JDS II (For Current Employees Only)

INTERNAL POSITION This role is open to current employees of Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center. Applicants must score at least 70% on the JDS II test in order to interview for this position. As a reminder, all JDS roles can be assigned to any shift.

Nature of Work

Under the direction of the Supervisor, work in this class includes assisting with the direction of the activities of detained youth in all areas of programming.

Illustrative Examples of Work

The JDS II:• Maintains a safe, secure detention atmosphere.• Monitors group dynamics to prevent fighting and escape attempts.• Mediates disagreements between youth.• Supervises youth during classroom activities, clean up, mealtime, showers, recreation, sleeping hours and quiet time.• Strip searches and frisks detainees, as required.• Conducts detention center searches/shakedowns.• Monitors youth every 15 minutes during sleeping hours and appropriately record these room checks in the Log Book.• Restrains out of control youth.• Screens visitors.• Receives youth from law enforcement personnel.• Conducts informal individual and group crisis counseling to detained youth.• Assists youth in studying for and passing any required test.• Maintains on going communication link with youth in the classroom by tutoring, working with and providing positive reinforcement.• Maintains a proper suicide watch on youth that exhibit self-destructive tendencies and are classified as having suicidal tendencies. Communicates with the Assistant Shift Supervisor or the Shift Supervisor regarding any youth health needs.• Performs necessary housekeeping tasks as directed by the Shift Supervisor.• Maintains clean conditions of the Center in an orderly manner.• Performs other duties as assigned by the Shift Supervisor or Assistant Shift Supervisor.• Filling in for Supervisors during absences.• Training new and current staff on a regular basis; completes FTO packets for new staff.• Assisting teams with emergency transports, staff shortages, and during natural disasters.• Assisting supervisors by taking inspections and ensuring that the facility is clean, neat, and safe.

• Other duties as assigned

Necessary Knowledge, Abilities and Skills

Position Requires:

• Be knowledgeable of the Louisiana Children's Code, Policy and Procedures Manual, Orientation and Living Manual, Operations Manual, licensing guidelines, and standards set forth by the Office of Juvenile Justice and the Center for Improving Youth Justice (formerly PbS).• The ability to interact comfortably with youth of adolescent age.• Have knowledge of proper telephone answering procedure.• Enough intellectual curiosity about youth to want to learn about his/her behavior.• Imagination and resourcefulness.• The ability to neither be afraid of the youth nor be naïve concerning them.• Emotional maturity, enough to take the distrust, antagonism, and behavior of the youth without fear and without the need to retaliate or to inflict punishment or injury upon the youth.• Ability to work harmoniously with all staff. • An extensive knowledge of FPJDC Policy and Procedures and Operations Manuals.• A genuinely cheerful nature.• Ability to work long and unusual hours and ability to fulfill any task which is necessary in maintaining the efficient, safe and secure operation of the Center. All employees in this class will be required to work on a rotating basis, holidays, weekends, and all shift hours. Employees are expected to understand that, from time to time, in order to ensure stability of facility operations, changes in shift assignment or work hours may be necessary. • Objectivity about himself/herself and the job, about the youth and his/her fellow staff members.• Good communication skills and able to train staff on a variety of topics.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of, but not limited to, those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Additionally, physical demands related to Essential Job Functions are listed within this job description. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, talk, and hear. The employee is regularly required to run, walk and reach with hand and arms; use fine and complex hand manipulation. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move over 50 pounds and upwards of the body weight of another individual;
• Again, the employee must be able to intervene and/or assist in the intervention of physical crisis situations; which may include subduing hostile, combative, and/or unruly juvenile detainees;
• The employee must be able to demonstrate proficiency in various defensive tactics techniques, via prescribed training curriculums and daily situational use.

Additional requirements:

• High school diploma or GED equivalent
• Must be accessible by personal telephone.
• Must possess a valid Driver's License
• Completion of JDS II test scoring 70 percent or higher.

Desirable Training and ExperienceSuccessful completion of new hire probationary period.

Organizational Responsibility:

As an employee of FPJDC, it is important to value our commitment to our mission and vision; maintain effective communication; exhibit teamwork; respect diversity; follow and uphold policies and procedures; demonstrate accuracy and thoroughness while meeting expected standards; observe safety and security procedures; be consistently punctual and dependable; and continually demonstrate our core values. FPJDC believes that each employee makes a significant contribution to the success of the organization, and that contributions should not be limited by assigned responsibilities. Therefore, this job description is designed to outline essential functions, duties and qualifications, but not limit the incumbent to just the work identified. Each employee is expected to offer his/her talents, expertise, and services when necessary (or as necessarily directed by management), to ensure the achievement of this organization's goals.

Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran status or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.