NCJ Number
217763
Journal
Corrections Today Magazine Volume: 69 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2007 Pages: 34-35,39
Date Published
February 2007
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article provides guidelines for marketing juvenile justice as a viable career option in cooperation with educational institutions.
Abstract
First, more data should be collected on the characteristics of the juvenile justice work force. Specifically, more information is needed on work-force demographics, working conditions, and the pathways by which individuals enter and leave the field. Without this information, the distinctive needs of the juvenile justice work force cannot be understood. Second, promising practices should be tailored to the needs of the juvenile justice work force. Juvenile justice work requires a unique combination of knowledge and skills in youth development, child welfare, education, and public safety. Marketing efforts must be tailored to attracting people interested in a career in these youth-oriented fields. Third, the adult and juvenile justice work force should be addressed in tandem, since an improvement in one field will likely be at the expense of the other. Fourth, public perception of juvenile justice as a desirable career choice should be increased. This necessarily involves increasing the visibility of the distinctive aspects of juvenile justice work, along with opportunities for education and training. Fifth, the diversity of the work force should be increased. Targeted recruitment of a more diverse work force has the dual purpose of increasing the available applicant pool while creating a work force more reflective of diverse communities and the client population. Sixth, a comprehensive work force planning process should be used. This involves assessing the condition of the current work force as well as an agency's future need, followed by a plan to address gaps. 10 endnotes