State of Maryland

A DJS Community Detention Officer I is the entry level of work providing supervision and guidance to juveniles under court ordered placement in the Department of Juvenile Services Community Detention Program.  Employees ensure juveniles comply with the terms and conditions of community detention through supervision, field visits, surveillance and electronic monitoring.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from a DJS Community Detention Officer Supervisor or other designated administrator.  Employees may be required to work evenings, nights, weekends and holidays and are subject to call-in based on staffing needs.  The work requires travel to various locations, such as schools, homes, places of employment and court to investigate and confirm location of juveniles. Employees may be subject to verbal abuse by juveniles and will be required to remain calm in stressful situations involving agitated, irate or overwrought juveniles and family members.

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The DJS Community Detention Officer I, DJS Community Detention Officer II and the DJS Community Detention Officer III are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The DJS Community Detention Officer I learns to perform duties under close supervision.  The DJS Community Detention Officer II performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed.  The DJS Community Detention Officer III performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision. 

Learns to provide supervision and guidance to juveniles under court ordered placement in the Department of Juvenile Services Community Detention Program;

Learns to conduct daily face-to-face contacts, electronic monitoring and telephone contact with juveniles and their families to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of community detention;

Learns to instruct juveniles and their families in activities related to terms and conditions of community detention, such as conditional release, home, school or office visitations, educational or employment requirements, alcohol and drug abuse treatment program participation or restitution payment requirements;

Learns to assist juveniles and their families in obtaining available social resources of the community;

Learns to encourage and assist juveniles in adopting positive life skills;

Learns to consult with juvenile case managers, legal representatives, court representatives and families to advise on juvenile’s adjustment in program, home, school and community;

Learns to evaluate and document juveniles’ progress on the Community Detention Program;

Learns to assess problems that occur in the home or community based program or in emergency and crisis situations, make appropriate contacts and referrals, and provide assistance as necessary;

Learns to prepare reports and make recommendations on the appropriate course of action concerning incidents, violations, emergencies, conditional release or institutionalization of juveniles;

Learns to prepare and maintain documentation and records on juveniles in database system;

Attends in-service training on topics, such as crisis prevention, suicide prevention, and positive life skills, to maintain knowledge of juvenile needs, counseling methods and trends in the juvenile services field and to maintain certification;

May learn to testify in court;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the principles, techniques and practices of positive behavioral modification of juvenile anti-social patterns of behavior;

Ability to learn the laws, regulations, policies and procedures applicable to the juvenile community detention program;

Ability to learn the processes and procedures of the juvenile court system;

Ability to learn the public and private resources to address juvenile service needs in the areas of employment, education, health, detention and law enforcement;

Ability to use electronic monitoring equipment;

Ability to interview juveniles and family members to obtain and clarify information and explain procedures and expectations;

Ability to create effective calling patterns for juveniles on electronic monitoring;

Ability to prepare accurate and complete factual reports;

Ability to use computer systems to maintain case records, identify problems, produce reports and access informational resources;

Ability to observe, interpret and record behaviors of juveniles with patterns or histories of unacceptable social behavior in order to evaluate treatment progress;

Ability to interact with agitated or overwrought juveniles and family members in a calm manner;

Ability to maintain confidentiality of juvenile case material and related information;

Ability to testify in court proceedings;

Ability to communicate effectively with juveniles, staff from juvenile services facilities, parents and families, court personnel, attorneys, law enforcement personnel, representatives from public and private organizations and the general public.

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate acceptable to the Maryland State Board of Education as described in the Correctional Training Commission regulation.

Experience: One year of experience supervising youth in a structured environment, such as in a recreation center or school setting, or in a juvenile services facility or community program.

Notes:

1. The above educational requirement is set by the Maryland Correctional Training Commission in accordance with the Correctional Services Article, Section 8-209, Annotated Code of Maryland.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Correctional Officer classifications or Correctional Officer specialty codes in the Miscellaneous Occupations field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

1. Candidates appointed to positions in this classification must obtain certification by the Maryland Correctional Training Commission.

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

1. In accordance with the Correctional Services Article, Section 8-209 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the Maryland Correctional Training Commission shall establish the minimum qualifications for probationary or permanent appointment of a Department of Juvenile Services employee in a mandated position. These requirements are listed in detail in the Code of Maryland Regulations 12.10.01.04, general regulations of the Maryland Correctional Training Commission, and include:

    U.S. Citizenship or Resident Alien status

    Must be at least 21 years of age

    A thorough background check, including fingerprinting and drug testing

    An oral interview, and

    Physical and psychological examinations.

2. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulations 17.04.09, Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit H, Public Safety and Security classes.  As provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.   An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime, as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.