The Birmingham Juvenile Probation Services Division is a program run by the Jefferson County Family Court. 24 juvenile probation officers work with thousands of teens across the county each year to develop strategies and networks to help ensure young offenders do not re-offend.
Sponsored School(s)
Juvenile probation officers working in Birmingham need to have a good sense of teen issues and some education in fields related to behavioral science. The General Accounting Office recently identified 13,000 children in juvenile justice and welfare programs for mental health reasons.
The entry-level yearly salary for a juvenile probation officer in Birmingham ranges between $37,544 and $58,302.
Essential Skills and Education
Juvenile probation officer jobs in Birmingham are not for everyone. Candidates for these positions need to be able to face challenging situations with creative solutions. Applicants must possess either a bachelor’s degree in the social or behavioral sciences or a combination of education and experience to be able to competently perform the following duties:
- Conduct intake interviews and assessments
- Compile and research action plans and subject background reports
- Maintain a working relationship with juvenile offenders, their parents or guardians, community resources, and judicial and law enforcement officials
- Supervise and provide guidance for juvenile offenders
Although previous training is not necessarily a requirement, this can help candidates who do not have a bachelor’s degree in the specified fields. New juvenile probation officers will receive supervised on-the-job training and will always have someone nearby to answer any questions during their first weeks of employment. It is the goal of the Jefferson Family Court to recruit and retain highly qualified and skilled juvenile probation officers.
Minimum Requirements
Those looking into how to become a juvenile probation officer in Birmingham should also be aware of certain minimum qualifications required by Jefferson County. These are:
- A mostly clean driving record and criminal history, with no felony or domestic violence convictions
- Possession of a valid driver’s license
- Ability to pass:
- Basic-skills examination
- Background investigation
- Drug test
Application Process in Birmingham
Candidates wanting to apply for careers as juvenile probation officers can begin by creating an online account with the Jefferson County Human Resources Department. This will enable candidates to apply for any vacant juvenile probation officer positions advertised on the HR’s careers webpage. If there are no current openings, candidates can fill out a Job Alert online form to be notified by email when there are juvenile probation officer vacancy postings. By law these jobs must be advertised in a public location for at least 10 days.
Competitive applicants will be notified about when and where to report for a basic-skills test and may be eligible to continue in the rest of the application process. Depending on need, HR may hire candidates directly into positions or maintain a list of eligible applicants for future needs. Military veterans are encouraged to inquire about gaining a preferential applicant status.