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December 18, 2024 may not register as an important date to readers, but it was when Chisago County Probation (Court Services) Director Mark Hendrickson got the thumbs-up from the County Board to move ahead on what he hopes will be a positive transformation in probation delivery.  With 34 years under his belt in the system, Hendrickson finds himself at the point where he is convinced the shift away from state controlled probation services and a confusing dual delivery approach — to  community corrections basis – can be transformative.

He envisions great promise  in revising what Chisago County’s been doing for decades supervising pre-trial defendants, non-felons and juveniles, while oversight of convicted adult felons was in the state’s hands.  There was much about the former system that didn’t make sense. Timing and growth in population were right to activate a fully local,  community probation system. 

Hendrickson explained he moved into the probation county leadership position after his predecessor director moved for a job in Florida and  formed a “transition committee” to begin to look into the county accepting oversight of all the cases.  Around this same time  the physical courts also were changing. Remote judicial capabilities (covid-19 Zoom hearings) were being embraced and  judges and support staff were investigating new ways of doing things.  The County Board gave approval, after denying the same request probation revision years before,  to realign the probation services with the Community Corrections Act.

Existing state probation agents were offered positions with Chisago County after the switchover was approved, which they all accepted.  

Hendrickson explained    the state would be bringing their own caseloads, so there wouldn’t be anybody falling through the cracks. Five agents and a support staffer were absorbed by the county creating one local system.

An immediate benefit was  eliminating  confusion frequently expressed by offenders about which office they were dealing with. 

Another organic benefit is a Community Corrections  Act approach that is much closer to local officials.   Setting policy and  implementing resources will involve the sitting judges, the county attorney and prosecutors and local legal leaders.  No longer will assorted decisions be made and carried out by somebody in St Paul at the Department of Corrections.

Hendrickson predicts this new system will “position the county in the best place, more responsible, more adaptable,” he added.

Plus, erasing the persistent confusion over where the probation agent is based,  is priceless.

Hendrickson has on-boarded a total of nine staff for the community correction model (including the six state staff) with  13 who were already providing county services at the Government Center.

August 20 the County Board had awarded the office remodel bid on its agenda.  The program shifts to temporary offices in the Government Center and hours will become staggered so half the staff can be in the temporary space at any one time.  The remodel is to be done in about three months.  Probation is taking over the square footage where the sheriff, his detectives, the patrol room, and record services were housed.  These moved out of the government center into the new public safety center and jail building,  five years ago.

The blending of the former state employees and county workers went surprisingly smoothly, Hendrickson said. The state staff brought with them “north of 500 cases.” 

Over the coming weeks a “caseload analysis” will be underway. Beyond looking at numbers,   risk levels presented by certain offenders need to be evaluated to be certain the time and attention called for is allotted.  

Probation is not just about telling your agent where you work, what your address is or showing up for random tests for chemical and alcohol presence,  Hendrickson explained.  The goal over the course of supervision is for the agent to get clients to think about how they got where they are, get them to be “more mindful and understand that their decisions do not affect only them. “ 

There also are educational, vocational, housing and other needs that contribute to roadblocks.  

Plus the re-organization can lead to an approach Hendrickson is passionate about.  The more that can be done to erase a main cause of offenses — struggles with mental health — the better.  

Hendrickson has a long term goal to see a mental health court developed here.  

“I’m from Iowa so I plant a lot of seeds,” he joked.   He knows it may take a couple years, and it is premature to talk in depth now about what this holistic courts approach looks like.  

A common denominator that gets in the way of offenders regaining control and they do not grasp is the notion that what is good for the community is good for them.  

Putting resources up front into improving access to mental health programs and lowering costs of mental health care is the most cost effective thing to focus on.

In the meantime, Hendrickson says his philosophy is to support a culture where agents personify the message to treat others with respect, show up everyday, and be compassionate.

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