Juvenile Probation Officer

Essential functions includes the following. (Essential functions, as defined under Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following tasks, knowledge, skills, and other characteristics. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY, and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by positions in this class.) Other duties may be assigned.

Summary

Under the direct supervision of the Chief Juvenile Probation Officer and as an extension of the juvenile court, the Juvenile Probation Officer I provides supervision services to juveniles in the juvenile justice system and their families in compliance with the polices and standards established by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, County Commissioners, Chief Probation Officer, and the Juvenile Board.

• Provide supervision services to juvenile probationers and their families, including essential services such as risk assessments, case management, delinquency prevention, crisis intervention, academic and educational support, rehabilitation and treatment.
• Facilitate, prepare, and process case tracking documentation for court and case management related services, including probation status, transfers, revocations, social background investigations, and other recommendations to juvenile courts, and in some cases, criminal courts.
• Present competent court testimony in juvenile and criminal courts.
• Be present in all court hearings involving juvenile offenders within the department’s jurisdiction.
• Apprise probationers and parents or guardians of court procedures as well as programs and conditions of probation.
• Recommend and conduct service of warrants and directives to apprehend.
• Recommend, coordinate and set detention hearings for juvenile offenders detained.
• Transport offenders to and from detention hearings, appointments, and placement facilities as directed.
• Ensure consideration of victim’s impact statements at detention, adjudication, and release proceedings.
• Investigate, evaluate and make recommendations concerning detentions, adjudications, and probation violations.
• Provide consultation, correctional counseling and interventions to probationers, their families and victims.
• Cooperate with other counties and states in making home evaluations and supervision of juveniles on interim supervision from other jurisdictions.

• Prepare acceptance and progress reports for counties requesting interim supervision.
• Seek and secure placements outside the home for eligible children as appropriate.
• Refer probationers requiring special services to appropriate agencies and monitor their progress.
• Administer urinalysis testing.
• Recommend and obtain psychiatric and/or psychological examinations in cases where emotional/mental disturbance is a factor.
• Make home, school, and field visits to probationers.
• Keep informed on new developments and techniques in the criminal justice field and, where advisable and appropriate, apply to work.
• Keep current on new legal issues and laws regarding criminal justice.
• Coordinate and collect monetary restitution, disposition fees, and probation fees.
• Conduct exit plans and interviews with offenders and families.
• Provide written explanation of sealing of files and restricted access of records to juvenile offenders.
• Serve on “on-call” status for 24 hour days.
• Provide assistance to victims, law enforcement agencies and child welfare agencies regarding juveniles who commit criminal offenses.
• Plan, organize and implement specialized juvenile probation services to maximize public protection and offender rehabilitation such as intensive supervision services, victim liaison services, community restitution services, transitional aftercare services, sex offender services, mental health services, etc.
• Administer specialized programmatic services to youth enrolled in the juvenile justice alternative education program, including provision of liaison and consultative services to local school district personnel specific to management of juvenile offenders, juvenile law, and juvenile probation policy and procedure.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Probation Officer I

• Responding to emergencies and inquiries from law enforcement, child protective services, mental health services, and the community must be supervised.
• Detention authorizations must be supervised.

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with either one year of graduate study in criminology, corrections, counseling, law, social work, psychology, sociology, or other field of instruction approved by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, or one year of related work experience.

Texas Juvenile Justice Department certification as a probation officer. Must obtain 60 hours of applicable training every two years to remain certified. Must hold a valid Texas drivers license and liability insurance coverage. Driving record must reflect acceptable rating by Hays County to operate a county vehicle. Certificate in physical restraint techniques. Certificate in First Aid and CPR.

Salary : $53,715