Minimum Qualifications

• At least 21 years of age, with a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Must have a vehicle and current driver's license and show proof of automobile liability insurance coverage.
• Must have work experience that includes, but is not limited to correctional childcare, residential or direct service provider care for children with behavior problems.
• Must meet qualifications for and maintain active certification in the following: TJJD Certified Juvenile Supervision Officer, CPR/First Aid, and Non-Violent physical Restraint Techniques.
• Must have knowledge of basic first-aid and personal hygiene; maturity coupled with a wholesome interest in young people and an ability to work with all types of youth.
• Must have an ability to work positively and effectively with severely maladjusted youth in situations involving considerable stress.
• Must be willing to learn of the deviant forms of behavior in disturbed youth and handle such behavior in a positive and as constructive manner.
• Must be willing to organize, facilitate and participate with youth in a variety of activities, including but not limited to: skill building, recreational work, physical activities, education, community service work and creative pursuits of overall well-being.
• Preferably bilingual (Spanish/English), not mandatory.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical fitness test with a minimum score of 70 or above, a urine analysis screening and a pre-employment background check.

Typical Duties

• Understands, practices, and promotes the vision, mission and values of the El Paso County Juvenile Probation Department.
• Maintains daily focus on the department’s service philosophy when interacting with youth, including emphasis on developmental assets, developmental relationships, motivational interviewing, trauma informed practices and positive youth development.
• Stimulates the interests and supervises the youths participation in a comprehensive program curriculum, including but not limited to the education program, basic arts and crafts, indoor/outdoor sports and physical activities with guidance and leadership; supervises, instructs and facilitates various phases of the department's programs.
• Maintains basic discipline and control of youth through careful and consistent enforcement of the rules and regulations using appropriate trauma-based interventions to redirect youth behavior; observes youth constantly to detect potentially dangerous or deceptive acts.
• Through personal contact, helps relieve the youth’s anxieties and tension through trauma-based strategies. Makes critical and sound decisions during emergencies or potentially dangerous situations. Ensures suicidal outcries are properly communicated for clinical assessment.
• Exercises proper control of escalating, violent or aggressive behaviors. Restrains youth according to the non-violent crisis intervention training;
• Assigns and supervises youth in daily house keeping details as required.
• Supervises the seating, serving and recording of each meal (as required by the National School Lunch Program, as well as enforces table manners and general behavior.
• Administers Non Violent Crisis Intervention, Physical and mechanical restraints, , CPR and First Aid as required.
• Maintains a daily activity log, documenting youth behavior and activities, any over the counter medication required and administered, unusual or out of the ordinary behavior, arrival and departure of visitors and other pertinent items of information as required by department policies and procedures.
• Ensures regular attendance to ensure operational effectiveness, attends and actively participates in all training required and scheduled.
• Required to keep track of and maintain minimum training standards required for certification and re-certification as a juvenile supervision officer.
• Respect and protect the civil and legal rights of all the youth and parents who come into contact with the Juvenile Probation Department.
• Report immediately, without reservation, any corrupt or unethical behavior, which could affect either the child or the integrity of the facility.
• Report immediately, without reservation, any allegations of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or misconduct and cooperate fully with any investigations related to those allegations.
• Maintains the integrity and confidentiality of all private information and safeguard that information to not be used beyond which is needed to perform proper, professional duty.
• Encourage relationships with co-workers and colleagues that promote mutual respect within the department, the profession and improvement of its quality of service.
• A Juvenile Supervision Officer (Detention/Corrections) may not maintain an inappropriate relationship with the youth served by the department. An inappropriate relationship can include but is not limited to: bribery, solicitation of acceptance of gifts, favors, or services from the youth or their families, and the appearance of an inappropriate relationship.
• Adhere to Juvenile Probation Department Personnel, Detention, or Challenge Program Policies and Procedures and Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) Standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Unit Supervisors, Unit Manager, Facility Director or Deputy Chief Probation Officer.
• All officers employed with the Juvenile Probation Department are expected to adhere to the TJJD Code of Ethics.
• All officers may be required to assist in administrative duties not limited to but including file audits, statistics gathering, and any other duties directed by any supervisor.
• Juvenile Supervision Officers, as dictated by the populations needs in the Facilities, may be assigned to supervise youth in Secure Pre Adjudication (Detention), Secure Post Adjudication (Challenge), and/or Field Compliance Unit (Probation).
• The position involves shift, weekend, graveyard, and holiday work.

Job Summary

Provides for the care, welfare, safety, security and control of the youth (male and female) detained in the pre-or post-adjudication facilities. Through a firm and fair supervision style, a Juvenile Supervision Officer (Detention or Corrections) facilitates and supervises the activities of the youth as mandated by Texas Administrative Code Chapter 343, the Standard Operating Procedures, and through the established chain of command.

Additional Information