Juvenile Custody Services Specialist

Overview

The Opportunity:

Do you have a passion to help youth involved in the juvenile justice system? Do you want to make a difference in youths' lives and the lives of their families? Do you believe that all youth are capable of turning their lives around? Are you passionate about helping others? Do you thrive when working on a team?

If you answered "yes" to these questions, we want you to join our team as a Juvenile Custody Services Specialist (JCSS). The Department of Community Justice Juvenile Detention is seeking committed, enthusiastic and compassionate Juvenile Custody Services Specialists (JCSS) to serve a critical, operational role within the Juvenile Detention Facility.

Working with culturally diverse juveniles, you will be responsible for the guidance, supervision, security, safety and general care of youth who present a variety of behavioral, cognitive, emotional and intellectual challenges. This work includes group and recreational programming, facilitation of cognitive skill groups, and fostering pro-social behavior. Documentation, accurate record keeping, and report writing are critical to this role.

• Conduct behavior observations and assessments of individual youth detainees and groups of detained youth through active supervision, which is the intentional and focused monitoring of youth in custody utilizing the components of movement within the environment, situational awareness, and frequent pro-social youth interactions.
• Prepare detailed incident reports, document daily individual behavior summaries of youth, and both verbal and electronically documented daily unit and shift reports, individual youth records, and for juvenile counselors/workers and/or court purposes.
• Assist with the intake process of juveniles into the facility. Staff may be expected to collect and secure youth’s personal belongings, supervise and manage juveniles prior to screening to determine if youth will be admitted into the detention facility.
• Support the youth with problem-solving conversations and restorative processes in partnership with our restorative justice coordinators.
• Ensure the safety and security of the detention facility at all times.
• Deliver prosocial role modeling and facilitate skill-building activities for individual youth and groups of detained youth through skill groups with an emphasis on developing pro-social behaviors and skills.
• Oversee volunteers and/or contractors while they facilitate skill-building activities for individual youth and groups of detained youth.
• May assist with orientation of newly admitted youth to the juvenile detention facility by explaining facility rules and the facility behavior level system. Staff are expected to introduce youth to the structure of daily routines, outline expectations for behavior and provide information on available programs and services. Staff will also ensure youth understand the importance of their safety, rights, and responsibilities within the detention facility.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

The detention facility has two-level pods that house youth. All Juvenile Custody Services Specialists must have the ability to use verbal skills to de-escalate volatile situations. You must also be willing and able to respond to crisis situations, including physically intervening with youth who may be violently acting out; this may involve the use of restraints. All JCSS must have the ability to regularly go up and down stairs.

The facility operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Applicants must be willing to work a variety of shifts, including overnight, swing, weekends and holidays. JCSS are Essential Personnel required to be at work regardless of inclement weather or building closures and work on a continuous duty shift.

Workforce Equity:
Multnomah County is committed to maintaining an effective, respectful and inclusive workplace. We value collaborative problem solving and strive for continuous improvement. We strongly believe in workforce equity, diversity and inclusion. Visit our Workforce Equity Strategies Plan (WESP) to see where Multnomah County is headed with these values.

To Qualify
We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant.

Minimum Qualifications/Transferable Skills:

• Associate's degree or equivalent with major coursework in child psychology, sociology, or a related field, AND;
• Two (2) years of responsible experience working with at-risk youth (12-18) in one of the following environments (Bachelor's degree may substitute for 1 year of the required experience):
• Detention or youth correctional facility
• Youth residential setting
• Setting that provides programming for at-risk youth
• Successful completion of a battery of psychological tests / psychological evaluation.
• Physical ability to respond to crisis situations with the youth, including violent…