Probation Supervision
The Probation Supervision Division of the Probation Department has the responsibility to enforce court orders for those youth who have been placed on probation by a Juvenile Court Judge.
The probation officers administer a SAVRY Risk Assessment to determine risk and supervision levels for each juvenile. Based on this assessment and in-depth interviews with the juvenile and family, the probation officer develops a Case Service Plan which determines the programs and services the juvenile will be referred.
Drug Court
Juvenile Drug Court is a program of the Probation Division that conducts substance abuse assessments and intensive supervision for juveniles evaluated and court ordered into the program.
Each juvenile ordered into the Drug Court program is evaluated and an individual case plan is developed which includes substance abuse treatment, individual and family counseling and probation supervision.
The juvenile and family must attend weekly court reviews to determine progress and compliance with the program. The juveniles are drug tested weekly.
The Juvenile Drug Court in Caddo Parish is funded by the Louisiana Supreme Court.
Family Preservation Court
Family Preservation Court is a program for adults who are in involved in the Court system because of child abuse, child neglect, domestic violence or failure to pay child support.
Participants are assessed and placed in the appropriate counseling program which can include in-patient treatment or out-patient counseling with progressive phases.
The on-site family preservation, substance abuse treatment and counseling program is designed to meet the unique needs of men and women within the family environment. Participants must also attend weekly court reviews to determine progress and compliance.
Individualized Deferred Disposition Court
The Individualized Deferred Disposition (IDD) Court was developed to better serve juveniles with serious mental health issues. This division of the Probation Department provides a comprehensive mental health assessment for each juvenile referred. The probation supervision is intense and focuses on compliance with mental health treatment and medication management.
Regular reviews are conducted to determine progress and compliance. The program includes anger management counseling, individual therapy, family counseling and skills training.
This is the first mental health court in Louisiana and is funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and legislative appropriation.
Mental Health Assessment Center
The Mental Health Assessment Center addresses the needs of juveniles with mental health issues.
The center provides comprehensive mental health assessments and psychological evaluations to assist the Court and Probation Staff in determining the most appropriate services for these juveniles.
The Center also provides counseling services for juveniles who are in the Mental Health program.
The Center is staffed with a full time Clinical Coordinator, two mental health counselors and a part-time psychologist.
The Center is funded through a grant from the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Mental Health.
Restorative Justice Diversion Program
The Restorative Justice program works closely with the District Attorney’s office to refer juveniles who have committed a minor delinquent offense to this program. Juveniles who are referred are assigned to community based programs designed to address the type of offense committed.
This program is for first time, misdemeanor offenses. The juveniles assigned to this program must acknowledge their guilt and be prepared to accept responsibility for their actions. Once the juvenile completes the program, the petition is dismissed and the juvenile does not have a conviction on their record.
Programs in the community that are utilized include:
- Juvenile Services’ Early Education and Substance Abuse (Five Week) Diversion Program
- Volunteers for Youth Justice programs
- As Teen Court, Stamp Out Shoplifting
- Violence Prevention
- Power of Choice
- Facts of Life
- Caddo Parish Sheriff programs
- Anger Management Program
- Personal Responsibility Program
Misdemeanor & Truancy Referral Center
In March of 2019, Volunteers for Youth Justice acquired the Misdemeanor Referral Center (MRC) under their umbrella. The MRC was established to assist law enforcement officers with juveniles charged with misdemeanor offenses such as petty theft, fighting at school, or simple assault.
The law enforcement officers can bring juveniles up to age 17 to the MRC and return to their duties quickly. Intake officers at the center will contact the parent(s)/guardian(s) to take custody of the juvenile. If this is their first offense, the intake officer will screen the juvenile for diversion services such as Power of Choice. This process also reduces the population in the Juvenile Detention Center, thus allowing the JDC to operate much more efficiently.
Electronic Monitoring & Intensive Supervision
Each Division of the Juvenile Court is equipped with an Intensive Supervision Probation Officer and electronic monitoring devices.
The Court has the discretion to release juveniles from the Juvenile Detention Center to be supervised by an Intensive Probation Officer while being monitored on an electronic monitor.
This is a device that is attached to a land based telephone or cell phone unit that monitors the juvenile twenty-four hours a day to determine if the juvenile has left the home unauthorized.
It is a valuable tool for pretrial release of juveniles charged with delinquent acts and for support for Probation Officers who have a juvenile placed on the monitor as an alternative to secure detention.
Juvenile Services own the monitors, however, the daily monitoring fee is paid by a grant from the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement.