Juvenile Probation Officer Careers in Minnesota

Where juvenile probation services are concerned, Minnesota divides up the responsibilities between two departments: the Minnesota Department of Corrections and the Minnesota Association of County Probation Officers (CPOs.) Both departments are responsible for handling juvenile probation issues in their respective jurisdictions. The Minnesota Department of Corrections operates in 27 counties in the state and supervises juvenile probation operations in those areas, while the Minnesota Association of County Probation Officers are appointed by district courts and currently operate in 28 counties in the state.

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In either case, juvenile probation officers in Minnesota do not have peace officer status, but do have the authority to make arrests when necessary, although they are not authorized to carry firearms.

In order to obtain a juvenile probation officer job in Minnesota there are a series of steps one must complete and a series of requirements that the applicant must meet first.

Education Requirements for Juvenile Probation Officers in Minnesota

In order to become a juvenile probation officer in Minnesota an applicant (with the Minnesota Department of Corrections or the County Probation Officers) must have a bachelor’s degree in one of the following curriculum types:

  • Sociology
  • Criminal Justice
  • Psychology
  • Social Work

Some considerations can be made depending on the field of study and other related work experience or volunteer experience, but a bachelor’s degree is required at a minimum. Related work experience can include working with at-risk youth, taking part in youth mentoring programs or volunteering with a community youth group.

Age Requirement

Employees that work for the state of Minnesota have a mandatory retirement age of 57, so applicants seeking a job as a juvenile probation officer cannot be above the age of 37, according to the guidelines.

Minnesota Juvenile Probation Officer Training

The departments that oversee all juvenile probation services in the state do not require recruits to join a training academy. Rather, recruits are hired on full-time and receive on the job training for the most part. There are some courses that juvenile probation officers are required to take, but they are not part of an intensive academy setting.

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During the first year of employment, juvenile probation officers are required to complete 60 hours of training courses in things like communication, psychology and criminal justice. After the first year of employment, juvenile probation officers in Minnesota are required to complete 40 hours of training every year while employed with the department, although training requirements may differ from county to county depending on which agency the employee is working for. So, it is very important for people that are looking to get into a juvenile probation career in Minnesota to first determine which agency they would most likely be working for (the Minnesota Department of Corrections or the County Probation Officers,) as training procedures and requirements may differ quite a bit between the two.

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