Juvenile Probation services provide information to judges, monitor court ordered conditions and services for children and their families to increase the chances of successful rehabilitation of juveniles. Juvenile cases are processed at twelve (12) Juvenile Matters Courts throughout the state.
Juvenile Probation has jurisdiction for handling cases of children aged seventeen (17) years old and younger (at the time of an alleged offense). When making determinations regarding cases, the court has a responsibility to consider the child’s best interest as well as community safety.
Types of Juvenile Referrals
Delinquency related Matters - Juveniles may be referred to court for being charged with violating:Family with Service Needs (FWSN) - A juvenile may be referred as a FWSN if she or he:
Types of Juvenile Case Handling
Non-Judicial Handling is used for first or second time summons issued to a juvenile for minor delinquency or FWSN charges. These charges may be handled informally by a Juvenile Probation Officer. If the child admits responsibility for the alleged offenses, and the child and parent or parents or guardian agree to cooperate with Probation, the Officer may:
Approximately half of all juvenile cases are handled this way.
Judicial Handling - Cases handled by a judge when:
In these cases, the child goes before a judge, may
have the services of a public defender or defense attorney and a prosecutor
(state’s attorney) is involved in the case. Approximately half of all
juvenile cases are handled this way.
Types of Dispositions / Sentencing
Charges can be:
Additionally, juveniles adjudicated as FWSN or delinquent may be:
Juvenile Probation Officers
Juvenile Probation Officers are involved in all FWSN,
and delinquency cases both before and after the case is decided.
Before a case is decided an officer may supervise a juvenile if the Court orders it. After a case is decided or if the child admits to specific charges, officers:
Once cases are decided and a child is placed under court orders or conditions of probation or supervision, Juvenile Probation Officers monitor the juvenile to see if the he or she follows court orders and conditions. Juvenile Probation Officers may also arrange for additional services for juveniles they monitor or supervise and sanction juveniles they monitor or supervise if they do not follow the conditions of their probation or supervision. If a juvenile does not follow the conditions of his or probation or supervision officers remain involved in additional court hearings as well as make recommendations on the case.
In addition to the standard juvenile probation services the Court Support Services Division has created several specialized units to address the specialized needs of different populations that enter the courts. These specialized units are:
Low risk - Juvenile Probation Officers interview children charged with minor offenses and supervise low risk offenders who are placed on either non-judicial supervision or on probation by the courts.
Gender responsive – Juvenile Probation Officers are assigned to each court location, and manage a caseload of 25 girls referred to the court for delinquency or FWSN or both. Each gender officer has extensive training in the specialized needs of girls, the effects of trauma, special education advocacy, family mediation, and holding girls’ group meetings.
For information on Juvenile Probation please contact Deputy Director Tasha Hunt