Juvenile Probation Officer - Intake

About the Division: 

The Intake and Court Services Division is comprised of the Intake Screening Unit and the Court Services Unit, which includes the Pre-Adjudication Team (PAT). The Intake and Court units are often the initial points of contact for youth and families referred to HCJPD. The Intake Unit operates 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. Intake staff screen youth referred to the department by law enforcement agencies and determine whether or not a youth should be detained and held for a detention hearing or released home pending referral to a diversion program or petitioned to appear in a juvenile district court.

The Court Services Unit is responsible for preparing a comprehensive profile of each youth referred to the juvenile district court with recommendations for the most appropriate and least restrictive dispositional outcome. Both the Intake Unit and Court Unit identify risk factors of the youth and needs of the family and provide referrals to youth and family-oriented community resources. 

About the Position:

The Intake Juvenile Probation Officer facilitates the screening, release, admittance and detention hearing processes of juveniles referred to and admitted into the Harris County Juvenile Justice Detention Center. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Screens, accepts, and releases juveniles placed in the detention by law enforcement, probation officers, judges, or other authorized entities.
• Completes all aspects of casefile management, including, interviews (office and telephone), administering assessment tools, court reports, referrals to community resources, documentation and data entry of services and activities, and all other tasks needed for each case.
• Provides supervision and casefile management requirements for Intake level assigned cases.
• Provides intervention and referral services for walk-ins and telephone inquiries from the public.
• Transports juveniles to their homes, shelters, bus stations, or airports as required.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

Qualifying applicants must complete the HCJPD Standard Basic Spelling & Grammar assessment with a minimum score of 80%.

Education and Experience:

• 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 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 working in a social service, community, corrections, or juvenile agency that deals with offenders or disadvantaged persons. These hours must have been earned within 12 months, which do not have to be consecutive months.

Licensure:

• Must possess a valid driver’s license and have available transportation for use on the job with vehicle insured to comply with the liability limits required by statute.

Additional Requirements:

• Upon receiving a conditional job offer, every applicant undergoes a criminal background check, drug screening and psychological assessment.
• Employees who hold this position are required to possess and maintain a valid Texas Driver's license. Employee must maintain liability insurance in at least the minimum amounts required by law.
• Certified copies of transcripts of educational credentials and/or college credits will be required during hiring process.
• All applicants are required to present evidence of a tuberculosis (TB) skin test. In the event of a positive test, the applicant will be required to provide additional documentation.
• Every employee is subject to random testing for drug and alcohol or if there is a reasonable suspicion to believe that the employee is under the influence of a substance prohibited by this policy while in the course and scope of employment.
• If public emergency is declared by county, staff could be assigned to other duties and/or facilities and/or under the supervision of another county department.
• Must be 21 years old.
• This position involves working with challenging youth where use of crisis intervention and de-escalation strategies may be necessary to ensure the safety of both youth and staff.

Criminal History Checks for positions requiring state certifications:

Applicants applying for a position requiring a state certification must adhere to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) Standards. Before making an offer of employment for a position eligible for certification, HCJPD will verify that the applicant meets the background qualification for the position according to TJJD Standards 344.300 & 344.400

§344.400 Disqualifying Criminal History:

(a) Applicants for Certification. An individual with the following criminal history is not eligible for certification or for employment in a position requiring certification:

(1) deferred adjudication or conviction for a felony listed in Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 42A.054 (formerly known as “3(g) offenses” under former Article 42.12) or a substantially equivalent violation against the laws of another state or the United States (as determined by TJJD), regardless of the date of disposition; or

(2) deferred adjudication or conviction for a sexually violent offense as defined in Article 62.001, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, or a substantially equivalent violation against the laws of another state or the United States (as determined by TJJD), regardless of the date of disposition.

§344.410 Other Criminal History:

(1) An individual with the following criminal history is not eligible for certification, employment, or otherwise providing service in a position requiring certification without prior review and approval by TJJD as provided in §344.420 of this chapter:

(A) deferred adjudication or conviction for a felony other than those referenced in §344.400(a) of this chapter or a substantially equivalent violation against the laws of another state or the United States (as determined by TJJD) if the date of deferred adjudication or conviction was less than 10 years prior to the date the review is requested; or

(B) deferred adjudication or conviction for any Class A or B misdemeanor in Texas or a substantially equivalent violation against the laws of another state or the United States (as determined by TJJD) if the date of deferred adjudication or conviction was less than five years prior to the date the review is requested.

Position Type and Typical Hours of Work:

• Regular Full-time

• 4:00 P.M. – 12:00 A.M. | With 2 consecutive weekdays off. 

  • This is considered an essential staff position and is located in a 24-hour operation unit with varying shift work hours, to include late nights and weekends. 

• $53,497.60  - $72,779.20 Annually
• Depends on Qualifications
• Based on 26 Pay Periods
  • Plus, benefits

Location:

• JJC (1200 Congress St. Houston, TX 77002)

About Harris County Juvenile Probation (HCJPD)

The Harris County Juvenile Probation Department (HCJPD) provides supervision and services to youth between the ages of 10 and 17, who are under the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court. HCJPD is the largest juvenile probation department in Texas with approximately 1,100 employees and over 3,500 youth referred to the department annually. HCJPD programs and services operate under the direction of the Harris County Juvenile Board. The Administration building is located in Downtown Houston, Texas, with several field offices throughout the County and three secure residential facilities.
• Make an impact: Working for HCJPD gives you the opportunity to continue to serve your community and be a positive role model for young people. Our pace of work enables fast learning and fosters an environment where you can make a positive impact.
• Professional Growth: We are committed to growing the capabilities of our staff. We are building a learning community where you can work with diverse individuals, explore new ways of thinking, and expand your capabilities. Our employees are Juvenile Justice Practitioners who share their knowledge to enhance each other’s growth. 

Harris County Juvenile Probation Department - Be an Agent of Change:

Employment is contingent upon passing a background check and drug screen.

Salary : $53,498 - $72,779