Intake Officer - JDC

Job Responsibilities

Join the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice as an Intake Officer!

Are you ready for an exciting, rewarding career where you can make a real difference in the lives of at-risk youth? Join the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (SCDJJ) and help transform young lives while building a stronger, safer community.

$47,682

We are hiring Intake Officers to maintain safety and security at our Juvenile Detention Complex (JDC):

• Juvenile Detention Complex (JDC): A centralized pre-trial detention facility serving juveniles from most of South Carolina's 46 counties.

The South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (SCDJJ) 's mission is to impact and transform young lives, strengthen families, and support safer communities through targeted prevention and rehabilitation.

Our comprehensive training program equips new officers with skills in communication, de-escalation, crisis intervention, defensive tactics, first aid, report writing, and more. You'll learn from experienced trainers who prepare you for a meaningful career in corrections and law enforcement.

Our way of rewarding YOU for your commitment!

The JDC Intake Officer is responsible for the secure, lawful, and orderly admission of youth at the assigned facility. This position ensures each youth is properly received, identified, searched, documented, and oriented in accordance with state laws, agency policies, and facility procedures. The Intake Officer plays a critical role in maintaining facility safety, safeguarding youth rights, and ensuring accurate intake records while coordinating with courts, law enforcement, medical staff, and other facility personnel to support appropriate placement and supervision decisions.

• Facilitates the intake and release process for youth admitted to and discharged from the secure facility.
• Ensures all admission, transfer, and release procedures are completed accurately and in accordance with agency policies and procedures.
• Reviews, verifies, and processes intake documentation, court orders, legal records, and related paperwork to ensure compliance with agency policy and procedures.
• Conducts intake screenings to identify immediate safety, security, medical, mental health, or special needs concerns; perform authorized youth searches (including body scanner, pat frisk, and strip searches) in accordance with agency policy; and coordinates referrals to appropriate facility staff and service providers.
• Maintains accurate and confidential records of intake activities, youth information, property inventories, medications, and funds received; ensures all items are properly documented, secured, and accounted for in accordance with agency procedures.
• Responds to and coordinates radio and phone communications, ensuring timely and accurate information flow.
• Effectively observes, reports, and responds to security concerns while adhering to established facility policies and procedures.
• Provides overall support to facility operations.
• Perform other job‑related duties and tasks as assigned by the supervisor to further support the agency’s mission and values.

A high school diploma or equivalent. Must be at least 21 years of age and have a valid driver's license.

• Ability to learn state laws/institutional rules/regulations/requirements for the control of youth/Child Abuse Statutes.
• Ability to learn the purpose/methods/practices of secure facilities.
• Ability to learn various methods of instructing/handling/supervising youth in various activities.
• Interpersonal skills, patience and both verbal and non‑verbal…