Juvenile Probation Officer Linda Ricketson, Brazos County Chief Probation Officer

Texas Juvenile Justice System Local Government State Government TJJD Juvenile Board Commissioners Court Oversight Probation Department $$ + Oversight

Functions of a Juvenile Probation Officer Investigator Counselor/Rehabilitator Protector of Society/Community Safety Collector of court ordered monies Broker of community resources The official duties of juvenile probation professionals vary from State to State and can even differ between jurisdictions within a single State. Nonetheless, a basic set of juvenile probation functions includes: intake screening of cases referred to juvenile and family courts, predisposition or presentence investigation of juveniles, and court-ordered supervision of juvenile offenders. Not all probation departments execute all three of these functions independently. For example, in some jurisdictions the prosecutor shares the intake responsibility with the probation officer, and in other jurisdictions the prosecutor has sole responsibility for the intake process. Similarly, probation responsibilities are not always limited to intake, investigation, and supervision. Some departments also provide aftercare for youth released from institutions; others may administer detention or manage local residential facilities or special programs. Investigator Juvenile Probation Officers provide investigation and supervision services for juvenile offenders on court order formal probation, informal probation and deferred entry of judgment. Counselor/Rehabilitator Juvenile supervision services are provided through various probation programs ranging from early intervention, intensive supervision, general supervision and placement. In addition, Juvenile Probation Officers recommend appropriate dispositions for juvenile offenders while preserving and enhancing the family unit, whenever possible. Protector of society Juvenile Probation Officers provide protection and safety to the community by serving as an arm of the Juvenile and Superior Courts. Collector of court ordered monies The offender's probation officer is the person routinely responsible for creating a payment schedule and monitoring the actual restitution payments made to victims. If victims do not receive scheduled payments, they should contact the offender's probation officer through the county probation or court services agencies. Corrections facilities send restitution payments to victims on various schedules. Some distribute payments monthly or quarterly, while others may pay restitution on an annual basis. Broker of community resources The basic treatment service model is provided through service brokerage, whereby community resources are used to treat youth. In addition, the program uses a team structure approach for the supervision and treatment of each youth. Each team consists of three surveillance officers, one senior probation counselor, and one probation manager. The senior probation counselor plays a critical role, providing administrative supervision of the team members and coordinating the services the client receives.

Statutory Purposes Texas Juvenile Justice System Safety & Protection of Public Promote Concept of Punishment Remove Taint of Criminality Treatment, Training, & Rehabilitation Child & Parent Accountability TFC 51.01 The general principles governing the juvenile justice system are found in Family Code Section 51.01. The purpose clause declares the overall legislative purposes and vision for the system. Prior to 1995, the word punishment did not appear in Title 3. Today, Texas and Wyoming are two states that include the punishment/public safety language in the statutory purpose clause, other states do not. TFC 51.01, Statutory Purposes

Juvenile Courts Courts Eligible for Designation District Criminal District Domestic Relations County Court County Court at Law Designation may change, but must always have a juvenile court in each county If county court is designated, must have an alternate court County court may not hear determinate sentence cases

Delinquent Conduct TFC Section 51.03 Delinquent Conduct is conduct OTHER THAN A TRAFFIC OFFENSE, that violates a penal law of Texas or the United States punishable by imprisonment or confinement in jail. Delinquent conduct is conduct other than a traffic offense, that violates a penal law of Texas or the United States (federal law) punishable by imprisonment or confinement in jail. It includes Class B and above offenses, contempt of a justice or municipal court order, third Driving Under the Influence by a Minor and DWI. TFC 51.03 (a) delinquent conduct

Delinquent Conduct Offenses TFC 51.03 Jailable Misdemeanors and Felonies (Texas and US laws) Contempt of JP or Municipal Court Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol by Minor (DUIM) (3rd Offense)

Conduct Indicating a Need for Supervision CINS Offenses Conduct Indicating a Need for Supervision School Attendance Related Offenses Running Away Paint and Glue Inhalation Fineable Only Offenses School Conduct - Expulsion Contempt of STAR Court Order Certain conduct falls under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court as CINJS conduct. CINS conduct includes.. [as stated in slide]. TFC 51.03(b)(2) Truancy and EC 25.094 Failure to Attend TFC 51.03(b)(3) Runaway HSC 484.000 Inhalant Abuse PC 8.07 and TFC 51.03 (f); PC 49.02 TFC 264.305 Contempt of STAR Court Order

Juvenile Status Offenses TFC Section 51.02(8) School Attendance Related Offenses Running Away School Standards of Conduct Violations of Alcoholic Beverage Code (Minors) Curfew Ordinance Violations Fine Only Offenses Fine Only transfers to juvenile court not punishable against adults

Juvenile Probation Length Probation Conditions Until Child Reaches Age 18 (2 Year Minimum for Certain Felony Sex Offenses against Child) Probation Conditions Mandatory Community Service Home Placement Relative or Other Fit Person Foster Home Public or Private Agency or Institution, except TJJD TFC 54.04(d) One of the most typical dispositional options is probation. The formal dispositional options that are available for juvenile offenders depends on the procedural posture of the case. The child may be placed on any term not to exceed his or her 18th birthday. The Family Code sets out probation conditions that may be ordered by the court such as…[stated in slide]. Probation conditions must be based on reasonable and lawful terms of the court. TFC 54.054(d) TFC 54.044

Juvenile Probation Officer Qualifications Be at least 21 years of age; Be of good moral character and have no disqualifying criminal history; Bachelor’s degree from accredited college; One year of graduate study or full time experience in related field; Cannot be TCLOSE officer or prosecutor Must complete a minimum of 80 hours of training No disqualifying criminal history (felony in past 10 years, misdemeanor in past 5 years) Competency exam (beginning 9/2011) Must complete 80 hours of training every two years in order to continue certification

Duties of Juvenile Probation Officers (Texas Administrative Code 341 Make dispositional recommendations in court proceedings; Give final approval to written social history reports; Act as primary supervising officer for probation and deferred prosecution cases; Writing and administering case plans If authorized by local juvenile board, conduct intake interviews and make release decisions

Review Functions of a JPO Six primary duties of a JPO Composition of the juvenile justice system Summary The juvenile justice system is comprised of a state level component and a local level component. The Texas Juvenile Justice Department represent the state government. At the local level, the county juvenile board and commissioners court provides oversight and funding to the direct service providers. Currently, there are more that 168 county juvenile boards. The board hires the Chief Juvenile Probation Officer and makes policy and budgeting decisions for the county juvenile probation department. The juvenile probation officer (JPO) is the first point of contact for an offender following an arrest by police. Juvenile probation staff must be available at least on-call – 24 hours a day, every day of the year, to assist local and state law enforcement agencies with decisions as to which juvenile offenders are detained in our youth facilities in order to protect the public. Their mission is to serve the Juvenile Court, children and their families, victims of juvenile crime, and the community by: Providing information Providing services and programs and Enhancing accountability and community safety Juvenile Probation Officers perform many different tasks. Their major responsibility is to supervise juveniles who have been placed on probation by the Court. When juveniles are placed on probation, they are given terms of probation to follow. These terms are orders of the Court and might include an order to attend counseling, attend a class, do community work or pay restitution. Juvenile Probation Officers assist juveniles on their caseload to comply with the terms of their probation. They monitor their school progress and work closely with school personnel to insure their compliance with their educational program. Officers maintain regular personal contact with probationers and heir parents/guardian. Quality probation officers work closely with the community and help their probationers find opportunities that will help them learn to respect the law and their community. According to Chapter 341 of the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, the six primary duties of a juvenile probation officer include: (1) Dispositional recommendations in formal court proceedings (2) Final approval of written social history reports (3) Acting as the primary supervising officer for all court ordered and deferred prosecution cases (4) Writing and administering case plans in accordance with the Commission's case management standards (5) If authorized by the juvenile board under Texas Family Code §53.01, conducting intake interviews, investigations, and making release decisions (6) Complete assessment instruments required by law or TJPC standards