Public Defenders Suck
I have to agree with SteveK. Proper representation would be a big step forward. The peace of mind offered by a confident, experienced ally is a wondrous thing.
If you don't have that kind of dough, you might want to look into changing your name. The way I see it, dredging through the paperwork in order to locate you could be viewed as an additional step that may disincline the lazy law enforcement in your area. I would not have any evidence to back that up, though. It is just an idea -- and maybe a bad one at that. (Anyone?)
I'd also like to add that sucky cops and sucky public defenders truly are "dunces."