Probation services in Lake County are known as Juvenile Field Services. Juvenile probation officer careers involve providing Social Investigation Reports to the judges to help them rule on the course of justice that will be provided to the juveniles.
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They also provide casework services and supervise young probationers in the community to ensure that they are continuing in school and fulfilling the requirements of their probation. Juvenile probation officers make unannounced visits to the juvenile’s school and home to make sure that they are in school and obeying their curfew.
Special services provided to juveniles by the Nineteenth Circuit Court include the following:
- Juvenile Intensive Probation Supervision
- Placement Aftercare Supervision
- Victim Assistance and Restitution Program
- Home Detention
- Public Service Program
- Adoption Services
- Psychological Services
Education and Training to Become a Juvenile Probation Officer in Lake County
The requirements for juvenile probation officer jobs in Lake County include having a bachelor’s degree such as a BS or BA in criminal justice, psychology or other specialized four-year degrees such as a BSW or BBS.
Applicants must also fill out an application through the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) and be on this organization’s list prior to being hired.
Newly hired employees of Juvenile Court Services learn how to become juvenile probation officers in Lake County by being trained for a week by the Probation Division of Illinois. New officers must take part in this training during their first year on the job. Sessions take place several times a year.
Juvenile Crime in Lake County
Juvenile probation officers oversaw the cases of 451 youths in Lake County in 2003. This represented an increase of 28 percent form 1994. Overall, the crime rate in Lake County decreased over 2% between 2007 and 2008, although the number of arrests was virtually unchanged. The amount of burglaries increased 10%, however.
The number of petitions for juvenile delinquency increased 51% between 1994 and 2003, while the filing rate increased 20% during this time frame. The proportion of these juveniles who were adjudicated as delinquent declined, however, from 40% in 1994 to 29% in 2003.
A relatively small number of these youths were committed to the Illinois Department of Corrections Juvenile Division. Almost one third as many youths, 45 in total, were committed in 2004 as compared to 1997.