There’s a certain bureaucratic logic to the state’s decision to close a program on Martha’s Vineyard designed to help offenders stay out of jail because it doesn’t serve as many people as similar programs elsewhere in the state.

Here’s how a spokesman for the state put it this week in an email this week to the Gazette: “Budget pressures require that all Office of Community Corrections Centers (OCC), which provide intensive programming across the state, operate as effectively as possible in serving a large enough group of probationers to benefit from the group activities that Community Corrections Centers (CCC) offer.”

The Massachusetts community corrections program was established 20 years ago to serve as both carrot and stick to probationers and parolees, providing support and skills training on one hand and drug testing and monitoring on the other. Research at the time found this two-pronged approach was more successful than incarceration for certain offenders — especially those with substance abuse issues. A criminal justice reform study commissioned by the state and released earlier this year went so far as to include expansion this program among its recommendation.

On Martha’s Vineyard, the program serves on average seven offenders a year compared with a statewide average of 34, according to the spokesman.

In fact, any calculation that stacks up Dukes County, comprised of our six towns and neighboring Gosnold, on a purely numerical basis next to the mainland counties is bound to wind up badly for the Island. The next largest county in the state has five times as many residents and is not bounded by water.

The planned elimination of the Island’s community corrections center is especially ironic in light of state Gov. Charlie Baker’s focus on the devastation to communities caused by opioid addiction. The pervasiveness of alcohol and drug use in the commission of many types of crime is well established and confirmed each week here by a quick scan of the court docket.

Asked about the justification for the cut, state officials pointed to the need to close a deficit gap of $825,000. But given that the program statewide has a budget of $20.9 million, surely there is better way to trim costs than to discount an entire county.

Sheriff Bob Ogden ran for office last fall on a platform that included expanding, not wiping out, this progressive program. Here’s an opportunity for him and our two new state legislators to show they can stand up for Martha’s Vineyard on Beacon Hill.