Crawford County commissioners approve Community Corrections FY2027 plan after district presentation

The Board of Crawford County Commissioners voted March 3 to approve the Community Corrections Fiscal Year 2027 Comprehensive Plan following a presentation by 11th Judicial District Court Administrator Mac Young.

Mac Young told the commissioners the program posted a 77.6% success rate in fiscal year 2025, exceeding the 75% statutory benchmark discussed in prior years. He said the district currently has 524 people in Community Corrections, with roughly 60% coming from Crawford County; Labette and Cherokee counties make up the remainder.

Commissioners asked about staffing and capacity. Young said two employees left in 2026 and that it typically takes about two years to fully train a new employee; he said the program would consider increasing participant slots if more space and staff were available. Commissioner Carl Wood asked whether local factors such as increased drug activity could explain Crawford County’s share; Young said he sees both staff leaving the field and people leaving this type of service altogether and emphasized a direct correlation with population levels.

On motion 26-102, moved by Commissioner Bruce Blair and seconded by Commissioner Tom Moody, the board approved the FY2027 plan; the motion carried with Commissioners Blair, Moody and Wood voting yes.

The plan presentation included financial and programmatic details for Community Corrections and referenced recovery court and drug court components. The board took no further action beyond approving the plan; Young said the backlog of work since COVID remains an operational concern but that staff continue efforts to address it.