Juvenile Probation Officer

Job Description

We are hired to provide social services to assist in the rehabilitation of juvenile law offenders in custody, on probation, or parole. Incumbents make recommendations regarding rehabilitation plans, treatment, conditional release, education, and employment stipulations for offenders.

• Initiate contact with the youth, family, victims, and law enforcement after referrals by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (FDJJ).
• Conduct home and school visits to gather information and promote family involvement.
• Obtain and review collateral information such as abuse and neglect history, educational, mental health, substance use, gang activity, and other pertinent data from agencies involved with the youth and/or family.
• Conduct and document FDJJ screening(s) to identify the youth’s risk, needs, protective factors, and need for further evaluations, including detention screening, intake screening, Suicide Risk Screening Instrument, and any Department-approved risk/needs screening and/or assessment instrument(s).
• Formulate case management strategies based on assessments to address the specific needs of the youth and family.
• Make service referrals to appropriate providers and follow up on required actions.
• Make supervision and treatment recommendations to the State Attorney and other judicial partners to provide the most appropriate services in the least intrusive manner.
• Complete the screening instruments and reports used by the Department and/or the Courts, including:
  Detention Screening Risk Assessment (DRAI), Suicide Risk Screening Instrument (SRSI), Department-approved risk/needs screening/assessment instrument(s) and case plan, Pre-Post Disposition Report, Adult Sentencing Summary Report, Progress (Status) Report, Electronic Commitment Packet, and Termination of Supervision.

• Act as the DJJ representative during court hearings to support the Department’s recommendation for the youth, family, and community.
• Prepare and maintain current social histories, court reports, referral letters, and related correspondence.
• Testify at hearings when appropriate.
• Prepare affidavits/petitions for Violation of Probation for any violation that results in the filing of a delinquency petition.
• Request hearings when appropriate.

• Complete a risk and needs assessment using the appropriate Department-approved instrument(s) for all youth screened/supervised by the department.
• Conduct face-to-face contacts in the home, school, and varied community-based settings, including non-traditional hours (weekends and evenings).
• Maintain communication per departmental requirements for all stages of youth and family involvement, gaining firsthand knowledge of the youth’s environment by meeting in various locations (detention centers, schools, homes, out-of-home placements, employment places, community sites, treatment providers, and offices).
• Assist the youth with obtaining appropriate mental health and substance abuse evaluations and arrange specialized testing and treatment as needed.
• Assist youth and family with school and after-school enrollment; maintain school contact, verify attendance, academic performance, and behavior.
• Provide crisis intervention; assist the youth and family in accessing crisis intervention services/resources by making referrals and following up.
• Work with the youth to establish personal goals/plans and provide ongoing support to help the youth achieve these goals and maintain skills.
• Discuss projected time frames for goal completion, sanctions/conditions of supervision, and anticipated date for termination based on progress and court orders.
• Respond to concerns, needs, and risks presented by youth, family, and the community by staffing cases, plans, or violations with the unit supervisor in accordance with departmental policies, procedures, administrative rules and FL statutes.
• Determine recommended handling of law violations and provide interventions when a youth violates the conditions of supervision based on the Effective Response Matrix; follow up on actions taken in response to a violation.
• Condu…