Juvenile Justice Detention Officer I - 80004007
About The Position
The Department of Juvenile Justice is seeking dedicated professionals to serve as Juvenile Justice Detention Officers. In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring public safety by maintaining a secure and structured environment for troubled youth. The department emphasizes accountability for youth actions while fostering a culture of dignity and respect. The goal is to provide individualized services to help youth become productive citizens. As a detention officer, you will often be the first point of contact for juvenile offenders, requiring strong leadership, coaching, mentoring, and a genuine desire to work with youth.
Requirements
- Be at least 19 years of age.
- Be a high school graduate or its equivalent.
- Not have been convicted of any felony or a misdemeanor involving perjury or false statement.
- Not have received a dishonorable discharge from any of the Armed Forces of the United States.
- Abide by all provisions of s. 985.644 (1), regarding fingerprinting and background investigations and other screening requirements for personnel.
- Execute and submit to the Department an affidavit-of-application form, attesting to compliance with requirements.
- Add, subtract, multiply and divide rational numbers.
- Communicate both orally and in writing.
- Effectively work with youth, co-workers, supervisors and the public.
- Possess a valid driver’s license (if initially hired with an out-of-state license, a Florida state driver’s license must be obtained within 30 days of hire).
- Have three-years acceptable driving record (for positions requiring transportation of youth).
- Be agreeable to working shift schedules, including rotating shifts, evenings, weekends, and holidays with varying days off.
- Be prepared for unplanned overtime or unscheduled double shifts.
- Pass a sex offender check, criminal background checks (state, local, and national), and pre-employment drug screening.
- Participate in E-VERIFY (Employment Eligibility).
- Be certified in accordance with the Department direct care training policy within 180 days of employment.
- Pass an Ergometric’s IMPACT Assessment and Training Test (for candidates not currently in the state system).
Nice To Haves
- Leadership qualities.
- Coaching abilities.
- Mentoring abilities.
- Desire to work with youth.
Responsibilities
- Ensure public safety by providing a safe and secure environment for troubled youth in a structured setting.
- Hold youth accountable for their criminal actions.
- Sustain a culture that promotes dignity and respect.
- Treat each youth as an individual by providing the right services at the right time.
- Shape youth to become productive citizens in society.
- Serve as the first DJJ employee to interact with juvenile offenders.
- Recognize signs of potential suicide or depression and changes in youth’s behavior.
- Address issues of youth who are experiencing problems.
- Determine appropriate level of use of force.
- Provide constructive feedback to correct behavior.
- Use conflict management skills.
- Prepare and maintain reports and records relating to the supervision of youth.
- Perform hygiene and housekeeping tasks relating to maintaining the sanitary conditions of the facility.
- Conduct strip searches.
Benefits
- 104 hours of paid vacation annually.
- 96 hours of paid sick leave annually, with unlimited accrual of unused hours.
- 9 paid holidays and 1 personal day each year.
- 6 paid credit hours per term at Florida’s colleges and universities.
- Eligibility for participation in student loan debt forgiveness program.
- Participation in one of the best group health insurance and dental plans.
- One of the most secure pension/investment plans.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
