Juvenile Detention Officer

Juvenile Detention Officer

King County offers careers with competitive pay and a comprehensive benefit package. We are looking for candidates who understand that making a difference in the lives of detained youth can change the course of their future. Investing in the lives of these individuals can have lasting impacts on the communities all around us. Juvenile Detention Officers are responsible for creating and maintaining a safe, secure environment for juveniles and ensuring that their care and programming needs are met.

The Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) is looking for prospective Juvenile Detention Officers who have a strong interest in working with our community's youth. If you are selected for this position, you will work in a secure juvenile detention facility with youth typically under the age of 18 years old. Interacting with youth in this setting, you will focus on managing behavior by the least restrictive means, coaching and using conflict-resolution skills to teach and promote pro-social behavior.

Some of the important duties in this position will include:

• Providing safe and secure custody of juveniles, ensuring that they have access to health and mental health services, as well as educational resources and exercise.
• Maintaining proper living standards to include good health habits, instructing juveniles in housekeeping, sanitation responsibilities, and personal hygiene.
• Creating an environment which models pro-social behaviors for juveniles and supports them in changing behaviors and patterns to achieve positive goals.
• Managing behavior and diffusing disruptive behaviors through problem-solving, crisis intervention, and/or counseling.

Other regular job duties include:

• Monitor and document the movement and location of all juveniles at all times, complete reports regarding incidents and violations of Department policies and procedures and operate electronic audio/video surveillance equipment.
• Provide educational and/or recreational structured programming, which includes both overseeing a program performed by volunteers/contractors and directly providing programs and groups aimed at teaching pro-social behavior, games, and other activities.
• Pay special attention to individual considerations, such as mental health, emotional needs, gender identity, cultural or ethnic requirements, etc.
• Use appropriate physical defensive interventions and restraint techniques to subdue and restrain juveniles as necessary and in accordance with local, state and federal law; achieve and maintain proficiency in application and use of defensive interventions and physical agility.
• Ensure that the constitutional and other rights of the youth are upheld through ensuring access to health and mental health services, ensuring educational attendance, gym and library services, serving meals and snacks, and maintaining proper living standards and health habits.
• Conduct inspections of facility, juveniles, visitors and packages delivered to the facility, as well as conduct searches related to safety and security to include but not limited to vehicles, facilities, property and person for contraband, health hazards, and safety and security violations.
• Must be physically able to run, sit, climb stairs, and perform physical defensive tactics.
• Operate a motor vehicle to transport juveniles.

Minimum qualifications include:

• Completion of two years of post-high school education in criminal justice, human services, psychology, sociology, education or child and/or adolescent development OR two years experience (paid or volunteer) in the guidance, discipline and supervision of justice system involved and/or at-risk juveniles aged 12-17 years old. Demonstrated/related work experience, if applicable, must be detailed in the job application.
• A valid Washington state driver's license by the date of hire.
• Must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age by time of hire.
• Must have the ability to read, speak, and write in the English language fluently.
• Must be willing and able to work mandatory overtime as required to meet operational needs.
• Must be available to work varied shifts which include days, swing, graveyard, holidays, weekends and overtime as required. Assignments and schedules are based on the department's staffing needs and subject to bargaining unit bid processes which are seniority-based.

Most competitive (must be detailed in the job application):

• Bachelor's or master's degree in criminal justice, human services, psychology, sociology, education or child and/or adolescent development, or related area of study, or four or more years of work experience (paid or volunteer) in these fields.
• Experience working with youth in a correctional or security-oriented environment.
• Lateral Experience: Training requirements and starting salary range will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.