigent persons accused of crime;

(3) Guidelines to ensure that indigent persons receive a fair trial;

(4) Flexibility within the guidelines to meet local needs;

(5) A system to ensure that the local responsibility to provide fair and adequate defense to indigent persons is met;

(6) That the independence of counsel is ensured;

(7) For defense counsel training to promote economy and competent representation;

(8) A procedure to recover public funds from any person who unlawfully receives assistance under this article;

(9) Equitable distribution of funds to local programs on a need basis;

(10) That the state be responsible for funding the indigent defense system established in this article;

(11) For the development and control of local indigent defense programs to be the responsibility of local tripartite governing committees authorized in this article, which are representative of local bars, the judiciary, and the local governing authorities, which committees must be given a reasonable time to develop plans for local programs;

(12) Reasonably early entry into indigent cases by counsel so that the indigent accused shall be represented prior to any critical stage of the prosecution; and

(13) Where feasible, that the local members of the bar be utilized in providing indigent defense services.