Juvenile probation officers working in Maricopa County will have the opportunity to work in a variety of constructive and proactive settings, in addition to performing their usual caseload supervision. Maricopa County provides several diversion and educational programs as an alternative to institutional sentences for young offenders or those at risk. These include:
Sponsored School(s)
- Safe Schools Program: Officers develop a friendly rapport with juveniles in their school setting, acting as positive role models
- Drug Diversion: Officers work with juveniles with first-time-offenses on drug education and how to remain clean
- Teen Court: Probation officers work with an offending teen while supervising a jury comprised of the youth’s peers to determine an appropriate consequence for illegal activities
Out of a total of 566,692 youths between the ages of 8-17 in Maricopa County, the juvenile justice system saw 18,980 delinquent referrals in 2011.
The Right Education to Perform Job Duties
To become a juvenile probation officer in Maricopa County, candidates need to have the right skills and education in order to provide a competent and professional level of service. Maricopa County requires its officers to have at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university before it will consider a candidate’s application. Any relevant employment history is also helpful, as officers will use the sum of their education and experience when performing the following job duties:
- Juvenile offender supervision and guidance
- Risk-assessment interviews and evaluations
- Self-defense and restraint procedures
- Background investigation, family and community research
Juvenile Probation Officer Training
Once officers have navigated the hiring process they can begin their training. The Maricopa County Juvenile Probation Program takes the training process very seriously because this will determine the quality of officers whose careers will span decades. Training begins with eight hours of safety instruction, to be followed by the two week Probation Officer Training Academy, where officers will learn the essentials to begin their careers successfully. The Committee on Probation Education (COPE) is responsible for juvenile probation officer certification, a credential earned when the officer has:
- Passed the Academy Certification Test
- Completed one successful year on the job
- Received a recommendation from the Director of Juvenile Court Services or Chief Probation Officer
After their first year officers will need to participate in annual training classes totaling 80 hours each year.
Working in Maricopa County
Candidates who are interested in applying can search the Maricopa County Human Resources jobs postings for probation officer positions within the juvenile probation department. If there are no immediate vacancies, candidates can sign up to be notified when an opening becomes available. Juvenile probation officer jobs are also listed on the Maricopa County Judicial Branch’s website. In addition to providing coverage for Phoenix, the Maricopa County juvenile probation department provides services for the cities of:
- Chandler
- Mesa
- Scottsdale
- Glendale
- Tempe
- Gilbert
- Surprise
- Peoria