In the city and county of Honolulu, over 4,500 youths were arrested in 2008. Most arrests were for status offenses related to truancy. Two hundred seventy five youths were placed on probation for their first time in 2008, requiring oversight from Honolulu’s juvenile probation officers. The rate of violent juvenile crime in this area was 13% higher than that of Hawaii as a whole in 2010.
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Becoming a Juvenile Probation Officer in Honolulu County
Juvenile probation officers in Honolulu County work for the First Circuit Family Court, which is located in the Kapolei Judiciary Complex on Kapolei Parkway in the city of Honolulu. These officers assess the risk posed to society by juveniles who have been arrested, preparing reports for the Court as to the best way to handle the juvenile’s case. They then supervise the young offenders on their caseload for the duration of their probation sentence.
Meeting requirements for juvenile probation officer jobs in the city and county of Honolulu include earning at least a bachelor’s degree, along with having relevant work experience. Although the First Circuit Family Court does not specify an area of study, degrees in psychology, social work and other fields related to behavioral science and human services are generally considered the most suitable choice for candidates interested in pursuing juvenile probation officer jobs.
Candidates that are hired learn how to become juvenile probation officers in accordance with Honolulu’s bylaws through field training programs provided by their supervisors.
Juvenile Crime in Honolulu County
The courts in Hawaii have jurisdiction over juvenile delinquency until t youths are 17 years old. Of the 4,547 juvenile offenders arrested in Honolulu County in 2008, over 63% were between 15 and 17 years old. Thirty individuals were age nine or under, representing less than 7% of the total cases.
Fifty-six percent of the total number of juveniles arrested had committed status offenses, which are generally considered to be less serious than other types of crimes. The second largest categories of arrests were property offenses at nearly 27% of the total. Sex offenders represented the smallest number of juvenile offenders at just slightly more than 1% of the total.
Seventy-four percent of the 275 juvenile offenders placed on probation in Honolulu in 2008 were male. Almost equal numbers of individuals were placed on probation for property offenses as crimes against citizens.
Seventeen individuals who had committed crimes of a sexual nature were placed on new probation in 2008. This represented slightly over six percent of the total.