Correctional Officer, Juvenile - Juvenile Detention Center

Juvenile Correctional Officer

As a Juvenile Correctional Officer, you are responsible for the health, welfare, and programming of pre-adjudicated youth in a secure detention setting. The Juvenile Detention Center (JDC) is a Minnesota Department of Corrections licensed facility for youth ages 10 to 18+. Residents are not sentenced but are pending disposition of their court cases. If you have a passion for working with this population in this setting and have great adaptability skills, then this position may be for you. Current Hennepin County employees who refer a candidate hired into an open competitive position may be eligible for a $500 referral bonus. For more information visit employee referral program. Find us at upcoming career fairs!

Location and hours: These positions are located at the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center at 510 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55415. Candidates must be available to work various full-time/part-time shifts, which include days, evenings, overnights, holidays, and weekend hours. Work hours for part-time positions will be up to 20 hours/week. New Employee Orientation (NEO) for all new benefit-earning employees is in-person in downtown Minneapolis. Details about NEO will be provided upon hire. A shift differential of $1.10 per hour will be paid for nights when working 5 hours after 3pm and an additional $2.00 per hour for weekends, this includes Saturday and Sunday. Facility meals are provided, and a uniform allowance is given for qualifying positions.

About these position types: These are full-time, part-time (benefit or non-benefit earning) positions. These positions are internally classified as a Correctional Officer, Juvenile. Click here to view the job classification specification. To remain in compliance with OSHA, candidates hired into Juvenile Correctional Officer positions are required to fit test annually for the use of a respirator. At any time, Juvenile Correctional Officers may be required to be in compliance with facial hair styles that do not interfere with the proper fit of a respirator.

In these positions, you will:

• Directly supervise the daily activities of a diverse population of youth including school attendance, gym/recreation, programs and activities, visitation/phone calls, daily hygiene and cleanliness, and monitoring sleep hours.
• Serve as a mentor for residents by establishing healthy relationships, modeling respectful interactions, and helping youth to engage in prosocial behavior and decision-making.
• Foster a respectful group environment/dynamic among youth.
• Implement case plans related to identified therapeutic goals and behavioral plans.
• Set and maintain limits for youth related to the rules and expectations of the facility.
• Be responsive to the issues affecting this population including, trauma histories, cognitive and developmental delay, chemical dependency, and mental health.
• Ensure the safety and well-being of residents and staff by using motivational interviewing and verbal de-escalation techniques.
• Respond to emergency calls in the building and employ the appropriate use of restrictive procedures, when needed, to manage dysregulated youth.
• Accurately document resident activities and behaviors in log notes and critical incident reports.
• Uphold the safety and security policies of the facility including those related to resident counts, searches, contraband control, and resident well-being checks.
• Deliver Evidence Based Practices by co-facilitating cognitive behavioral groups, problem-solving and skills groups, and monitoring residents during volunteer or contracted programs/services.
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of professionals including other JCOs, supervisors, managers, social workers, school staff, medical staff, probation officers and justice partners.
• Receive and release juveniles from facility; transport residents as needed with a Hennepin County vehicle.

Need to have:

• One of the following: Two years or more (90 quarter/60 semester credits) of college or vocational/technical coursework in corrections, a related criminal justice or behavioral/social science field, or law enforcement.
• Related education and/or experience to equal two years or more.
• The Evidence Based Practice Corrections Professional Certificate from an approved school may be substituted for one year of relevant coursework or one year of relevant experience.
• Active military duty with an honorable discharge.
• Must be 21 years of age or older.
• A valid driver's license and the ability to obtain a Hennepin County driver's permit.
• Ability to stand, stoop, bend, reach, run, and walk both inside and outside with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice to have:

• Experience: Serving the needs of youth in group residential setting such as DOC or DHS licensed group homes, shelters, or treatment programs.
• Serving the needs of youth in the community such as in secondary school settings, outpatient counseling/day treatment programs, or community-based services or youth outreach programs ( e.g. Boys and Girls Clubs/YMCA, etc.)
• Working in a correctional or detention setting which involved the direct care, supervision and control of residents.
• Working with customers or clients from a variety of diverse backgrounds.
• Writing electronic documentation in various formats (i.e. reports, progress notes) in a timely and efficient manner.

Candidates with bilingual skills in Spanish, Somali, and/or Hmong are encouraged to apply. Bilingual candidates who pass a language assessment may qualify for additional bilingual pay and duties.

About the department: The Department of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCCR) works to enhance community safety, promote community restoration, and reduce the risk of re-offense. Department staff and volunteers serve Hennepin County at more than 20 service locations ranging from correctional facilities to probation reporting offices and occupational training centers. The department delivers sustainable correctional services to more than 26,000 adult and juvenile clients. It is the largest community corrections organization in Minnesota. Learn more at

About Hennepin County: Hennepin is the largest county government organization in Minnesota. Our employees work every day to improve the health, safety and quality of life for our residents and communities. All of our jobs align with our mission to serve residents through transformative services that reduce disparities, eliminate inequities, and create opportunity for all and our vision of a community where all people are healthy, all people are valued, and all people thrive. Our employees receive a combination of competitive benefits and positive workplace culture not found at other organizations. This includes meaningful work that impacts our community, competitive pay, a variety of benefits and opportunities to grow. Learn more at The Bridge (login as Guest). Hennepin County envisions an organization where our commitment to diversity and the reduction of disparities is fundamental in providing excellent service to our community. Your future. Made here.

Watch this video for application best practices and tips. This posting may be used to fill current and future full-time/part-time regular and/or limited duration Juvenile Correctional Officer vacancies at the JDC over the next several months. Some positions require enforcing security regulations, rules of conduct, and work rules of female residents, therefore those positions must be filled by a female applicant (BFOQ). In addition, Under Minn. Stat. 144.445, subd. 2, an applicant or employee commissioned at the Hennepin County correctional facilities (Juvenile Detention Center and Adult Corrections Facility) are required to undergo tuberculosis (TB) testing. Under facility licensing requirements, positions at the Juvenile Detention Center are also required to undergo a Department of Human Services Background Study (MS 245C.13). Convictions for certain crimes will have an effect on your ability to be hired according to the disqualification schedule listed in Minnesota Statute 245C.15. Individuals convicted for any level of Criminal Sexual Conduct are disqualified from being hired into any position within the DOCCR under the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). Other past involvement with the criminal court system will not automatically disqualify you from working at the DOCCR; individual circumstances are reviewed and evaluated confidentially. If you do not know your exact conviction information, you can refer to your sentencing order or contact the county where you were convicted. Invitations to interview will be based on an assessment of education and experience. Job offer will be contingent on passing a pre-employment physical (which will include physical strength and agility test), drug test*, employment history/reference check, criminal background check including fingerprinting, and driver's license check prior to employment. *Final candidates will be required to pass a drug test that includes cannabis.

If you have any questions, please contact: Talent Acquisition division Hennepin County Human Resources department Submit a request at hennepin.us/ask-hr or call View phone number on click.appcast.io