TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) -- A committee formed to study the trend of fewer attorneys working and living in rural Kansas found the problem has become a "crisis." The Kansas Rural Justice Initiative Committee was formed to study the legal needs of Kansans in rural communities. The committee said that the attorney-to-resident ratio in 99 rural Kansas counties is two or fewer per 1,000 residents. The American Bar Association states that the national average is 3.9 attorneys for every 1,000. The report found two Kansas counties didn't have any attorneys at all, and if you removed attorneys between the ages of 60 and 87, nine more counties wouldn't have attorneys. “Every day, judges in rural communities witness the effects of too few attorneys, but this was the first attempt to document the depth and breadth of the problem,” Chief Justice Marla Luckert said in a news release. “I appreciate the committee’s extraordinary work, time, and effort to find ways we can change this trend.” Man dies after Pratt house fire, family remembering his dedication to work and life According to the Office of Judicial Administration, the lack of attorneys strains the court system. The office said it pushes judges to seek attorneys from outside their community. The committee recommended tuition reimbursement incentives, student loan repayment programs and coordinating action to make it enticing for attorneys in rural areas. “There isn’t one solution to this multifaceted problem, but rather a number of strategies that could work together to reverse a long-term trend,” Justice K.J. Wall said. “The recommendations are well-reasoned and attainable, and they reflect the committee’s combined understanding of this issue.” You can read the full report by clicking here.