Youth Specialist (Juvenile Correctional Officer

Job Description
- Youth Specialist (Juvenile Correctional Officer) )

Youth Services
- Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Facility

Pam Wilson, Pam.

Wilsono.gov

Aug 30, 2026, 3:59:00 AM

Cuyahoga Juvenile Correctional 4321 Green Road Highland Hills

United States of America-OHIO-Cuyahoga County-Highland Hills

$24.88 per hour

Full-time

Union: OCSEA

Technical Skills :
Criminology/Criminal Justice, Juvenile Corrections, Security

Professional Skills :
Attention to Detail, Conflict Management, Reasoning, Situational Awareness, Observation

Our Vision for 2026 at DYS ohio dys ohio dys 402 subscribers

We are transforming and saving lives at DYS!

A safer Ohio: one youth, one family and one community at a time.

Our mission at the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) is to improve Ohio's future by habilitating youth and empowering families and communities. We believe that all youth will be given an opportunity to live up to their greatest potential and staff are our greatest resource.

DYS is the juvenile corrections system for the state of Ohio. DYS is statutorily mandated to confine felony offenders, ages 10-21, who have been adjudicated and committed by one of Ohio's 88 county juvenile courts. During their stay with DYS, youth are engaged in programming that is designed to address their criminological and behavioral needs. DYS reaches thousands of youth in facilities and those on parole.

• Our Guiding Principles…
  • Demonstrate staff are our greatest resource
  • Treat everyone with respect
  • Cultivate a trauma responsive environment for staff and youth to thrive
  • Provide the best support and services for youth and families
  • Advance our culture of inclusion through understanding and appreciating staff and youth differences
  • Commit to and encourage collaboration and continuous improvement to produce better outcomes for those we serve
  • Celebrate collective successes and support one another through opportunities to improve

To learn more about DYS, please visit our website by clicking here.

Starting pay is over $50,000 per year. By working just two (2) overtime assignments per week, new staff can add an additional $30,000 salary per year.

New Youth Specialists receive their first pay increase after six (6) months of employment. No prior experience in corrections is necessary but we require a strong willingness to show up and give 100% every day!

DYS is seeking a Youth Specialist [Juvenile Correctional Officer] to join our diverse team! This person will oversee facility functions while providing valuable mentorship, experience, and knowledge to the youth in our care. The ideal candidate will be a strong leader with a solid background and a passion to habilitate youth.

• Provide safety, security, custodial care, & surveillance of assigned youth
• Utilize provided training to observe, intervene, and de-escalation youth behavior and conflicts
• Manage and maintain security and a positive interaction during and after family visits
• Complete all required documents (reports, logs, evaluations etc.)
• Oversee movement on facility grounds and outside trips
• Monitor and instruct youth on general housekeeping duties
• Maintain awareness of unusual behavior and crisis situations
• Collaborate and provide information to division leadership

At the State of Ohio, we take care of the team that cares for Ohioans. We provide a variety of quality, competitive benefits to eligible full-time and part-time employees*. For a list of all the State of Ohio Benefits, visit our Total Rewards website! Our benefits package includes:

• Medical Coverage
• Free Dental, Vision and Basic Life Insurance premiums after completion of eligibility period
• Paid time off, including vacation, personal, sick leave and 11 paid holidays per year
• Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care leave
• Education and Development Opportunities (Employee Development Funds, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and more)
• Public Retirement Systems (such as OPERS, STRS, SERS, and HPRS) & Optional Deferred Compensation (Ohio Deferred Compensation)

* Benefits…