5,077 cases were referred to juvenile court in Fulton County in 2011. Juvenile probation/parole officers worked with these youths to help them become law-abiding members of society.
The homicide rate related to firearms among 15 to 24 year olds had increased dramatically from the 1980s to the early 1990s in Fulton County, which includes most of Atlanta. However, homicide rates for individuals aged 15 to 24 years in Georgia overall have substantially decreased since the mid 1990s.
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Violence is still an issue among youths in Atlanta, and as of 2009, fifty juvenile gangs were reported in the city proper, not counting the surrounding suburbs. In 2011, over 1,300 juveniles who were 16 years old or younger were arrested for violent crimes in Georgia, and more 3,200 juveniles between 17 and 21 years old were arrested for violent crimes.
How to Become a Juvenile Probation/Parole Officer in Fulton County
Applicants for jobs as juvenile probation/parole officers in Fulton County must have at least a bachelor’s degree or two years of experience in reporting findings from criminal history and court records of criminal proceedings. Substitution for these requirements can be made for those who have been a certified peace officer for at least two years.
Preference will be given to applicants who have one or more years of experience managing the cases of offenders or their families or direct experience with juvenile offenders in a group home or detention facility.
Candidates who look promising will be subject to background checks of their criminal and driving record histories. They will also be fingerprinted prior to being hired.
Training to Become a Juvenile Probation/Parole Officer in Fulton County
New employees of the Department of Juvenile Justice learn how to become juvenile probation officers through two phases of training. Basic training takes place at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center.
The first phase entails 40 hours of pre-service training. Within their first year, these officers must take part in their second phase of training: an additional 120 hours of fundamental orientation. To continue in their careers, juvenile probation/parole officers must take part in 24 hours of additional training each year.
Officers seeking promotions to the juvenile probation/parole specialist II level will have to pass a three hour criminal justice exam that is administered by Georgia’s Personnel Administration. 70% is considered a passing score.