View this page in:

Russian

Spanish

Community Supervision (Probation) Programs and services are designed to meet the needs of victims, community and offenders with an emphasis on community safety, accountability and competency development.

Youth are referred to one of a number of programs based on the type of offense, level of risk, needs and supervision requirements. The youth targeted for community supervision typically have committed felonies or have committed a new offense. Community supervision allows these youth to remain in the community rather than being incarcerated in state facilities.

Services Provided by Probation Counselors

Youth are assigned to probation counselors who provide or obtain the appropriate services. These services include:

• Developing and implementing case plans
• Monitoring court ordered conditions
• Providing services to victims
• Community resources referral
• Responding to violations of court orders,
• Counseling, assessments and evaluations
• Other related services

Probation programs are designed to provide supervision and intervention to targeted populations. The level of service is determined by risks, strengths and needs as identified by an extensive Risk Assessment and other evaluations or assessments that may be appropriate for a particular youth.

Risk Assessment and Strength Based Case Management

Risk Assessment & Strength Based Case Management is a new approach for assessing and managing juvenile offenders. This approach, when combined with Balanced and Restorative Justice principles, places Clark County Juvenile Court in the forefront of a new perspective of understanding how the justice system can best serve offenders while meeting the needs of victims and the community.

We believe there is significant research that supports such an approach in working with juvenile offenders. This balanced response starts with a comprehensive assessment of the "risk factors" that increase the likelihood of a youth re-offending, and the "protective factors", or strengths, that increase the youth's likelihood of success in living a crime free life. Existing research affirms the importance of the restorative principle of offenders taking an active role in being accountable for their offenses.

Strength-based case management actively engages the youth in setting goals to address their risk factors and their protective factors, knowing that this personal involvement greatly increases the chances of success. In this approach the probation counselor takes on the critical role of supporting the youth to move forward to successful change. In Balanced and Restorative Justice terms, this approach to case management focuses on offender accountability by having the offender take responsibility to make changes that will increase community safety and health. The specific changes to be addressed often are consistent with the issues victims want addressed.

Strengthening protective factors in the youth is the equivalent of building the competencies that will enable the youth to be a positive, contributing member of the community.