Juvenile Detention Officer

Snohomish County, WA; Everett (WA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Vision Insurance

Dental Insurance

Retirement

Long Term Disability (LTD)

Commuting Benefits

EAP

Paid holidays

Job summary

Snohomish County is hiring Juvenile Detention Officers to supervise and care for female youth in a 24-hour detention facility. You will enforce rules, conduct searches, and support pro-social development while coordinating with probation, medical staff, and teachers.

Responsibilities include intake, housing supervision, crisis intervention, and ensuring a safe environment. Minimum qualifications include related experience or coursework and passing required tests.

Qualifications

• Six (6) months compensated or volunteer experience working with juveniles.
• Completed coursework in Child Development, Criminal Justice, Education, Human Services, Social Work, Sociology or related fields.
• Must pass job-related tests.
• Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice, Human Services, Sociology, Psychology or related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and care for juvenile offenders in a 24-hour secure detention facility.
• Facilitate group activities, report youth behavior, and coordinate with probation, nursing, teachers, and community partners.
• Conduct intake screening, update records, and manage admissions/releases with attention to medical, mental health, and personal needs.
• Create a positive, fair environment, enforce rules, and participate in behaviour management programs; intervene in crises as needed.
• Monitor detainees across housing, school, recreation, and visitation; assist with daily tasks and personal hygiene.
• Operate control room systems, respond to inquiries from law enforcement, probation officers, and guardians.

Skills

Safety & security issues

Crisis intervention techniques

Group behaviour patterns

Counselling methods

Basic computer skills

Education

Associate's degree (preferred) in Criminal Justice / Human Services / Sociology / Psychology

Job description

We are hiring for Juvenile Detention Officers

Due to operational requirements involving the supervision of female youth, including pat downs and searches that must be performed by female staff, female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply, and preference will be given to female applicants. JDOs create a safe and secure environment for youth who have been arrested pending a court appearance or who have been sentenced to serve time after a court appearance.

Successful JDOs care for the youth, ensuring their programming needs are met. They manage behavior by the least restrictive means, coach youth, and use conflict resolution skills to teach and promote pro‑social behavior.

We’ll get PSERS retirement contributions, excellent medical, dental and vision insurance, with long‑term disability, life insurance, and more.

We Provide

• 40‑hour work week
• 11 paid holidays
• Paid sick leave and vacation
• 2 bonus floating holidays

BASIC FUNCTION

Supervises, monitors, and provides care for juvenile offenders and other court‑involved youth in a confined, 24‑hour secure detention facility.

Job Duties

STATEMENT OF ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

• Serves as a positive role model for juveniles detained at the center. Facilitates group activities and discussions; reports on behavior of youth; works closely with a variety of key partners who have an interest in detained youth including probation staff, nursing staff, teachers, community agencies, judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement and others.
• Following completion of referral, verifies existing warrants; admits and releases juveniles into and from secure facility; enters and updates criminal history, security or safety alerts and other relevant information on the facility and state computer systems; conducts intake screening; pays special attention to individual considerations, such as medical problems, mental health, emotional needs, gender identity, cultural or ethnic requirements, etc.
• Presents and explains youth's rights, facility rules and expectations, and consequences; conducts searches, issues clothing and personal items; takes fingerprints, escorts juveniles to court appearances, transports to and from the facility; receives payment of bail and resident monies.
• Creates a firm, fair and consistent environment which models pro‑social behaviors for juveniles, and supports them in changing behaviours and patterns to achieve positive goals. Enforces detention centre rules, completes incident reports; and is an active participant in the facility's behavioural management programme. Intervenes in crisis situations. Manages behaviour and diffuses disruptive behaviours through problem solving, crisis intervention, and/or counselling; participates in physical control when the situation warrants it; participates in behavioural planning for special management population.
• Supervises detainees in all areas of the facility including housing units, school, recreation, programme and visitation activities, facilitates unit or group activities; monitors completion of youths' daily tasks, assists detainees with personal hygiene, medical or emotional concerns; administers emergency first aid; assists in detecting suspected drug and alcohol use, refers resident requests, concerns and needs to the appropriate staff or resource.
• Supervises the cleaning of the detention facility by assigning and directing the work of detainees, washes clothing and bedding.
• Operates control room video monitors, audio monitors, computers, touch probes and radios; responds to telephone inquiries by law enforcement officials, probation/parole counsellors, other secure detention facilities attorneys, and parents.

STATEMENT OF OTHER JOB DUTIES

• Performs related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

Six (6) months compensated or volunteer experience working with juveniles; OR, completed coursework in Child Development, Criminal Justice, Education, Human Services, Social Work, Sociology, Psychology or closely related fields; OR, any combination of training and/or experience that provides the required knowledge and abilities. Must pass job-related tests.

Preferred Qualifications

Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice, Human Services, Sociology, Psychology or closely related field preferred.

Special Requirements

• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• A valid Washington State Driver's License is required.
• A valid First Aid/CPR Card within six (6) months is required
• Satisfactory completion of the Juvenile Corrections Officer Academy Training, including defensive tactics training, as instructed by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Centre within six (6) months of employment.
• To be eligible for appointment, applicants must successfully pass a criminal history background investigation, reference verification, polygraph examination, psychological examination, a physical ability test and an employee health screen.

Knowledge And Abilities

• safety and security issues
• crisis intervention techniques
• group and individual behaviour patterns of youth
• basic principles of counselling methods
• basic computer skills

Ability To

• recognise situations which threaten the safety and security of individuals and/or the facility and determine the most effective way of controlling the situation
• effectively relate to juveniles from a variety of social, economic, ethnic and racial backgrounds
• establish and maintain effective working relationships with criminal justice system officials and staff, other county employees and the general public
• read, interpret and enforce detention facility rules and regulations
• monitor the activities of facility detainees
• evaluate juveniles' behaviour
• enforce detention facility rules and regulations
• respond to crisis and emergency situations quickly and calmly
• perform strenuous physical tasks such as restraining violent or threatening individuals
• communicate effectively with people from a variety of backgrounds, including persons with social or behavioural problems
• type accurately, record information correctly and perform clerical tasks related to admission and other clerical aspects of the job
• maintain necessary records and prepare legible and appropriately written required reports.

PHYSICAL EFFORT

Good physical condition is required to deal with occasional aggressive or threatening behaviour on the part of detainees.

SUPERVISION

Employees in this class receive direction and assistance from the Juvenile Corrections Officer Supervisor. Work is reviewed through observation, direct contact and meetings with the JCO Supervisor and Detention Programme Manager.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The work is performed primarily within the Snohomish County Juvenile Detention Centre which is a 24?hour per day, seven (7) day a week operation. The employee may be assigned to any shift and may work on weekends. The employee is required to work holidays when they fall on their normal work schedule, and mandatory overtime as needed.

EEO policy and ADA notice

Snohomish County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer.

Accommodations for individuals with disabilities are provided upon request.

County Benefits

• Medical Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Retirement
• Basic Group Term Life Insurance/ Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
• Long Term Disability (LTD)
• Commuting Benefits
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Partners for Health Employee Wellness Programme
• Leave & Holidays

Voluntary Benefits

• Deferred Compensation 457(b)
• Supplemental Group Term Life Insurance
• Additional Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance (AD&D)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Supplemental Individual Insurance Policies

Healthcare Premiums

• Regular full‑time employees: If you work 35 or more hours per week, you will pay these monthly premiums for medical insurance. The County pays the monthly premiums for vision, dental, and basic life insurance.
• Regular part‑time employees: If you work between 20 and 34 hours per week, you will pay pro‑rated monthly premiums for medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance. The County's contribution toward the premium for an employee in a regular part‑time appointment will be pro‑rated in an amount equal to the F.T.E. percentage the employee is assigned.

Note: Temporary employees, seasonal employees and paid interns may be eligible for medical insurance benefits. Review the County's ACA Employer Shared Responsibility Guide to learn more.