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The delivery of probation services in Chisago County is  shedding its “antiquated” status as 2025 arrives.  The director for the county probation department Mark Henrickson recently got a unanimous vote from the county commissioners to pursue the new “community corrections act”  (CCA) form of delivery, which Hendrickson said is an idea whose time has come.   

There are five agents and one administrative personnel now employed (in a leased building on main street in Center City) working for the state Dept. of Corrections.  This motion by the county commissioners also directed Hendrickson to notify the DOC Commissioner the county intends to restructure the probation system.  These DOC employees will be offered a position within the new CCA model at better-than- their existing pay scale. 

The STATE agents supervise offenders who have committed felonies in Chisago County.

The COUNTY probation officers supervise pre-trial and juvenile cases. In addition, adult misdemeanor and gross misdemeanor offenders who reside in Chisago County are under county oversight. 

The County Board was advised that eliminating this dual delivery system will result in local positives.

The switchover will add $632,000 to the current program but there has been new funding allocated by the state to cover the transition.  This money, along with a change in the population threshold allowing for the switch, are a couple of reasons why this transition to an all-local program got approved.  

The local district court judges are also supportive, Hendrickson told the County Board, which heard this same request  in 2017,  and denied the plan. Hendrickson started as director three years go. He envisions the system improving under CCA.  The  supervision of offenders and those waiting to be tried,  will be simplified and innovations can be better monitored and implemented, he says.  As the system now operates, there’s more than one probation team that persons in the course of pre-trial release conditions or completing their sentences, must deal with.

“One department will reduce confusion in the community,” Henderson feels.  The dual delivery system used now gets in the way of some of the goals of probation success he continued.  Everything— offices and agents— will be housed in the government center.

Chisago County is also one of a few court systems in Minnesota that doesn’t offer an active drug court option.  Hendrickson observed that’s partly due to the involvement of different probation teams and lack of continuity in supervisory contacts.  He explained that with one Community Corrections Act oversight system, there will be a greater pool of candidates from which to draw the number of voluntary drug or DUI court defendants to make the program worthwhile.  He also expects to see improved domestic violence reduction and positive outcomes for those on intensive supervised probation. 

The County Board will get an update as the decisions are made by the state corrections officials on if they will accept offers to be employed in the CCA structure.  The staffers are needed either way, Hendrickson stated. There is also the naming of an advisory board.  Citizens on this will have input and help create successful policy and practices as part of the transition to community corrections.  Hendrickson proposes to have the switchover effective by July 1, 2025.

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