CORRECTIONAL POLICE OFFICER, JUVENILE JUSTICE COMMISSION

DEFINITION:

Under the close supervision of a Senior Correctional Police Officer 
or other supervisory official in the Juvenile Justice Commission, 
attends residential training in various law enforcement courses 
as authorized by the NJ Police Training Commission; receives 
on-the-job training and instructions for the appropriate care, 
well-being, security, and custody of convicted juvenile offenders 
assigned to various institutions, facilities, and boot camps throughout 
the State; learns to utilize a balanced approach of supervision and 
instruction to encourage juvenile offenders’ self-involvement and 
personal esteem to participate in rehabilitation and educational 
programs; attends classes and courses addressing principles of 
supervision practices and surveillance activities in accordance with 
the NJ Police Training Commission requirements; does other custody 
related duties as required.

NOTE:  The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes 
only.  A particular position using this title may not perform all duties 
listed in this job specification.  Conversely, all duties performed on the 
job may not be listed.
 
EXAMPLES OF WORK:

Learns to exercise full police powers and act as a peace officer at all 
times for the detection, apprehension, arrest, and conviction of 
offenders against the law.

Learns proper usage, security, integrity, and care for firearms and 
the responsibility of maintaining firearms and other restraints and 
defense equipment while performing assigned duties.

Learns the rules, regulations, policies, procedures, practices, 
operational methods, and processes related to juvenile correctional 
institutions, facilities, boot camps, and satellite locations.

Learns military style training techniques and regimented activities 
associated with close order drill, physical fitness conditioning, and 
training requirements for assigned juvenile offenders.

Learns program objectives developed for the social and emotional 
habilitation initiatives of juvenile offenders.

Learns how to project an authoritative, supportive, and positive 
attitude to assist juvenile offenders in achieving goal objectives.

Participates in custody programs in rating and evaluating juvenile 
offenders in earning access of credits toward privileges and 
specialized activities and programs.

Attends an in-residence Police Training Commission program to 
learn various law enforcement   practices, instructions, surveillance 
and detection techniques, firearms training, qualification and 
applicable regulations, policies, directives, and procedures for the 
care, well-being, security, and custody of juvenile offenders under 
charge of the State.

Attends specific program classes for instruction and receives 
on-the-job training and physical conditioning directives related 
to the principles of performing custody duties and the charge of 
sentenced juvenile offenders assigned to boot camps.

Learns to supervise the care, inspection, and maintenance of 
living quarters of juvenile offenders in a safe, clean, secure 
environment.

Learns to perform military style inspections of juvenile offenders’ 
clothing, living quarters, and hygiene practices on a regular daily 
basis.

Assists in the patrolling and surveillance activities of assigned 
areas, grounds, buildings, and living quarters, renders regular 
periodic reports via telephone or electronic communications, 
and reports the whereabouts of all assigned juvenile offenders.

Assists in the development of acceptable conduct and behavior  
of juvenile offenders in accordance with established directives 
and assertive mannerisms to prevent disturbances and attempted
escapes from custody.

Reports violations and discrepancies of a facility’s rules to superiors.

Assists in maintaining discipline in living quarters, recreation areas, 
grounds, school   classrooms, hospitals, theaters, churches, eateries, 
trade shops, and other areas and places where juvenile offenders 
gather in groups.

Assists in preventing stated contraband and unauthorized articles 
from entering the facility’s grounds, buildings, and living quarters 
by utilizing various search and surveillance techniques.

Assists in conducting regular periodic inspections and recording 
conditions of living quarters, secured areas, door locks, windows 
locks, and other restricted areas of the facility and surrounding 
grounds.

Escorts juvenile offenders to and from living quarters to various 
areas of the facility and other authorized locations.

Notifies supervisor or training officer of differing or suspicious 
actions being displayed by juvenile offenders or visual contact 
of suspicious persons/conditions that warrant review   and/or 
investigation; notes changing conditions to determine possible 
dangerous or hazardous situations.

Attends classes and demonstrations on the proper methods of 
utilizing available institution equipment and accessories.

Assists in escorting juvenile offenders to job/training sites which 
are off grounds, and to courts of law and other formal proceedings.

When assigned to a medical area of treatment, assists civilian 
employees in performing their duties.

When assigned to boot and/or institution camps and other outside 
assigned details, is responsible for safety, security, and custody 
of juvenile offenders under said charge.

Receives training in the preparation of program reports and in 
keeping records and files.

Observes and assists in performing investigations and in the 
preparation of detailed, concise reports.

Learns the practices and procedures for monitoring enforcement 
programs and ensures juvenile offenders’ rights are not violated.

Learns how to prepare and complete program incident reports 
of violations, procedures of reporting such incidents, and 
investigations required to prepare reports thereof.

Learns to prepare and compose memoranda and other 
communications.

May be required to testify as a witness for the State before formal 
hearings, Grand Juries, Courts of Law, administrative hearings, or 
other judicial bodies.

Learns how to maintain records and security of confidential records 
and files.

Learns to utilize various types of electronic communications equipment 
and database software in the performance of assigned duties. 

Learns how to recognize and rapidly evaluate potentially dangerous 
and hazardous situations involving juvenile offenders’ safety and 
well-being, and learns to exercise caution and good judgment in 
handling these circumstances to avoid personal injury or to prevent 
endangerment to the general public and/or serious personal injury 
to juvenile offenders and/or property damage.

Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or 
manual recording and information systems used by the agency, 
office, or related units.

REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION:

Possession of a High School Diploma or its equivalent.

LICENSE:

Appointees must possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey.

NOTE:  The responsibility for ensuring that employees possess the 
required motor vehicle license, commensurate with the class and type 
of vehicles they operate, rests with the Appointing Authority.

AGE:

Minimum of eighteen (18) years of age.

CITIZENSHIP:

Must be a United States’ citizen at time of appointment.

NOTE:  At time of appointment, eligible applicants for this position 
must submit acceptable proof of meeting the above indicated 
requirements.
 
NOTE:  Appointees will be required to undergo and successfully 
pass medical and psychological examinations administered by 
the Appointing Authority.

NOTE:  Appointees will be required to successfully complete the 
NJ Police Training Commission and agency training course standards 
for custody, investigations, and related law enforcement requirements.  
Appointees shall be required to qualify in the use of firearms on a 
semi-annual basis.  All training requirements and successful 
completion thereof reflect a one year training period in addition to 
satisfactory completion of the working test period as a Correctional 
Police Officer, Juvenile Justice to be considered as an eligible
appointee for appointment to the Senior Correctional Police Officer, 
Juvenile Justice position.

NOTE:  Appointees may be required during the one year training 
period to attend college level and/or other courses, paid by the 
Appointing Authority, in Criminal Justice, Psychology, or other 
related field of study.

NOTE:  Selected eligible candidates shall meet the qualifications 
for juvenile correctional police officers and shall be employed as 
juvenile correctional police officers pursuant to section 6 of 
P.L. 1995, c. 284 (N.J.S.A. 52:17B-174).

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

Knowledge of the care, usage, security, and integrity of 
firearms and other restraints and defense equipment, after a 
period of training.

Knowledge of the electronic communications equipment and 
database software utilized in the performance of assigned duties, 
after a period of training.

Knowledge of surveillance methods and procedures, after a 
period of training.

Knowledge of the administrative procedures for reporting violations 
to applicable rules, regulations, policies, and program procedures, 
after a period of training.

Knowledge of the methods and techniques for performing 
investigations of recorded juvenile offenders’ inappropriate 
actions and violations to stipulated rules and regulations.

Ability to act as a peace officer at all times for the detection, 
apprehension, arrest, and conviction of offenders against the 
law, after a period of training.

Ability to interpret problems/circumstances likely to be encountered 
in a working environment involving the social rehabilitation, care, 
well-being, and custody of juvenile offenders detained and deprived 
of specified freedoms throughout a custodial supervision period of 
confinement.

Ability to utilize proper assertiveness techniques and methods 
appropriate in a confined work environment with persons of 
varying ethnic and language backgrounds, education, abilities, 
economic levels, and personalities.

Ability to recognize and identify potentially dangerous and hazardous 
situations involving juvenile offenders, evaluate available options, 
and exercise independent judgment in handling these circumstances, 
after a period of training.

Ability to communicate with juvenile offenders to foster self-assurance 
attitudes and self-esteem for themselves and toward others, after a 
period of training.

Ability to establish and maintain cooperative relationships with 
juvenile offenders, their family members, coworkers, and superiors.

Ability to utilize appropriate techniques to gain the confidence of 
juvenile offenders, to instill mutual respect of others, and to provide 
direction with their personal development and emotional stability 
during their period of incarceration, after a period of training.

Ability to utilize varying levels of supervision over juvenile offenders 
and to recommend sanctions and/or loss of privileges when necessary.

Ability to learn military style training techniques and regimented 
activities.
 
Ability to conduct and lead rigorous physical fitness activities, 
calisthenics, exercises, and close order drill activities, after a 
period of training.

Ability to perform military style inspections of living areas and 
quarters, proper clothing/uniform attire, appropriate self-hygiene 
habits, safety issues, and liabilities of juvenile offenders.

Ability to apply the principles and practices of commission 
directives as they apply to custody related juvenile delinquency 
problems and issues.

Ability to interpret, remember, and carry out oral and written 
directions and to learn from oral and written explanations 
from classes and demonstrations as they apply to custodial 
responsibilities.

Ability to learn how to properly utilize firefighting equipment and 
adhere to stipulated emergency procedures.

Ability to learn to recognize specific occurrences and differing 
instances learned in classes and workshop demonstrations 
gleaned useful for everyday custody work in an institution or 
facility housing juvenile offenders.

Ability to recognize suspicious persons and/or events and take 
suitable action and reporting requirements to the supervisor or 
training officer in a very timely manner.

Ability to analyze custodial problems, organize assigned duties, a
nd develop effective work methods.

Ability to perform repetitive work assignments without loss of 
equanimity, patience, or courtesy, to remain calm and decisive 
in emergency situations, and retain emotional stability.

Ability to follow instructions and render to others, clear, accurate, 
and explicit directions to follow.

Ability to learn how to utilize various types of electronic 
communications, computer information systems, other 
types of recording equipment, devices, and manual 
recordings used by the agency, institutions, facilities, 
satellite locations, and other related units.

Ability to prepare detailed correspondence, reports, and 
communications on custody issues and problems and other 
program issues.

Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual 
recording and information systems used by the agency, 
office, or related units.

Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate 
in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position.  
American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered 
as acceptable forms of communication.

Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long 
as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without 
reasonable accommodation.  If the accommodation cannot be 
made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, 
such persons may not be eligible.

ADVANCEMENT:

Appointees who successfully complete the required working 
test period in addition to the twelve (12) month training period, 
including the NJ Police Training Commission and agency 
training requirements will be eligible for advancement to the 
title Senior Correctional Police Officer, Juvenile Justice 
Commission under NJ Civil Service Commission procedures.

The inability of an appointee in this title to attain the level of 
performance warranting advancement to the title listed above 
shall be considered as cause for separation from employment.


This job specification is applicable to the following title code:
Job
Spec
Code
Variant
State,
Local or
Common
Class of
Service
Work
Week
State
Class
Code
Local
Class
Code
Salary
Range
Note
55629
S
C
40
99
N/A
L99
-

This job specification is for state government use only.
Salary range is only applicable to state government.
Local salaries are established by individual local jurisdictions.

 5/12/2018