Juvenile Probation Officer

JOB DESCRIPTION
A juvenile probation officer is a person who supervisors juvenile offenders before their sentences from the court. A juvenile is a person less than 18 years old. A juvenile probation officer investigates the personal and criminal records of the juvenile and reports these to the court prior to sentencing. The juvenile probation office can also make recommendations to the court.

A juvenile probation officer works with a diversity of people and organizations. This requires strong oral and written communication skills. The juvenile probations officer works with the courts, Department of Corrections, local police, jails, substance abuse counselors, prosecuting attorneys, and social services. Being a juvenile probation officer is a blend between being a law enforcement officer and social worker.

It is the responsibility of the juvenile probation officer to assess the juvenile situation and to develop a plan for rehabilitation which can include counseling and monitoring behavior. The juvenile probation officer often goes into the home to make sure the juvenile is compliant with the court order. A juvenile probation officer can perform any function assigned by the court.

The juvenile probation officer generally wears business or casuals clothes but not a uniform. In addition they carry a badge and credentials. Some carry pepper spray or a concealed gun for self protection because of the hazardous nature of working with juveniles who have broken the law.

DIFFERENT LEVELS
There are different levels of juvenile probation officers including juvenile probation officer I, II and III. The levels are distinguished by education, experience, and job responsibilities. Promotions are contingent on additional training and certification as well as demonstrated job proficiency. A juvenile probation officer can advance to supervisor, manager and then executive.

SALARY AND JOB OUTLOOK
The average salary for a juvenile probation officer is $45,000 but this amount is variable and can be much less depending on the geographic location of the job and the employer. A juvenile probation officer can be hired by a city, county, state, or federal government. Most are hired through state governments. The job outlook for a person wanting to be a juvenile probation officer is excellent.

EDUCATION
A juvenile probation office must be at least 21 years old and have a bachelor’s degree in psychology, criminal justice, corrections, social work or a related field like education. A juvenile probation officer must pass a state test over four areas- physical, oral, written, and psychological in order to obtain state certification. Specialty certifications in specific areas can also be obtained. Different training/certification programs for advancement are offered through the American Correctional Association.

OTHER
Other names for juvenile probation officer include juvenile probation case worker, youth detention probation officer and juvenile detention officer.

If you were interested in any of the above information, there are many Juvenile Probation Officer Jobs available to those that complete the necessary training.

By: Michael Ekman