Intake Officer

Intake Officer
As a juvenile intake officer your requirements for the job are, a bachelor's degree in a field related to criminal justice, psychology or social work. In other cases, candidates may be able to start out in other positions in the juvenile detention system with only a high school diploma, often gaining the necessary experience to become a juvenile intake officer. Even if a candidate meets all the education requirements for a position, he or she may be required to complete a probationary period of up to a year. Applicants for juvenile intake officer positions may need to pass psychological examinations to show they are fit to work with minors. They also must be able to pass a drug test and prove that they have not been convicted of felonies. Some positions require a valid driver's license and familiarity with computers, as well as strong writing skills. Excellent listening and interpersonal skills are also helpful.
Juvenile intake officers’ conduct assessments of youths to determine whether they're in need of assistance or disciplinary measures. They take into account a juvenile's history, mental health, family situation and other factors when determining how to handle an issue. These issues are often brought before them by either law enforcement or families and include truancy, drug and alcohol use, destructive behavior, misdemeanors and felonies. Once the officer understands a minor's history and actions, he or she can recommend punishment and treatment options. These officers often assist law enforcement with admission processing and placement screening. Typical duties include referring families to community resources; providing offenders with crisis intervention; transporting juveniles to court or detention hearings; maintaining records; and corresponding with youth, parents and attorneys. Additional duties might include serving summonses and aiding in the release of juveniles.
Juvenile Intake officers duties are different then juvenile judges because the judge is the one who determines what are to outcomes of an offence. The different scenarios are, Dismissal: In this case the Court does not find the juvenile delinquent and the juvenile is released from the jurisdiction of the Court. Probation (Regular, Intensive or School-Based): A process whereby the juvenile is placed on probation under the supervision of the Juvenile Probation Office subject to the conditions, rules and limitations as prescribed by the Court. These conditions, rules and limitations may include Court costs, loss of driver's license, restitution to the victim, and involvement in special Court services (i.e.: Sex Offender Program, Intensive Probation Services. impaired Drivers Program, volunteers and community services, drug and alcohol and special offender services). Additionally, the Court may order the juvenile to attend any of the following: the Pathways program (sex offenses), Multisystemic Therapy, the Weekend Alternative Program, or the Lancaster Area Victim Reconciliation Program.
Commitment: This occurs when the Court believes that placement outside the juvenile's home is necessary for the treatment and rehabilitation of the juvenile. This may involve foster care, group home care, private institutional care, and public institutional care, alternative to secure care or secure care. The aforementioned services are all 24 hour care programs. Whenever the juvenile is placed outside the home, the Court will direct the parents to meet with the Domestic Relations Office to determine whether or not financial support will be required from them.

Resources * Juvenile Intake Officer: Education Requirements and Job Duties. (2003- 2012 ). Retrieved November 05, 2012, from Educational Portal: http://education-portal.com/articles/Juvenile_Intake_Officer_Education_Requirements_and_Job_Duties.html * Mueller, D. (2009 , July 2). Office of Juvenile Probation. Retrieved November 05, 2012, from Langcaster County, PA: http://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/courts/cwp/view.asp?a=472&Q=389322