Wayne County community corrections board pushes outreach, data tracking after low utilization; member says state 'targeting' county

At a Wayne County Community Corrections Advisory Board meeting, Administrator Lester Thomas outlined a plan to boost utilization of county-funded community corrections programs by increasing outreach to judges and prosecutors, producing a concise program handout, and arranging site visits so decision‑makers can see services firsthand.

Thomas told the board he has been meeting with stakeholders including Tamela Aiken (court services director), Angela Astorio (manager of pretrial services) and Nicole Gilbert (Indigent Defense Services) to explain available programming and build partnerships. He said staff also observed in‑jail classes to learn what is working: "one domestic violence class had seven participants, and the cognitive behavior therapy class had 11," which informed his outreach strategy.

Thomas proposed a simple "cheat sheet" for each program containing three elements: who is eligible, how to refer and why the program matters. He said drafts will be reviewed by the full board before…