Juvenile Probation Officer

About Harris County Juvenile Probation Department (HCJPD)

Harris County Juvenile Probation Department (HCJPD) is the third-largest juvenile justice agency in the country and the second-largest department in Harris County, employing over 1,200 professionals dedicated to youth justice transformation and reform. HCJPD is committed to improving outcomes for youth, reducing racial disproportionality, and ensuring a safe environment for both staff and residents. We continuously innovate by implementing systemic changes to lower detention populations and promote positive youth development.

The Youth Diversion and Development (YDD) Division provides services and supervision to justice-involved young people in the community, rather than placement out of the home. Community supervision and rehabilitative services for young people and their families are provided by Community Unit Probation Services (CUPS) located throughout Harris County. In addition, there are numerous satellite offices utilized to provide more convenient locations for families.

YDD also seeks to divert young people from further involvement in the juvenile justice system by providing informal alternatives to formal court proceedings and diversion programs to young people and their families.

The Juvenile Probation Officer provides effective services and supervision to youth in order to reduce their juvenile justice involvement and link them to community-based programs. The Juvenile Probation Officer works in collaboration with designated community providers to deliver therapeutic support and services to youth and families. The primary objective is to minimize the youth’s involvement in the juvenile justice system through comprehensive, coordinated community-based services that address identified risk factors and needs.

• Serves as a casework coach, counselor, and broker of services for youth and family. Knows community partners and utilizes community-based services for youth.
• Collaborates with youth and family to develop strength‑based case plans.
• Fosters family engagement by involving the family in decision‑making opportunities, educational workshops, and organized family events.
• Helps develop skills that will help youth in being a productive member of their community by providing programs designed to reduce recidivism, enhance self‑esteem and social skills, increase academic performance, job skills, and improve mental and physical well‑being.
• Partners with the youth and family to identify and respond to service needs by maintaining regular contact with the youth and family and conducting post‑court interviews, home visits, office visits, and visits in the community.
• Staff cases with service providers, community partners, supervisors, and any appropriate party, to triage and or discuss continuum of care for youth. Maintains contact with other departmental personnel and placement facilities as required.
• Communicates, transmits, and receives information effectively in both written and oral form and maintains accurate and timely data entries.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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All applicants must register and pass the HCJPD Standard Basic Spelling & Grammar assessment with a minimum score of 80%.

• Bachelor's degree conferred by a college or university accredited by an organization recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and either:

A) One (1) year of graduate study at an accredited college or university (18 completed post‑graduate hours) in Criminology, Corrections, Counseling, Law, Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, or other closely related field.

OR

B) At least 1500 hours of paid or non‑paid experience in a social service, community, corrections, or juvenile agency that deals with offenders or disadvantaged persons. These hours must have been earned within twelve (12) months, which do not have to be consecutive months.