With a juvenile probation population of 992, Worcester County is the third largest juvenile probation services provider in Massachusetts. The main juvenile probation court in the county is located in the city of Worcester, with three other courts located in Dudley, Fitchburg and Milford.
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In total, the three city courts are responsible for providing probation services to juveniles in the outlying towns of Clinton and Westborough as well. All probation services in the state of Massachusetts operate under the supervision of the Commissioner of Probation division of the Massachusetts Trial Court department.
According to the United States Bureau Labor Statistics department, juvenile probation and counseling jobs are expected to grow by slightly more than 18 percent by 2020, which is slightly faster than average when compared to other law enforcement jobs in the United States of America.
Juvenile Probation Officer Job Duties and Responsibilities
In Worcester County, juvenile probation officers are expected to conduct investigations, file reports with district judges and counsel juvenile probationers according to their court order and sentences. One of the largest responsibilities of the profession includes conducting interviews with offenders, family members and school officials in order to monitor progress, recommend services and make revocations or modifications to probation sentences accordingly.
Degree and Work Experience Requirements
In order to be considered for a juvenile probation officer job in Worcester County, as well as the entire state, an applicant must first fulfill the basic education and work experience requirements as stated by the Massachusetts Trial Court department.
All applicants must have one year of work experience in human and allied services fields, and must also posses a bachelor’s degree from a university or college. Human and allied services include work experience in:
- Counseling
- Education
- Law enforcement
- Casework
- Management
- Administration
There is no requirement for the degree in terms of field of study or major.
Those with a graduate degree in law, criminal justice, psychology, sociology, education, counseling or a related field can bypass the work experience requirement, and are given special consideration during the initial phases of the hiring process.
Training to Become a Juvenile Probation Officer in Worcester County
After completing the hiring process, recruits are then required to complete 120 hours of orientation training prior to becoming a juvenile probation officer in Worcester County. The orientation consists of department procedure training, report filing, communication skills, arrest procedures, investigation techniques and other skills needed to perform the day-to-day duties of a juvenile police officer in Worcester County.
No additional training is required after completion of the 120 hour orientation, although additional training is required if an officer wishes to get a promotion to probation officer II status. In order to achieve the promotion, officers must complete an additional 40 hours of training within the first three years of employment.