Juvenile Supervision
The Probation Department provides community supervision to minors who have been involved in a delinquent offense. Juvenile offenders can be supervised by a Deputy Probation Officer when ordered by the Juvenile Court, or on an informal basis when agreed to by the juvenile and parent as an alternative to formal juvenile court proceedings.
Deputy Probation Officers monitor a juvenile’s compliance with their conditions of probation by:
- Ensuring the minor is obeying curfew and parent rules
- Ensuring attendance and participation at school, counseling and treatment programs
- Testing for drug/alcohol use
- Conducting searches for prohibited items
- Ensuring the minor is not associating with other offenders
- Ensuring the juvenile is completing community service work
- Ensuring the juvenile is having no contact with the victim(s)
- Ensuring the juvenile is paying any victim restitution
To assist offenders with their rehabilitation, probation officers will refer minors and their families to services available in the community, and provide guidance, mentoring, and structure. The probation officer will investigate violations of probation and may arrest the minor and/or return the minor to the Juvenile Court for further action.
Juvenile Drug Court Program
The Juvenile Drug Court Program is a court-based, multi-disciplinary team approach with a strong judicial leadership role for the processing and treatment of drug offenders. This program addresses the needs of non-violent minors for whom the primary basis of delinquent behavior is drug/alcohol abuse to return them to a drug-free life.
With the Judge as the treatment team leader, probation officers and treatment professionals work collaboratively to develop a strategy that is in the best interest of the minor and society.
Out-of-Home Placement
The Juvenile Court may order a juvenile offender to be placed in a group home, foster home, or home of a relative or non-relative extended family member. When this order is made, the Probation Department will place the minor in the appropriate setting after evaluation of numerous factors, including, but not limited to:
- Educational needs
- Mental health needs
- Substance abuse history
- Delinquency and other risk factors
- Ability to thrive in the parental home
- The parents' stability and/or availability
While placed out of the home, the minor will receive counseling and education services, as well as supervision by a Deputy Probation Officer, who will ensure the minor is participating in services. Whenever appropriate, a minor will be reunified with a biological parent after completion of the out-of-home placement program.
If a relative or non-relative extended family member (family friend, pastor, teacher, etc.) of a juvenile offender who is placed in an out-of-home placement program would like to become a part of the minor’s life, including having contact and/or providing support, the relative or non-relative extended family member should make contact with the minor’s probation officer.
Contact either of our Probation Offices and ask for the probation office of the specific minor. More information will be provided once contact with the probation officer is made.
Juvenile Electronic Monitoring Program (JEMP)
This program is designed to allow minors who would otherwise be detained in a Juvenile Detention Facility to return home under supervision provided by the Probation Department. Conditions of detention in the home are provided in writing to the minor, who shall agree to and follow each condition.
The majority of minors in the program are monitored by electronic monitoring equipment. Participants who violate the conditions of the program are returned to secure detention and the Juvenile Court for further disposition.