Fresno County’s Juvenile Services Department provides a wide range of tools for young offenders who find themselves in the juvenile justice system. Chief among these are juvenile probation services which aim to rehabilitate young offenders while at the same time holding them to account for their choice to commit criminal offences. Juvenile probation officers serve several key functions within the juvenile probation department, especially as part of the following units:
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- Intake and Court Services: Officers will conduct risk-assessment interviews and provide juvenile background investigation reports to the court
- Juvenile Supervision: Officers monitor the compliance of juvenile offenders with the terms of their probation
- Placement: Officers work with group homes and other community agencies to find a sustainable and supportive environment for youths who have been removed from their parents or guardians
Meeting Fresno County’s Minimum Requirements
Because juvenile probation officers deal with complex issues requiring a certain level of professionalism and tact, Fresno County has set forth a number of guidelines all officer candidates must meet. Candidates for Fresno County juvenile probation officer jobs need to first qualify under one of the following education requirements:
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year institution in:
- Counseling
- Criminology
- Social work
- Psychology
- Other closely related fields
- A bachelor’s degree in any field plus one year of full-time work experience in a following field:
- Juvenile institution facilities
- Probation and/or parole
- Other closely related professional experience
Juvenile probation officer applicants must also:
- Have a valid Class C California driver’s license
- Be able to obtain a Class B California driver’s license if needed
- Have no felony convictions or be in any current legal trouble
New Officer Training
Officers just beginning their new careers will face the next significant hurdle after the hiring process: training. This will consist of at least 170 hours of classroom instruction and hands-on workshops, which all juvenile probation officers must complete within their first year of employment. Topics covered include:
- California juvenile justice system
- Signs of family abuse, domestic violence, and psychological problems
- Options in juvenile detention
- Investigative and victim interviewing; juvenile background investigation court reports
- Casework relationships
- Use of force and restraints
- How to become proficient in self-defense, defensive posturing, and safety techniques
Making an Application
The first step to becoming a juvenile probation officer in Fresno County is to locate a vacancy posting within Fresno County’s Personnel Services Department online jobs listing. The official posting title is Deputy Probation Officer I, and applicants can apply as such to the Juvenile Probation Services Division. If there are no current openings, candidates can register to be notified by email when a vacancy occurs through the county’s jobs interest card service.
Fresno County offers Juvenile Probation Services and careers not only in the city of Fresno but throughout all other areas of the county as well, including the cities of:
- Clovis
- Reedley
- Sanger
- Selma
- Coalinga