Juvenile Correctional Officer

General Description

Provides supervision and direct care for youth in a residential correctional facility. Works to help youth to achieve progress in learning and applying methods to identify and manage reactions to stress and trauma and react in more socially appropriate ways. Uses appropriate intervention methods in response to behavioral issues that seeks to aid in learning and correcting behavior. Maintains a consistent effort to ensure safe environments and employs security measures when youth, staff, or others are in danger. Interacts and engages with youth in ways that both maintain appropriate structure and exercise understanding of brain development in youth with complex trauma. Maintains healthy relationships and boundaries with youth and consistently recognizes progress and good choices made by youth.

Work involves facilitating youth rehabilitation, supervising youth, and coaching their personal development in accordance with individualized treatment plans. Works assigned shift, is subject to being on-call, and may be required to work in excess of 40 hours per work week. Occasional travel may be required.

Career Ladder Promotion Opportunity: This position is in the approved TJJD career ladder for Juvenile Correctional Officers. Personnel in this career ladder have the working title of Juvenile Correctional Officer (JCO). JCOs receive career ladder salary adjustments upon meeting established eligibility criteria per agency policy (PRS.15.08) until they reach the top level of the ladder. Placement on the career ladder is dependent upon experience and education. Progression to the highest pay level on the career ladder is dependent upon experience and performance.

Pre-Service Training Academy Requirement: Newly hired JCOs or rehired JCOs who have been separated more than 18 months will be required to attend the pre-service training academy and complete on-the-job training on a full-time basis. JCOs who have worked for TJJD and return to employment within 18 months of their separation date are not required to attend the pre-service academy and will be placed in full-time status on their date of employment.

Levels Of Work Performed By Career Ladder Level

• Juvenile Correctional Officer III: Performs moderately complex (journey-level) work under general supervision with limited latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.
• Juvenile Correctional Officer IV: Performs complex (journey-level) work under general supervision with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.
• Juvenile Correctional Officer V: Performs highly complex (senior-level) work under limited supervision with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.
  
  

Essential Functions

• Engages in competency-based training in the techniques and capabilities needed to coach youth under the Texas Model of trauma-informed corrections.
• Holds youth accountable in ways that fit the level of behavior, seeking to help youth to learn socially acceptable responses and approaches.
• Uses good judgment in determining when safety is at risk and higher levels of intervention are required.
• Helps youth to identify their responses to stress, fear, and other triggers and works with the youth to learn ways to increase emotional self-regulation skills.
• Practices and models appropriate self-regulation skills and is able to remain calm during times of stress and crisis.
• Gain a basic knowledge of each youth’s treatment plan and provide support in learning the skills needed to meet those goals.
• Coaches youth on how to resolve conflict with other youth and staff as appropriate.
• Participates in the Youth Service Team and provides input into each youth’s treatment plan; and is a responsible and supportive team member, who understands that an effective team is composed of reliable people who provide backup and support for their fellow team members and the facility as a whole.
• Provides for a predictable schedule for youth that is transparent to them and provides warnings and prompts for all movements and transitions; and exercises independent judgment when the need arises to alter a schedule (while still maintaining transparency and warnings).
• Implements and monitors youth activities, programs, and behaviors on an individual and group basis, to ensure healthy youth engagement and to provide appropriate role modeling for all youth.
• Observes and keeps staff informed daily of significant behavioral and treatment-related conditions and events known about a youth and/or the group.
• Provides services to potentially aggressive/combative youth in a correctional setting with a wide variety of temperaments (volatile, mentally ill, suicidal) and specialized needs (chemically dependent, sexual offenders, emotionally disturbed, etc.).
• Physically restrains and secures, if necessary, sometimes aggressive youth and participates in follow up debriefing conversations to assess the relationship and determine alternative strategies to avoid future physical restraints.
• Maintains security in buildings, grounds, and other posts; intervenes during emergencies or altercations to prevent escapes and protect the safety of all youth.
• Conducts searches for contraband and health/safety hazards; performs room, property pat, and strip searches of youth as required.
• Supervises assigned youth during all of their daily activities, including on the dorm, at school, during meals, and other activities; manages all movements between activities; conducts periodic headcounts; ensures youth engage in required activities; and transfers and transports youth, on foot, in vehicles, and other forms of transportation.
• Maintains privacy and follows all policies, regulation, and laws in regards to youth records.
• Completes and maintains required records, files, and forms in a timely and accurate way.
• Ensures that youth are protected from any racially, ethnically, or gender-specific disparities.
• Performs a variety of related duties not listed, to be determined and assigned as needed.
  
  

Performs all duties in compliance with agency safety policies and procedures:

• Reports safety hazards and corrects hazards when possible.
• Completes required documentation in the event of an accident/injury within requested timeframes.
  
  

Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency attendance and leave policies.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be at least 21 years of age and have a high school diploma or equivalent.
  
  

Preferred

• College degree or coursework.
• Experience supervising or providing rehabilitation/treatment services to youth or adults in a treatment program, correctional program, or a residential setting (e.g. correctional officer, juvenile detention officer, case manager, counselor, probation officer, or parole officer).
  
  

Experience And Education Substitutions

Note: Any degree, diploma, high school equivalent, or course hours required to meet minimum qualifications must be obtained from an accredited educational institution.

Applicants With The Following Will Not Be Considered

• Convicted or received deferred adjudication for any felony.
• Convicted or received deferred adjudication for domestic violence involving a family member (including non-spouse partners).
• Convicted or received deferred adjudication for official oppression.
• Current requirement to register as a sex offender.
• Arrested for a disqualifying offense that was not expunged before the statute of limitations expired.
• Outstanding warrant.
  
  

Applicants with other arrests, deferred adjudications, and convictions may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine suitability for employment.

Pre-employment Conditions Require Acceptable Results From Mandatory

• pre-employment drug test;
• finger printing, criminal records check, and driving record check;
• Fitness-for-Duty Assessment which may include both physical and behavior evaluations.
  

Requirements For Continued Employment

• Obtain and maintain certification in TJJD’s Use of Force techniques, which requires physical restraint of juveniles.
• Obtain and maintain certification in First Aid and CPR.
• Failure to maintain required certification will result in termination of employment.
  

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS

The following physical demands and working conditions are representative of those encountered when performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Analyzing
• Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing
• Ability to see
• Ability to hear (with or without aid)
• Ability to perform tactile discernment
• Identifying colors
• Depth perception
• Operate motor equipment
• Heavy lifting, 45 lbs. & over
• Heavy carrying, 45 lbs. & over
• Restraining combative youth
• Pushing
• Pulling
• Repeated bending
• Reaching above shoulder
• Prolonged standing and walking
• Walking
• Standing
• Sitting
• Crawling
• Twisting
• Kneeling
• Stooping
• Manual/finger dexterity
• Dual simultaneous grasping
• Climbing stairs
• Climbing ladders
  
  

Knowledge Of

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Safety and security procedures and practices.
• General counseling and guidance techniques with adolescents.
• Facility rules and regulations.
• Individual and group behavior.
• Child development and the role of the family.
• Causes of juvenile delinquency and current methods of juvenile offender treatment.
  
  

Ability To

• Remain calm and regulate one’s own behavior while helping to serve as a role model for youth who are learning to self-regulate their own behavior.
• Maintain healthy and engaging relationships with youth while maintaining appropriate boundaries important for healthy development.
• Work with youth in an empathetic and understanding manner with sustained positive interactions.
• Communicate effectively with youth to foster youth cooperation in the treatment process.
• Plan and implement youth programs.
• Facilitate group discussions and activities.
• Set limits on youth behaviors when appropriate in a consistent, firm and fair manner.
• Intervene and redirect behavior.
• Appropriately respond to abusive language and behavior in a manner consistent with instructions received in training.
• Remain alert, observant, and physically able to respond appropriately to work situations or emergencies including, but not limited to, physical restraint of youth.
• Learn verbal and physical crisis intervention/de-escalation techniques and emergency treatment procedures.
• Maintain order and discipline.
• Physically restrain youth when necessary in a manner consistent with instructions received in training.
• Explain the progress of the youth to their family members and other treatment staff.
• Interpret rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Accept and adapt to changes in assignments, methods, policies, etc.
• Work collaboratively with all stakeholders and maintain a professional, courteous demeanor.
• Prioritize and manage multiple tasks.
• Plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments; and meet deadlines.
• Process information logically, make decisions, and demonstrate the soundness of those decisions.
• Document observations and incidents and maintain written files and records.
• Transport youth and travel as necessary.
• Work a variety of shifts, weekends, holidays, and be on-call.
• Work in excess of 40 hours per workweek, and travel, when required.