Juvenile Corrections Officer I Female Only

Yakima County • Castro Valley, CA

22d • $23 - $29

About The Position

Yakima County Juvenile Court is hiring multiple female Juvenile Corrections Officer I employees to help ensure the safety and security of staff, the facility, and youth confined in the Yakima Juvenile Detention Facility. A gender-specific hiring preference may apply to support same-gender pat-down searches during booking and conventional standards of sexual privacy. The position is regular and non-exempt, and is part of the AFSCME 87P Juvenile Master Contract Bargaining Unit. The pay range is $23.03–$29.21 per hour, with a hiring range of $23.03–$24.44 per hour.

The officer supervises and interacts directly with detained youth, maintains facility security, conducts searches and counts, responds to emergencies, documents incidents, and supports youth with behavioral or other concerns. The work takes place primarily in a locked juvenile detention facility operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Employees must be able to work various shifts, including weekends and holidays, and may encounter noise, weather, pathogens, travel, hostile individuals, and mental stress.

Candidates must pass a department-administered Physical Ability Test. A tuberculosis test and Washington State Food Handler’s Permit are required at employment; Washington State Basic First Aid training with CPR is required within two months of employment. The Juvenile Corrections Personnel Academy must be completed within six months of the initial hire date. The job is classified as Medium Work, with occasional exertion of up to 50 pounds, frequent exertion of up to 20 pounds, and constant exertion of up to 10 pounds.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• Any combination of work experience, volunteer work, education, or family rearing that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the job.
• Must be female and at least 21 years old.
• Valid Washington State driver's license at the time of employment.
• Must be found suitable based on criminal background investigation, fingerprinting, general employment verification, physical agility test, polygraph examination, and disclosure under RCW 43.43.830 and 43.43.834.
• Tuberculosis testing and Washington State Food Handler’s Permit required at employment.
• Washington State Basic First Aid training course with CPR required within two months of employment; current Red Cross Basic Course with CPR certification may be substituted and must be kept current during employment.
• Must pass the department-administered Physical Ability Test.
• Must be able to work various shifts in a 24-hour locked facility, including weekends and holidays.
• Must complete the Juvenile Corrections Personnel Academy administered by the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission within six months of initial hire.
• Ability to read, write, and converse fluently in English.
• Ability to work and communicate with youth and groups, handle emergency situations in an institutional setting, follow oral and written instructions, work with the public, staff, and youth under high stress, and observe and record detained juveniles’ behavior.
• Knowledge of group dynamics, youth safety procedures, security and proper use of force, discipline techniques, legal rights of youth, child development, and cleaning products and equipment used to maintain a clean and odorless facility with basic health and safety precautions.
• Ability to multitask, maintain confidentiality, work under pressure, communicate information in conversations, and follow written and verbal instructions.

Nice To Haves

• Ability to converse in Spanish as spoken in the geographical area.
• Experience working in detention or corrections, or education in a related field.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct supervision and interact with detained juveniles, including resolving conflicts, identifying group agitators and gang members, recognizing signs of violence or unrest, and monitoring behavior in disciplinary segregation.
• Use physical force or manual or chemical restraints when required.
• Observe incoming juveniles for mental or physical conditions and request medical examination when appropriate; monitor prescription medication and watch for signs of drug use, withdrawal, or mental or emotional disorders.
• Maintain facility security by inspecting vehicles, containers, and identification; verifying the identity of officers and juvenile detainees entering or leaving; controlling detention-area entry through video and computer monitoring; patrolling secured areas; and maintaining key security.
• Provide limited courtroom security for in-custody children's cases and escort juveniles outside the facility by vehicle or on foot.
• Conduct pat-down and strip searches of juveniles, search clothing and property left for juveniles, and periodically search cells for contraband and weapons; process seized contraband.
• Take action to stop or report escapes and security breaches; conduct head and facility counts; respond to emergencies and participate in facility lockdowns; report unusual or irregular incidents to a supervisor.
• Investigate and document injuries and behavioral patterns, determine when problems should be referred to facility staff, counsel juveniles, and use sound judgment to avoid provoked confrontations and recognize attempts at manipulation.
• Prepare and submit required written documentation and reports about the juvenile population, events, and facility functions.
• Inspect facilities for cleanliness and sanitation; supervise juveniles during school, crafts, exercise, recreation, chores, visitation, and telephone calls; perform laundry and supervise cleanup.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Health care benefits, including medical, dental, vision, basic life, and basic long-term disability coverage.
• Retirement benefits.
• Paid vacation.
• Paid holidays.
• Paid sick leave.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED