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45th Judicial Court - Juvenile Division

Job Summary

The Juvenile Officer and Deputy Juvenile Officer are professionals who handle cases involving minors under the jurisdiction of the juvenile or family court. The Juvenile Officer is a senior-level position responsible for overseeing the department's operations, managing staff, and ensuring compliance with laws. The Deputy Juvenile Officer is a professional role that provides direct case management, court-related services, and supervision to juveniles, working under the guidance of the Juvenile Officer. Both roles are essential in providing guidance, supervision, and support to minors involved in legal issues, with a focus on rehabilitation and community safety.

This is a Grant Funded position.

Principal Accountabilities

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices. Applicants must be prepared to demonstrate the ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Juvenile Officer:
  • Administration and Supervision:
    • Oversee and manage the activities of Deputy Juvenile Officers and other department staff.
    • Develop and implement departmental goals, policies, and procedures.
    • Serve as an on-site administrator during non-standard hours.
  • High-Level Case Management and Court Duties:
    • Appear in court and make decisions regarding the release or detention of juveniles.
    • Prepare and file legal documents, petitions, and motions.
    • Make high-level recommendations to the juvenile court based on evidence and statutory requirements.
  • Rehabilitation and Community Involvement:
    • Coordinate and manage juvenile treatment services and programs.
    • Maintain professional relationships with all external stakeholders.
    • Handle sensitive and complex cases, including taking custody of victims of abuse or neglect.
• Deputy Juvenile Officer:
• • Case Management and Assessment:
    • Conduct in-depth interviews and assessments to evaluate a juvenile's situation.
    • Determine how to best handle referrals, focusing on community safety and the youth's accountability.
    • Prepare and submit written social investigations and reports for court proceedings.
  • Direct Court and Legal Duties:
    • Prepare legal documents and testify in court to support recommendations.
    • Serve summonses and subpoenas.
    • Read juveniles their legal rights and observe police interrogations to ensure due process.
  • Supervision and Community Services:
    • Supervise juveniles on probation, establishing and monitoring compliance with supervision agreements.
    • Conduct regular on-site visits to the juvenile's school and home.
    • Coordinate and manage all treatment services, making referrals as needed.
  • General Duties:
    • Respond to referrals from law enforcement, schools, or social services.
    • Transport juveniles to detention facilities or other appointments.
    • Maintain accurate case records and statistics.
• An employee in this position is vested with the statutory authority of a juvenile officer to take charge of children who come under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. This position is expected to exercise supervision over juveniles under the court's jurisdiction and should be able to work with a high degree of independence. The employee will possess the ability to prepare motions, petitions, reports and other legal documents for each juvenile on caseload. The ability to communicate effectively with staff and public in addition to the ability to handle potentially hostile situations with a juvenile and family regarding a referral is essential. Duty assignments and changes in assignments are at the discretion of the supervisors. On-call assignments included.

Experience & Education

• Deputy Juvenile Officer:
  • Minimum 21 years of age
  • Four years of college with a major degree in Criminal Justice Administration, Criminology, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, or a related field or professional employment in public or private agency involving substantial amount of time (over 50% time) in the delivery of protective services to families, adults, children or the aged may be substituted on a year for year basis for the required education.
  • 1-3 years of experience in the juvenile justice or child welfare field is preferred.
  • Experience in an office environment and with computer software is necessary.
    
• Juvenile Officer:
  • Deputy Juvenile Requirements
  • Significant experience in the juvenile justice system.
  • Proven experience in a leadership or supervisory role.

Travel

• Travel requirements will vary with the assignment.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• No supervisory responsibilities in this position.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Knowledge of juvenile courts and procedures, community resources, and relevant statutes and laws.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with all individuals, including those who are irate or difficult.
• Ability to take sound independent action in emergency or crisis situations.
• Skill in effective crisis intervention, counseling, and conflict resolution.
• Ability to assist legal counsel in the preparation of legal documents and cases.
• Ability to detain alleged juvenile offenders, which may require the use of necessary physical force.

Physical Requirements/Working Environment

PHYSICAL DEMANDS - Most work is performed in a professional office setting and is generally sedentary. Must possess vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. Position requires continuous sitting, upward and downward flexion of neck; fine finger dexterity and light to moderate finger pressure to manipulate keyboard, equipment controls, and other office equipment; pinch grasp to manipulate writing utensils. Frequent side-to-side turning of neck, walking, standing, bending, and stooping, pushing/pulling, twisting at waist, moderate wrist torque to twist equipment knobs and dials; lifting objects weighing up to 25 lbs. from below waist to above shoulders and transporting distances up to 50 yards. Occasional squatting, kneeling, reaching above and at shoulder height, moderate grasping to manipulate objects, lifting objects weighing 20-35 lbs. from below waist to above shoulders and transporting distances up to 50 feet.

WORK ENVIRONMENT - This job operates in a professional office environment. Professional attire required. This position routinely uses office equipment such as computers, calculators, multi-line telephones, photocopiers, printers and scanners, binding machines, hand-held recording devices, filing cabinets and fax machines. This position is routinely in contact with the public, other Lincoln County, and State employees, elected officials and members of other entities. Due to the subject matter of the position, the employee may be subject to stressful situations.

Disclaimer

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not intended to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

The 45th Judicial Circuit is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Resumes Accepted Until Position is Filled.