Juvenile probation and parole officer jobs in Maryland carry the title “Juvenile Services (DJS) Case Management Specialists (CMSs).” Over the course of a recent year 4,343 juveniles were assigned to Maine’s Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) Case Management Specialists (CMSs) for probation supervision. This was out of a total of 37,070 individual juveniles who came into the judicial system.
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Juvenile offenders may be assigned to CMSs for a variety reasons:
- Ordered by a judge
- Agreed treatment as part of a pre-court supervision plan
- Component of a discharge plan from a correctional facility or group home
Case management specialists are a vital link between the juvenile offender, the juvenile justice system, and the wider community. CMSs help young offenders know how to become responsible members of society.
Required Experience and Education to Become a DJS Case Management Specialist
Maryland prefers applicants for juvenile probation officer careers to have at least a bachelor’s degree in any subject area. No previous experience is required if applying with a bachelor’s degree.
Candidates may also have an associate’s degree in criminal justice or the social and behavioral sciences, including social work and psychology, and two years of experience working directly with children or young adults in a residential or community setting.
DJS Case Management Specialist Minimum Requirements and Application Process
Before considering how to become a juvenile probation officer in Maryland, candidates will need to meet the following requirements:
- Driver’s license
- Ability to legally work in the United States
- Be at least 21 years old
- Be able to pass:
- Drug test
- Background check
- Physical and psychological evaluations
Candidates interested in careers as juvenile probation officers in Maryland should monitor the State of Maryland’s jobs website. Applications are not accepted until there is a vacancy, and to be notified of this by email candidates can fill out a jobs interest card.
Once a job is posted candidates are advised to fill out an application online, though there is also the option of mailing in a paper application to the address provided in the Maryland juvenile probation officer jobs announcement.
Training and Certification for Juvenile Probation Officers in Maryland
Newly hired CMSs will be trained to meet the requirements for certification by the Maryland Correctional Training Commission. Total training during the first year of employment comes out to 320 hours of classes. Subsequent years require at least 40 annual hours of continuing education and training. Subject areas covered include:
- Case management methods, procedures, and techniques in the juvenile services system
- Policies, regulations, and laws of the juvenile justice system
- Techniques, methods, and principals of behavioral modification and treatments of anti-social patterns of behavior
- Application of assessment and screening tools to identify relevant treatment services, aftercare planning, offender needs, and behavior goals
- Preparation of legal documents, reports, correspondence, and narratives
- Evaluation of treatment plan effectiveness and compliance with probation terms and behavior plan
- Communicating with juvenile offenders, the courts, families, and justice system officials
- Interviewing techniques for offenders and their families with the purpose of obtaining and clarifying valuable information