Juvenile Detention Officer

POSITION TITLE:  Juvenile Detention Officer                        STATUS: Non-exempt

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR:  Juv. Detention Administrator   STORM ESSENTIAL: Yes

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:   No

 

2. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: (“.” Indicates essential function)

 Note:  The duties listed below are not intended to be all-inclusive.  Duties  assigned any individual employee are at the discretion of the appointing  authority.

. Duties Performed at all levels include:

• Provide for overall security and maintain order and discipline.

• Supervise juvenile in daily activities.

• Conduct searches and daily head counts.

• Perform patrols of juvenile housing, recreational, work areas and facility perimeter.

• Provide for the safety and well-being of juveniles and ensure proper health maintenance and hygiene.

• Observe conduct and behavior of juveniles to prevent disturbances and escapes; report observations to Administrator

• Process admissions of all juveniles entering the facility to include:

. Make an immediate assessment of juveniles to determine security and safety needs; ascertain the disposition of jvenile requiring special placement.

. Conduct body search(s)

..Issue detention clothing, toiletries, and linens

 

. Verify and administer juvenile medications

. Obtain urine analysis

. Notify immediate family and/or required personnel

. Property and Money Inventory

. Documentation in daily logs

. Place meal orders

. Secure keys and restraints

 

• Conducts searches of all articles, juvenile property, and mail entering or leaving the facility, using specialized equipment as needed

• Manage specialized restraint equipment

• Conduct juvenile transfers and discharges to include dispersing money, medications, identifications, and necessary documents

• Communicate with outside agencies/entities to provide services to the facility and for the juveniles

• Assist in the training, development, and supervision of new trainee’s

• Ensure juvenile compliance with regulations, memorandums, policies, and procedures

• Perform “on call” duties as required

• Interact with juveniles, including crisis intervention to assist in solving problems.

• Conduct room checks on juveniles and attend to requests, complaints, and immediate future needs

• Monitors building security and safety, operates monitors, door locks, and completes maintenance and building security checks

• Administers, verifies, and documents juvenile medications

• Supervises recreation, dayroom activity, programs, admissions, releases, appointments, work details, transports, and sick call

• Escorts and/or transports juveniles: court appointments, court hearings, recreation, library, sick call, medical appointments, counseling appointments, and other activities and programs

• Write/file reports as required, document in daily logs, write “pass-ons”, grievances, and assist in the completion of facility records

• Escorts, monitors, and screens for security purposes all authorized visitors; verifies visitors for juveniles; arranges, escorts to, and monitors visitation by sight and/or sound

• Distributes juvenile meals and snacks and collects, verifies, and logs all information

• Communicates with agencies determining juvenile status, court dates, transports, and releases

• Perform “shakedowns” of the facility

• Attend trainings and meetings

• Responds to facility emergencies such as fires, escapes, evacuations and natural disasters

• Must have an insurable driving record

• Assists in day to day operations of the facility to include but not limited to: 
. Answer phones
. Mail distribution
. Office maintenance

. Supply inventory
. Laundry
. Communicate with the general public
. Office janitorial duties

 

• Administer CPR and First Aid

• Duties include completing a variety of recurring activities independently

 

Working Relationships at all levels:
 A detention officer should promote teamwork and interdepartmental cooperation.  Readily share information with other juvenile detention staff and resolve conflicts  through the use of tact and diplomacy.

 

 A detention officer should be willing to accept and work well when given  responsibility. He/She should be self-starters, eager to learn new jobs, take  initiative, and constantly strive to improve themselves.  A positive outlook should  be maintained when interacting with co-workers and/or the public and  frequent suggestions should be offered by the Detention Officer on how to  improve their performance with a job task.

 

 Work is performed under the supervision of the Juvenile Detention Administrator.   This is accomplished through a delegation of authority and expected compliance  with established policies and procedures.  Unusual or complicated problems and  medical emergencies may be referred to the Juvenile Detention Administrator for  further guidance or decision.  The detention officer is expected to rely on his/her  training, judgment, experience, and knowledge to resolve problems.

 

Juvenile Detention Officer exercises no control over other detention officer’s  unless specifically designated to do so.

 

Administrator reviews work as necessary assuring work progress, accuracy and  task completion.

 

Performance is evaluated through direct observation, review of assigned work,  projects, and reports, and compliance with established policies and procedures.

 

4. POSITION QUALIFICATIONS (KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES):
 (“.” indicates essential functions)

 

 Knowledge

• High School Diploma or GED

• Twelve months experience in a position requiring interaction and/or service to the public

 

• Knowledge of the fundamentals of human nature and behavior and the written and oral English language

• General knowledge of basic computer programs to include spreadsheet  applications and word processing programs

 Basic Skills

• Writing, reading, speaking, and listening to the English language

• Effectively communicating with others both orally and in writing

• Communicate under pressure, in emergencies, and under stress

• Effectively and cordially communicate with other staff members, juveniles, other agencies and the public

• Must have good judgment in defusing explosive situations and working with disturbed youth during crisis periods in their lives

 

Abilities

• Employee must have good hearing so that they can be aware of things that could be going on when not present in the dayroom

 

Applicants for Detention Officer must successfully complete:

• Psychological examination

• Orientation and on-the-job training program

• Basic Correctional Officer Training Course

• Possess a valid North Dakota driver’s license (unless the applicant is currently in  the military)

• Pass an extensive background check

• First Aid Certification

• CPR Certification

• Correctional Medical Training I & II courses

 

 
5. PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS: These support the  essential  functions.

 

 Required periods of standing, sitting, walking and stair climbing.  Officers are  also required to run short distances, bend, kneel, lift objects of moderately heavy  weight (up to 75 lbs), climb ladders and stairs, stretch and reach, be on his/her  feet for long periods of time, and physically restrain juveniles.

 

 Hazardous Working Condition

• Work includes exposure to hazardous conditions resulting in a risk of serious physical injury requiring medical attention and some lost time from work

• Exposure occurs on a periodic or intermittent basis

• Generally works in an environmentally controlled area within the Detention Center

• Atmosphere is normally tense and may be hostile

• Mental demands may be very stressful

 

• Detention officers deal with all manner of juveniles in all kinds of physical, mental, and emotional conditions including contagious diseases and loss of control of bodily functions

• Officers are subjected to rude, vulgar, and obscene language, gestures or behavior

• Officers are required to perform body searches on juveniles

 

6. WORK ENVIRONMENT:

 This position may be required to work varied schedules Monday-Sunday  including nights, weekends and holidays. This position frequently moves about  the Jail facility. 

 

 
7. OTHER ASSIGNMENTS:

 County department heads and supervisors reserve the right to amend the  functions assigned this position, either temporarily or permanently, at any time as  they determine the best interest of their departments.  Further, employees may  be assigned other or additional functions to fill-in during the absence of other  employees or vacancies in other positions
 
01-2010