It may be self-interest, but I'm of the opinion that having counsel present is one of the most important things one can do to strengthen access to justice and procedural fairness to make sure that any injustices are caught at the front end. I note that there are some provisions--for instance, the trial in absentia provisions--that allow the accused to have an advocate present. That can be strengthened. Especially when you're dealing with members of the military, you could perhaps legislate that counsel can be provided and paid for, because there's the economic reality members have to deal with as well. Having strong representation from counsel and guaranteed representation from counsel, perhaps if custody is on the table as a potential option, would go a long way to alleviating some of our concerns.
On February 16th, 2011. See this statement in context.