Juvenile Detention Officer Assistant

This examination is being given to fill several full-time and part-time vacancies in the Probation Department and to establish an eligible list to fill future vacancies. 

The Juvenile Detention Officer Assistant (JDOA) is the trainee level in the Juvenile Detention Officer series.  As trainees, the incumbents are assigned to perform routine activities under close supervision and receive departmental training.  Under immediate supervision, the JDOA maintains the safety, security and discipline in an assigned unit for juveniles; supervises and guides the behavior of juveniles; enforces facility rules and regulations; advises juveniles in proper standards of personal conduct; observes and assesses behavior and needs of groups and individuals within groups; and does related or other work as required in accordance with Rule 3, Section 3 of the Civil Service Rules.

The Juvenile Detention Facility is a 24-hour operation.  These positions require working rotating shifts which will include weekends and holidays, as well as working overtime.  The shifts are:  6:00 am - 6:00 pm; 9:00 am - 9:00 pm; and 6:00 pm - 6:00 am.

Candidates must participate in a mandatory orientation and successfully pass a background investigation, pre-employment physical and drug screen prior to employment.  Candidates who pass the written exam will need to complete the Personal History Statement (PHS), which they will receive at the mandatory orientation.  To review the PHS, click on the link to the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) forms page - San Joaquin County uses form 2-251: PHS - Peace Officer       

Prior Candidates for the BSCC Selection Exam for Adult Corrections Officer (ACO), Juvenile Corrections Officer (JCO) and Probation Officer (PO) Classifications for Local Corrections:  For applicants who took this exam within the past 12 months and achieved a T-score of 45 or above, San Joaquin County will allow applicants to submit their T-score in lieu of retaking the written exam, but the employment application for San Joaquin County must still be submitted and must meet the minimum qualifications for Juvenile Detention Officer Assistant in San Joaquin County.  POST exam T-scores are not accepted in lieu of taking this exam.  The T-score must be on agency letterhead and must show the name of the agency that administered the exam, the name of the exam, the date the exam was given and the candidate's name.  The T-score letter must be submitted with the employment application.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of an application. A completed application must be postmarked or received online by the final filing deadline.

NOTE: All correspondences relating to this recruitment will be delivered via e-mail. The e-mail account used will be the one provided on your employment application during time of submittal. Please be sure to check your e-mail often for updates. If you do not have an e-mail account on file, Human Resources will send you correspondences via US Mail.

The following incentives and bonuses may be available for eligible new hires. Incentives and bonuses are subject to approval by Human Resources:

• Vacation Accrual Rate: San Joaquin County vacation accrual rate consistent with the candidate's total years of public service. 

• Sick Leave: Candidates leaving other employment may receive credit for actual non-reimbursable sick leave hours (up to 160 hours) from their last agency. Hours shall be subject to San Joaquin County's minimum sick leave cash out provisions.

• New Hire Retention Bonus:

$2,000 upon completion of first year equivalent employment (2,080 hours)

$1,000 upon completion of third year equivalent employment (6,240 hours)

$3,000 upon completion of sixth year equivalent employment (12,480 hours)

 

Under immediate supervision, maintains the safety, security and discipline in assigned unit for youthful offenders; supervises and guides the behavior of youthful offenders; enforces rules and regulations of the facility; advises youthful offenders in proper standards of personal conduct; observes and assesses behavior and needs of groups and individuals within groups; and does related or other work as required in accordance with Rule 3, Section 3 of the Civil Service Rules.

Incumbents serve as trainees for the Juvenile Detention Officer series. As trainees, individuals are assigned to perform routine activities under close supervision, receive departmental training, and acquire the essential knowledge and abilities characteristic of Juvenile Detention Officer.

• Maintains security and discipline over assigned unit or program; enforces rules and regulations of the facility and program. 
• Supervises and guides youthful offender behavior; advises youthful offenders in proper standards of personal conduct with emphasis on collaboration, education, and partnership. 
• Develops and maintains positive relationships with youthful offenders, individually or in groups, to gain compliance and build trust. 
• Documents and relates information to appropriate persons. 
• Conducts programs related to recreation and work activities; participates in behavior modification programs such as anger management, victim awareness and the like; assists in planning activities and programs. 
• Prepares and maintains conduct records and reports regarding youthful offenders for use in placement or court proceedings, including incident reports. 
• May be required to perform basic housekeeping tasks; Conducts room checks and searches; scans incoming and outgoing mail; searches youthful offenders for contraband. 
• Learns to subdue and restrain violent or attacking youthful offenders when appropriate for the safety and protection of themselves and others; learns to determine appropriate course of action when faced with potentially violent situations. 
• Uses computers and youthful offender detention specific programs for detention management and communications. 
• Transports youthful offenders, when necessary.

EITHER PATTERN I

Education: Completion of thirty semester (or equivalent quarter) units at an accredited college or university, including at least six semester (or equivalent quarter) units in the social or behavioral sciences.

OR PATTERN II

Experience: One year of full-time experience in law enforcement, correctional work in a probation or parole agency, detention or residential treatment facility, correctional institution, or supervision of residents in a youth or adult housing program. 

AND FOR BOTH PATTERNS

License: Possession of a valid California driver’s license.

Special Requirements: The Juvenile Detention Officer Assistant must successfully complete the required Juvenile Corrections Officer Core Course training during the first year of appointment as established by the California Board of State and Community Corrections.  Employees in this classification are peace officers as defined by section 830.5 of the Penal Code and must satisfy the State of California criteria for peace officer status.  Employees must also conform to all training as well as other requirements including those necessary to hold and maintain peace officer status pursuant to the California Government Code.

California youthful offender justice system; general principles of human behavior, normal and abnormal; basic group and individual counseling techniques; basic psychological theories, terminology and treatment methods; principles of conflict de-escalation; community interaction and collaborative problem solving; general principles of report writing and composition; basic computer literacy; personal computer systems and computer software.

Establish rapport with youthful offenders; recognize emotional and behavioral problems; assess physical and emotional needs of individual youthful offenders; demonstrate clear written and oral skills; follow written and oral instructions/procedures; fairly and equitably enforce rules and regulations with firmness; organize and direct the activities of youthful offenders; utilize a variety of office equipment, including computer operation; operate communications and safety equipment; work different shifts, weekends, holidays and extended schedules; work with other staff to effect job duties; relate to a wide variety of socio-economic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds; physically restrain or subdue youthful offenders for the safety of themselves and others; drive in a safe manner.

Mobility—Constant standing, walking, running, stooping, bending, climbing stairs and lifting of individuals which require strength, coordination, endurance and agility, driving, operation of a computer; Visual—constant overall vision; constant color perception, constant eye-hand coordination; constant depth perception; frequent reading/close-up work; constant field of vision/peripheral; Dexterity—frequent repetitive motion and reaching; Hearing/Talking—constant requirement to hear normal speech; constant hearing on telephone and radio; ability to hear faint sounds; constant talking on telephone/radio; Emotional/Psychological—constant contact with hostile individuals; frequent exposure to emergency situations; frequent exposure to trauma, grief and death; frequent public contact; frequent decision-making; frequent concentration; Special Requirements—assignments may require working weekend, nights, and/or occasional overtime; Environmental—occasional exposure to varied weather conditions.

San Joaquin County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer and is committed to providing equal employment to all without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation or belief, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.  For more information go to www.sjgov.org/department/hr/eeo.

Accommodations for those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):

San Joaquin County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and, upon request, will consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Employees hired into this classification are members of a bargaining unit which is represented by SEIU Local 1021. 

Health Insurance:  San Joaquin County provides employees with a choice of three health plans:  a Kaiser Plan, a Select Plan, and a Premier Plan.  Employees pay a portion of the cost of the premium. Dependent coverage is also available. 

Dental Insurance:  The County provides employees with a choice of two dental plans:  Delta Dental and United Health Care-Select Managed Care Direct Compensation Plan.  There is no cost for employee only coverage in either plan; dependent coverage is available at the employee’s expense.

Vision Insurance:  The County provides vision coverage through Vision Service Plan (VSP).  There is no cost for employee only coverage; dependent coverage is available at the employee’s expense.

For more detailed information on the County’s benefits program, visit our website at www.sjgov.org under Human Resources/Employee Benefits. 

Life Insurance:  The County provides eligible employees with life insurance coverage as follows: 

 1 but less than 3 years of continuous service:                   $1,000
 3 but less than 5 years of continuous service:                   $3,000
 5 but less than 10 years of continuous service:                 $5,000
10 years of continuous service or more:                           $10,000 

Employee may purchase additional term life insurance at the group rate.

125 Flexible Benefits Plan:  This is a voluntary program that allows employees to use pre-tax dollars to pay for health-related expenses that are not paid by a medical, dental or vision plan (Health Flexible Spending Account $2550 annual limit with a $500 carry over); and dependent care costs (Dependent Care Assistance Plan $5000 annual limit). 

Retirement Plan:  Employees of the County are covered by the County Retirement Law of 1937.  Please visit the San Joaquin County Employees’ Retirement Association (SJCERA) at www.sjcera.org for more information.  NOTE:  If you are receiving a retirement allowance from another California county covered by the County Employees’ Retirement Act of 1937 or from any governmental agency covered by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), you are advised to contact the Retirement Officer of the Retirement Plan from which you retired to determine what effect employment in San Joaquin County would have on your retirement allowance.

Deferred Compensation:  The County maintains a deferred compensation plan under Section 457 of the IRS code. You may annually contribute $22,500 or 100% of your includible compensation, whichever is less.  Individuals age 50 or older may contribute to their plan, up to $30,000. The Roth IRA (after tax) is also now available.

Vacation:  Maximum earned vacation is 10 days each year up to 3 years; 15 days after 3 years; 20 days after 10 years; and 23 days after 20 years.

Holidays:  Effective July 1, 2017, all civil service status employees earn 14 paid holidays each year.  Please see the appopriate MOU for details regarding holidays, accruals, use, and cashability of accrued time.

Sick Leave:  12 working days of sick leave annually with unlimited accumulation.  Sick leave incentive:  An employee is eligible to receive eight hours administrative leave if the leave balance equals at least one- half of the cumulative amount that the employee is eligible to accrue.  The employee must also be on payroll during the entire calendar year.

Bereavement Leave:  3 days of paid leave for the death of qualifying family member, 2 additional days of accrued leave for death of employee’s spouse, domestic partner, parent or child.

Merit Salary Increase:  New employees will receive the starting salary, which is the first step of the salary range.  After employees serve 52 weeks (2080 hours) on each step of the range, they are eligible for a merit increase to the next step.

Job Sharing:  Employees may agree to job-share a position, subject to approval by a Department Head and the Director of Human Resources.

Educational Reimbursement Program:  Eligible employees may be reimbursed for career-related course work up to a maximum of $850 per fiscal year.  Eligible employees enrolled in an approved four (4) year College or University academic program may be reimbursed up to $800 per semester for a maximum of $1600 per fiscal year.

Parking Supplemental Downtown Stockton:  The County contributes up to $20 per pay period for employees who pay for parking and are assigned to work in the Downtown Core Area.

School Activities:  Employees may take up to 40 hours per year, but not more than eight (8) hours per month, to participate in their children’s school activities.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will go through the following examination process:

• Written Exam: The civil service written exam is a multiple choice format.  If the written exam is administered alone, it will be 100% of the overall score.  Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% in order to be placed on the eligible list.
  
• Oral Exam:   The oral exam is a structured interview process that will assess the candidate’s education, training, and experience and may include a practical exercise.   The oral exam selection process is not a hiring interview.   A panel of up to four people will determine the candidate’s score and rank for placement on the eligible list.  Top candidates from the eligible list are referred for hiring interviews.  If the oral exam is administered alone, it will be 100% of the overall score.  Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% in order to be placed on the eligible list. 
  
• Written & Oral Exam:  If both a written exam and an oral exam is administered, the written exam is weighted at 60% and the oral exam is weighted at 40% unless otherwise indicated on the announcement.  Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% on each examination in order to be placed on the eligible list.
  
• Rate-out:  A rate-out is an examination that involves a paper rating of the candidate’s application using the following criteria: education, training, and experience. Candidates will not be scheduled for the rate-out process. 

 Note:  The rating of 70 referred to may be the same or other than an arithmetic 70% of the total possible points.

Testing Accommodation:  Candidates who require testing accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) must call Human Resources Division at (209) 468-3370 prior to the examination date.   

Veteran’s Points:  Eligible veterans, unmarried widows and widowers of veterans of the United States Armed Forces who have been honorably discharged and who have served during wartime shall be given veteran’s points in initial appointment to County service.  Eligible veterans receive 5 points and eligible disabled veterans receive 10 points. Disabled veterans must submit a recent award letter stating a 10% service connected disability issued by the United States Veterans Administration.  Note:  A copy of your DD214 showing the discharge type must be received in the Human Resources by the date of the examination.

Acceptable wartime service dates:

• September 16, 1940 to December 31, 1946

• June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955

• August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975

• Persian Gulf War, August 2, 1990, through a date to be set by law or Presidential Proclamation.

Eligible Lists:   Candidates who pass the examination will be placed on an eligible list for that classification.  Eligible lists are effective for nine months, but may be extended by the Human Resources Director for a period which shall not exceed a total of three years from the date established.

Certification/Referral: Names from the eligible list will be referred to the hiring department by the following methods.

• Rule of the Rank: The top rank or ranks of eligibles will be referred for hiring interviews.  The minimum number of names to be referred will be equal to the number of positions plus nine, or 10% of the eligible list, whichever is higher.  When filling nine or more positions in a department at the same time, the top rank or ranks will be referred and the minimum number of names shall be two times the number of positions to be filled or 10% of the eligible list, whichever is higher. This applies only to open competitive recruitments.
• Rule of Five:  The top five names will be referred for hiring interviews.  This applies only to department or countywide promotional examination.
• Rule of the List: For classifications designated by the Director of Human Resources, the entire eligible list will be referred to the department.

Physical Exam:  Some classifications require physical examinations. Final appointment cannot be made until the eligible has passed the physical examination. The County pays for physical examinations administered in its medical facilities.

Pre-Employment Drug Screening Exam:  Some classifications require a new employee successfully pass a pre-employment drug screen as a condition of employment.  Final appointment cannot be made until the eligible has passed the drug screen.  The County pays for the initial drug screen.

Employment of Relatives: Applicants who are relatives of employees in a department within the 3rd degree of relationship, (parent, child, grand parent, grand child or sibling) either by blood or marriage, may not be appointed, promoted, transferred into or within the department when;

• They are related to the Appointing Authority or

• The employment would result in one of them supervising the work of the other.

Department Head may establish additional limitations on the hiring of relatives by departmental rule.

Proof of Eligibility:  If you are offered a job you will be required to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or other documents that establish your eligibility to be employed in the U.S.

 

Apply Online:       

www.sjgov.org/department/hr

By mail or in person:  

San Joaquin County Human Resources

44 N. San Joaquin Street Suite 330

Stockton, CA 95202                                  

 

Office hours:               
Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm; excluding holidays.

Phone:  (209) 468-3370 

 

Job Line:

For current employment opportunities please call our 24-hour job line at (209) 468-3377. 

When a final filing date is indicated, applications must be filed with the Human Resources Division before 5:00 p.m. or postmarked by the final filing date. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of an application. Applications sent through county inter-office mail, which are not received by the final filing date, will not be accepted. (The County assumes no responsibility for mailed applications which are not received by the Human Resources Division).  

San Joaquin County Substance Abuse Policy: San Joaquin County has adopted a Substance Abuse Policy in compliance with the Federal Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988. This policy is enforced by all San Joaquin County Departments and applies to all San Joaquin County employees.

Equal Opportunity Employer:  San Joaquin County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer and is committed to providing equal employment to all without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation or belief, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.  For more information go to www.sjgov.org/department/hr/eeo.