The Rhode Island Juvenile Prosecution Unit, in 2012, received 1,285 new petitions charging juveniles with criminal offenses, of which 850 were new delinquency charges. In addition, the Unit prosecuted 686 new juvenile offenders, which is an increase of 225 from 2011.
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The Juvenile Probation and Parole Field Services of the Department of Children, Youth and Families, Division of Juvenile Correctional Services, is responsible for providing supervision to juvenile offenders. As of 1994, the Department is decentralized into four service regions, with Providence being the site of the Department’s main office:
- Region 1: Providence (Main Office)
- Region 2: East Bay
- Region 3: South
- Region 4: North
The regional Probation and Parole Units are further organized as follows:
- Providence – East Bay/Warren
- South County/Newport
- Kent County/Cranston
- Pawtucket/East Providence – Woonsocket
Providence, Rhode Island Juvenile Probation Officer Jobs: Entrance Requirements
Candidates seeking Providence juvenile probation officer careers must meet the Department’s minimum entrance requirements, which include possessing a bachelor’s degree in one of the following areas:
- Social work
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Penology/Criminal Justice
Candidates who want to qualify for juvenile probation officer jobs in Providence must also possess experience working in a social casework atmosphere or in a social welfare agency.
Certification and Training Requirements for Juvenile Probation Officers
All juvenile probation officers in Rhode Island must be certified. The Department of Children, Youth and Families trains and certifies juvenile probation officers in Rhode Island. Pre-service training includes about 80 hours of classroom and on-the-job training, and all juvenile probation officers must complete at least 20 hours of mandatory training each year.
The training academy for the Department of Children, Youth and Families, which is located in Cranston, in addition to being responsible for the recruitment, selection and training of correctional officers, also handles orientation for all new employees and volunteers, including juvenile probation officers. The training staff of the academy develops training programs for juvenile probation officers and ensures competency levels are kept current.