Probation Specialist

Greene County Board of Commissioners; Xenia (OH); On-site; USD 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Greene County Juvenile Court seeks a Juvenile Probation Specialist to investigate, assess, counsel, and supervise youth under probation. This non-exempt role develops individualized case plans, monitors compliance, and coordinates with families and service providers to promote rehabilitation and public safety.

The position requires handling hearings, data collection, and collaboration with court staff, CPS, schools, and community partners while upholding confidentiality and legal standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in Criminal Justice, Social Work, Sociology, Corrections, Counseling, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Prepares and completes probation intake paperwork and explains Probation Rules to youth and families.

Skills

Juvenile justice

Laws & regs

Records management

Microsoft Office

Confidentiality

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice or related field

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Excel

Job description

FOR INQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT THE EMPLOYER:

Greene County Juvenile Court
2100 Greene Way Boulevard
Xenia, OH 45385
937-562-4150

The mission of the Juvenile Probation Department is to provide care, protection, and mental and physical development of youth, to protect the public interest and safety, and rehabilitate juvenile offenders. A Juvenile Probation Specialist is assigned to investigate, assess, counsel, and supervise juvenile offenders. This is achieved through the development and monitoring of compliance with Probation Rules, an individualized case plan, and individualized programming. A Juvenile Probation Specialist supervises low, moderate and high-risk youth in the community. A Juvenile Probation Specialist may also fulfill compliance duties, supervising lower risk youth that come through the juvenile court system who may not need the extensive services and supervision provided to other youth on probation. A Juvenile Probation Specialist is a non-exempt, unclassified employee appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Greene County Juvenile Court Judge under Ohio Revised Code Section 2151.13.

JOB DUTIES (Examples may not be comprehensive):

• Prepares and completes probation intake paperwork and goes over Probation Rules with youth and families.
• Develops an individualized case plan for juvenile offenders to include relevant goals and objectives for the supervision period and in furtherance of the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI).
• Supervises youth in the community and/or placement throughout the duration of their case plan and conducts regular reviews of said plan; thoroughly and accurately documents all pertinent case activity.
• Provides assessments, including but not limited to: OYAS, MAYSI, ACE / CTS and the Success Plan.
• Engages with youth through the use of Motivational Interviewing, Carey Guides, life skills, and other evidence-based programming.
• Attends detention, arraignment, pretrial, plea, and disposition hearings. Also fulfills a rotation of Probation Specialist of the Day to provide coverage on an as-needed basis.
• Conducts interviews and gathers information from youth, families, referral sources and other agencies to prepare recommendations for review, dispositional and post-dispositional hearings and for case plans, placement packets and D.I.R. reports.
• Attends departmental meetings, placement meetings, wrap‑around meetings, meetings with service providers, agencies, CPS, and schools and maintains open dialogue with community partners and treatment providers.
• Collects and tests urinalysis drug screens for youth on probation.
• Responsible for collection of DNA for all felony youth which is transmitted to BCI.
• Responsible for connecting youth to electronic monitoring and provides routine oversight of the monitors, alerts and equipment.
• Plans, engages in and oversees youth community service activities.
• Requests warrants, make arrests, transports and presents youth to detention for detainment.
• Supervises out-of-state Interstate Compact cases, conducts home investigations and submits corresponding reports to the Interstate Compact.
• Provides transportation to youth and families for medical, mental health appointments as needed and makes referrals to court and community‑based programs.
• Keeps apprised of new and proposed federal, state, and local legislation and programs that will impact juvenile justice; maintains professional and personal growth through participation in workshops and seminars.
• Any other duty as assigned by the Judge, Court Administrator and/or Director of Probation.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES (Examples may not be comprehensive/job related skills may be acquired pursuant to on-the-job training):

Knowledge of:

• The juvenile justice system including institutional and out-patient services, childhood development and family dynamics, best practices in the field, and JDAI principles.
• Applicable laws, codes, regulations, including but not limited to the Interstate Compact for Juveniles.
• Records management, retention and best practices.
• Computer software, including but not limited to Microsoft Office products - Word, Outlook and Excel.
• Workplace policies and the importance of confidentiality.

Skill in:

• Planning, organizing, supervising, and evaluating youth.
• Prioritizing tasks and responsibilities.
• Providing excellent customer service skills.
• Exercising effective and respectful interpersonal skills, including communicating and interacting with youth, families, Court personnel, county staff and the general public; addressing individuals from various socio-economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, in person and over the telephone, often where relations may be confrontational and strained.
• Collecting data, interpreting, evaluating and drawing conclusions from reports; preparing clear and concise reports, correspondence and other written materials.
• Planning, organizing and administering juvenile justice programming, which includes interventions, therapeutic and related services, and corresponding with off‑site providers and institutions about treatment plans.
• Exemplifying dependability, reliability and excellent attendance.
• Using initiative and independent judgement within general policy guidelines to recognize and resolve potential conflicts.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS (Examples may not be comprehensive):

PREFERRED: Bachelor’s degree, preferably a B.A. or B.S. in Criminal Justice, Social Work, Sociology, Corrections, Counseling, or a related field. Must possess the ability to identify and define problems, collect and analyze data, establish facts, and draw sound conclusions; ability to establish and maintain rapport with clients; ability to communicate both verbally and through written reports clearly and effectively; ability to react rationally and effectively to crisis situation; possession of valid Ohio driver’s license. Two (2) years full time paid work experience not including practicum experience.

Satisfactory completion of professional reference checks; satisfactory completion of BCI and FBI background checks; affirmative duty to report prior and/or current misconduct; confirmation of valid Ohio driver’s license; confirmation of degrees, licenses and/or certificates. Misconduct includes any criminal charges, traffic violations, substantiated child abuse charges or convictions, substantiated allegations of sexual abuse or sexual harassment involving your former or current employer, and any news worthy information that may be detrimental to the employee or the Greene County Juvenile Court.

WORK CONDITIONS (Examples may not be comprehensive):

The Greene County Juvenile Court is located at 2100 Greene Way Blvd, Xenia, OH 45385. The campus includes the Court, Juvenile Detention Center, Miami Valley Juvenile Rehabilitation Center, and the Assessment and Intervention Center as well as accompanying outdoor spaces.

Duties may require bending, crouching, kneeling, reaching, standing and lifting up to 50 pounds. Duties may require operating and/or riding in a vehicle. Duties will require working under time constraints to meet deadlines. Potential for adverse contact with aggressive, disruptive and/or unruly individuals. Potential for exposure to blood‑borne pathogens and communicable diseases.

Work will primarily occur during regular Court hours, between 8am to 4pm, Monday – Friday (35 hours per week). However, some responsibilities may take place outside of those hours, dependent upon departmental needs. Probation Specialists are expected to be on‑call for members of law enforcement and the Director of Probation.